Everything in Retail Week
Everything published this week in Retail Week.
Retail Week News
Video: Primark founder Arthur Ryan collects outstanding achievement award
Famously private Primark founder Arthur Ryan for once stepped into the limelight at the Oracle Retail Week Awards last night.
Fat Face owner injects new capital to secure future growth
Fat Face owner Bridgepoint has injected £8.5m into the business to help the retailer’s expansion plans, it has emerged.
John Lewis Partnership pre-tax profits up 9.7%
John Lewis Partnership has reported pre-tax and bonus profits up 9.7% to £306.6m and staff shared a £151.3m bonus pot, 15% of salary.
Tesco clothing chief Terry Green replaced by Richard Jones
Tesco clothing chief Terry Green is to be replaced by the grocer’s head of non-food Richard Jones.
Restructuring bears fruit as Flying Brands profits rise
Home shopping group Flying Brands strategy to focus on its core gardening and gift divisions is bearing fruit, the retailer said as it posted improved full-year results.
Morrisons profits up 30%
Morrisons has reported pre-tax profits have hiked 30% to £858m, up from £655m, in its full year results ending January 31.
Home Retail profits to beat expectations despite Argos sales fall
A later than usual catalogue launch and wintry weather contributed to a like-for-like sales fall of 9.4% at catalogue store group Argos but parent Home Retail Group expects its full-year results to beat expectations.
Whistles posts a £5m pre-tax loss
Whistles has reported a pre-tax loss of £5.1m for the 12 months ending January 31, 2009 in its first year under the leadership of former Topshop boss Jane Shepherdson.
SuperGroup to expand and launch marketing campaign after IPO
SuperGroup will use the £125m the expected float will raise to open 20 stores and launch a marketing campaign, founder Julian Dunkerton said.
HobbyCraft picks six suitors for second-round bids
Arts and Crafts retailer HobbyCraft has narrowed its list of suitors to six bidders.
Sainsbury's and Asda set up youth training schemes
Sainsbury’s and Asda are setting up training schemes to push food as a career choice to young people.
Card Factory founders set to rake in £400m
Card Factory has received bids for the business from several private equity groups that could result in the founders taking home a £400m windfall.
Retailer screening leads to decrease in card-not-present fraud
Phone, internet and mail order fraud has fallen by 19% to £266.4m from 2008 to 2009, according to new figures from the UK Cards Association.
Shop vacancies on the rise
Shop vacancies rose in the three months to January 31, with more than one in ten shops on the high street lying empty.
John Lewis commercial director takes on 'bricks and clicks'
John Lewis has charged commercial director Andrea O’Donnell with overseeing retail development, format development and retail implementation at the department store chain.
Retail sales ahead 2.2% in February
UK retail sales grew 2.2% on a like-for-like basis in February, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC).
DFS set to be sold within days
Sofa giant DFS is poised to be sold for more than £500m before the end of next week.
George at Asda launches 100-day returns policy
George at Asda has launched a 100-day returns policy across its entire range, as it seeks to step up the competition on rivals Primark, Tesco and Marks & Spencer.
N Brown to launch plus-size menswear
N Brown, the internet and home shopping group, is to launch a plus-size menswear brand called Williams & Brown
Blacks Leisure starts store expansion
Blacks Leisure has begun a store rollout programme which it said is the next phase in the company’s turnaround plan.
Matalan founder to pay himself £250m dividend
Matalan founder John Hargreaves is set to pay himself a £250m dividend as part of refinancing plans at the value chain.
Government mulls imposing VAT on food
Government could begin charging VAT on food as a means of reducing the national defecit.
John Lewis Partnership staff to receive 14% bonus
John Lewis Partnership staff are expected to receive around 14% of their annual salary as a bonus as the retailer reveals strong full-year profits.
IPO to value SuperGroup at £395m
Fashion retailer SuperGroup is expected to reveal this week an IPO share price of 500p, valuing the business at £395m.
