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EDITORIAL How Top500 retailers are serving customers this lockdown Black Friday; plus Arcadia Group works to avoid administration

Image: Fotolia

Image: Fotolia

In today’s InternetRetailing we’re reporting on a Black Friday that was from the start set to be different from any other from the outset. This is a Covid-19 Black Friday and one where non-essential retailers are in lockdown in England, Northern Ireland and in parts of Scotland including Glasgow where non-essential retailers are currently closed.

Going into the event, the expectation was of higher online sales than in previous years, although overall retail sales are unlikely to be as high as last year. We look at how Top500 retailers have approached the day and bring together some of the big trends. In particular we’re seeing high levels of discounting at clothing businesses, while some are seeing demand at their website outstrip their capacity to serve. 

The stress that many clothing retailers are feeling is highlighted today by the news that Arcadia Group is looking for ways to avoid administration after the latest Covid-19 lockdown pushed it to the brink. Meanwhile, administrators at Jaeger say they have closed 13 of its shops with the loss of 159 jobs since putting it into administration last week. 

Beyond ecommerce, we also report on four ways multichannel retailers – from John Lewis and M&S to Sainsbury’s and O2 – are planning for longer hours and safer shopping in the run up to Christmas. 

And we report on Mulberry’s post-Covid strategy. The luxury leather brand is building further on the digital business that has at least partly shielded it during the pandemic as its stores closed, while also moving forward on issues from sustainability to global sales. 

Boohoo has appointed Sir Brian Leveson, perhaps best known for his review of newspaper regulation, to give independent oversight as it moves towards an ethical supply chain. KPMG will also take on a role in this area. 

Today sees the launch of the 2020 RetailX UK Growth 2000, published in association with Critizr. The report highlights the 2,000 ecommerce and multichannel retailers that follow on from the RetailX Top500. 

Today’s guest comment comes from Mike Paxton of Canto who considers how and why retailers might use digital asset management.

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