In today’s newsletter, we report on figures that suggest shoppers’ spending over the Cyber Weekend hit £6.45bn, including £1.23bn on Black Friday alone.
We also have news of pureplay Missguided as it releases figures showing sales up by a third – though profits are down – and Ikea UK as it posts a 31% rise in online sales. Both retailers flag up the work they are doing to invest in new technology while adapting to the changing way that people are shopping.
Innovation continues to be important for Top500 retailers looking to set themselves apart: in today’s newsletter we cover Shop Direct as it brings its retail and IT teams together to focus on the personalised customer experience, and MatchesFashion.com as it introduces 90 minute deliveries.
Today’s guest comment comes from Duncan Keene of ContentSquare, who considers the role data scientists play in a technologically-advanced retail environment.
Our webinars
Our next webinar is on Monday, when Bronto’s Greg Zakowicz, senior commerce marketing analyst at Bronto Software, will look at how Top500 retailers, defined through InternetRetailing’s IREU research, approach the task of engaging with their customers. He’ll consider best practice approaches to doing that across the borders of the European Economic Area, plus Switzerland. Brand Engagement: how the Top500 retailers best connect with consumers is at 2pm on December 5. To find out more or to register for the free webinar click here to visit the Bronto webinar page.
Two days later, Digital River global strategy specialist Howard West will share strategies for expanding online businesses globally. He’ll be considering key areas from language and payments through to fulfilment and the customer experience, illustrated with real life examples. E-Commerce: strategies to expand your international presence is at 2pm on December 8. Click here to find out more and register for the free event.
Click to visit the Internet Retailing webinars page to catch up on the latest webinars, which are also available to view again on the IRTV channel.