Vero Moda and Jack & Jones to open on Oxford Street
Danish fashion chains Jack & Jones and Vero Moda will open a new dual fascia shop on Oxford Street.
Alexon to raise capital to speed recovery
Alexon Group has announced plans to raise £20.3m to accelerate its turnaround plan.
Benetton launches interactive catalogue
Italian fashion group Benetton has launched a multimedia element to its worldwide catalogues that will give customers behind-the-scenes access to its new collections.
Republic ups online query response rates
Republic’s integration of new online customer service technology has led to 90% of enquiries on Republic.co.uk being dealt with by its automated help section, allowing swifter response rates.
Homebase unveils networking website
Homebase has launched a social networking site to promote its gardening credentials.
Blacks poised to seek deadline for Ashley bid
Blacks Leisure is likely to ask the Takeover Panel to issue a ‘put up or shut up’ notice to tycoon Mike Ashley’s Sports Direct following the latter’s disclosure that it is considering a takeover of its rival.
John Lewis defies bad weather with 14.8% sales uplift
Department store chain John Lewis posted a 14.8% sales increase last week to £50.4m, when sales of fashion and home products were strong.
From the Magazine
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Hamleys kicks off overseas growth drive
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Tesco muscles in on the growing bicycle market
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Rose says time is right to up M&S store revamps
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Liberty to be snapped up in £40m deal with private equity supremo
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EBay to tackle fashion with full-price site
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Grocers pledge jobs and training to address youth unemployment
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Flowers direct chief moves to Shop Direct
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Halfords rolls out mobility range
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Tesco MasterCard to hit retailers with higher interchange fees
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Broker unconvinced by Alexon’s fundraising
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SuperGroup close to IPO target despite City jitters
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Losses widen at Jysk despite strong sales
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Relaunched Spar site focuses on healthy lifestyle
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Sainsbury's considers sale and leasebacks to back expansion
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Online success at John Lewis
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Argos suffers customer data security breach
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Arnotts enlists help
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TJX Europe to unveil first twin fascia
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All Saints takes Nokia’s Regent Street flagship
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B&Q ads challenge Homebase on price
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Robert Dyas to double online offer
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M&S well placed to convert top-up shoppers and lift profits
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Encouraging BRC data helps lift retail shares
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DSGi update may lead to shares uplift
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Danish fashion chains sign dual fascia in London
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N brown eyes mature shoppers
International News
In Depth
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Oracle Retail Week Awards in pictures: Retailers celebrate the best in the business
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Mobile commerce on the move?
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How often should we assess the usability and functionality of our website to make sure that we are maximising sales?
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What it’s like to work at… American Golf
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Hidden talent in the long-term jobless
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Mark Price: Leader of the pack
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Will Adderley
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Shopfitting: Fitter, happier, more productive
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Store of the Week: Zigzag Liège, Belgium
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Retailers must make their own luck in 2010
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Getting into club Bershka
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Should we let staff communicate with each other using sites like Twitter and Facebook or instant messaging services?
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Augmented Reality
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Store of the week: La Petite Poissonnerie Primrose Hill, London
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Médiacité: Taking the Cité by storm
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Cash flow: Balancing the books
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Need to Know: Oracle Retail Week Awards
Store Galleries
Getting into club Bershka
Can the club ambience of Bershka’s revamped Oxford Street store help put it more firmly on the UK’s young fashion map?
All Retail Week Content
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Video: Primark founder Arthur Ryan collects outstanding achievement award
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Hamleys kicks off overseas growth drive
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Sainsbury's considers sale and leasebacks to back expansion
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Tesco muscles in on the growing bicycle market
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Online success at John Lewis
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Rose says time is right to up M&S store revamps
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Argos suffers customer data security breach
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Liberty to be snapped up in £40m deal with private equity supremo
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Arnotts enlists help
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EBay to tackle fashion with full-price site
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TJX Europe to unveil first twin fascia
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Grocers pledge jobs and training to address youth unemployment
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All Saints takes Nokia’s Regent Street flagship
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Flowers direct chief moves to Shop Direct
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B&Q ads challenge Homebase on price
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Halfords rolls out mobility range
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Robert Dyas to double online offer
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Tesco MasterCard to hit retailers with higher interchange fees
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M&S well placed to convert top-up shoppers and lift profits
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Broker unconvinced by Alexon’s fundraising
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Encouraging BRC data helps lift retail shares
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SuperGroup close to IPO target despite City jitters
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DSGi update may lead to shares uplift
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Tesco’s dotcom model
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Losses widen at Jysk despite strong sales
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Danish fashion chains sign dual fascia in London
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Relaunched Spar site focuses on healthy lifestyle
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N brown eyes mature shoppers
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Grocers to target smaller footprint stores for growth
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Retailers need more friends in Westminster
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Sexy products
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Can value endure in good times?
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Augmented Reality
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Oracle Retail Week Awards in pictures: Retailers celebrate the best in the business
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Store of the week: La Petite Poissonnerie Primrose Hill, London
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David Dodd: Poundland co-founder is back
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My Retail Life: Will Kernan, New Look
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Retailers must make their own luck in 2010
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Getting into club Bershka
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Jerónimo Martins sales up
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Mobile commerce on the move?
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Schlecker to close 32 stores in Belgium
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How often should we assess the usability and functionality of our website to make sure that we are maximising sales?
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Should we let staff communicate with each other using sites like Twitter and Facebook or instant messaging services?
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Suning sales up to £5.46bn
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Shoprite confirms plan to exit India
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Marinopoulos to face Competition Committee probe
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Hidden talent in the long-term jobless
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Casino posts £23.8bn net sales
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Mercadona sales up to £13.8bn
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What it’s like to work at… American Golf
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PetSmart and Staples report increased sales
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Fat Face owner injects new capital to secure future growth
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Kantar Worldpanel: Toiletries
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BDO High Street Sales Tracker
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Experian Footfall: Week 9, 2010
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John Lewis Partnership pre-tax profits up 9.7%
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Tesco clothing chief Terry Green replaced by Richard Jones
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Restructuring bears fruit as Flying Brands profits rise
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Morrisons profits up 30%
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Home Retail profits to beat expectations despite Argos sales fall
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No red card for CNP fraud
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Whistles posts a £5m pre-tax loss
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SuperGroup to expand and launch marketing campaign after IPO
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HobbyCraft picks six suitors for second-round bids
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Sainsbury's and Asda set up youth training schemes
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Card Factory founders set to rake in £400m
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Retailer screening leads to decrease in card-not-present fraud
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Shop vacancies on the rise
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John Lewis commercial director takes on 'bricks and clicks'
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Retail sales ahead 2.2% in February
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DFS set to be sold within days
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Retail round-up: What the weekend papers said March 6-7
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BDO High Street Sales Tracker
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George at Asda launches 100-day returns policy
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N Brown to launch plus-size menswear
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Blacks Leisure starts store expansion
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Matalan founder to pay himself £250m dividend
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Government mulls imposing VAT on food
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John Lewis Partnership staff to receive 14% bonus
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IPO to value SuperGroup at £395m
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Scandi brands, Scandi bland?
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Vero Moda and Jack & Jones to open on Oxford Street
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Alexon to raise capital to speed recovery
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Mark Price: Leader of the pack
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Benetton launches interactive catalogue
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Republic ups online query response rates
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Homebase unveils networking website
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Blacks poised to seek deadline for Ashley bid
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John Lewis defies bad weather with 14.8% sales uplift
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Poundland founder to launch mid-market variety chain
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99p Stores to build stores empire as it targets turnover of £1bn
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The ideal store
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Using store design to make a difference
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Waitrose targets £10bn sales
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Hotel Chocolat outlines growth plan
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Heal’s in talks to shutter ailing Manchester store
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River Island to muscle in on £4.6bn childrenswear market
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HMV trials DVD vending kiosks
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George at Asda to push multichannel and overseas growth under new boss
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Dunelm eyes expansion as profit and sales impress City
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Game to shrink portfolio amid tough trading
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New Ascension owner vows it will ‘turn corner’
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Tesco and M&S warn on need for transparent sourcing in fashion
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Médiacité: Taking the Cité by storm
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QVC’s UK sales bolstered by second-half lift
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City sees opportunity as shares fall again
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Primark: the fashion retailer for our supermarket age
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Latecomers join the online party
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Need to Know: Oracle Retail Week Awards
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Portable scanners improve JD Sports customer service
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Case study: What’s in store at Raise?
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How to become a destination in the airport waiting lounge
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The benefits of thinking locally
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Customer service: Let’s get personable
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Keeping it consistent
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Walmart to reduce supply chain greenhouse gas emissions
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Carrefour to close 21 Belgian stores
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ITM sales reach €34bn
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Big C sales up 1.5%
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Harvey Norman profits up
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Woolworths H1 profits up
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Gap to open first Italian store in Milan
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Mercator revenues down 2.4%
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Soriana sales down 5.5%
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Kohl’s sales up 4.8%
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US department stores see benefits of discount shops
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RWC2010: Carpetright’s Lord Harris warns 2010 will be tougher than last year
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Dreaded needs test rears its head again
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Store of the Week: Zigzag Liège, Belgium
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Shopfitting: Fitter, happier, more productive
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Topshop and H&M push into beauty market
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Prudential renews monthly rents offer
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Gieves & Hawkes hunts for new chief executive
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Will Adderley
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Blacks’ uphill struggle
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Liberty mulls freehold sale of London flagship
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Interest in Tesco shares strong
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Cash flow: Balancing the books
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Experian Footfall: Week 8, 2010
Data Feed
Comment
Tesco’s dotcom model
Tesco is widely thought to be the only grocer to make a profit from its dotcom operation. And judging by the reaction from the City after analysts visited its dotcom-only store in Aylesford, Kent, on Friday, the grocer looks poised to widen the gap on its competitors.
Grocers to target smaller footprint stores for growth
With 2009 annual results flooding in, the overriding opinion of last year is that it was one when retailers cut back on expenditure and scaled back store openings. The outlook now is for conservative store growth through smaller footprint stores.
Retailers need more friends in Westminster
Nobody doubts hard political choices will have to be made to cope with the costs of the banking crisis and recession, but VAT on food should not be among them.
Can value endure in good times?
We should not see the development of the value sector as a recessionary or “cyclical” phenomenon.
No red card for CNP fraud
After years of rising card-not-present fraud, which retailers have had to shoulder, is technology finally winning the battle?
Scandi brands, Scandi bland?
News that Danish fashion chains Vero Moda and Jack & Jones are to open a dual fascia shop on Oxford Street should be greeted as good news by shoppers in search of variety on one of the UK’s leading commercial thoroughfares. Yet it is hard not to stifle a mild yawn.
Primark: the fashion retailer for our supermarket age
Primark celebrated its 40th anniversary last year, and its double success at the Oracle Retail Week Awards last night perhaps represented its coming of age.
Latecomers join the online party
The arrival of big brands like Gap is a sign of ecommerce’s maturity, says Steve Robinson
Blacks’ uphill struggle
Blacks chief executive Neil Gillis must feel like a mountain walker approaching the summit only to find there’s a steep rock face still to climb.
Dreaded needs test rears its head again
Yes, it’s election season and the Tories are going for the populist planning vote with their new Open Source Planning green paper.
US department stores see benefits of discount shops
The recession has breathed new life into US off-price clothing chains as consumers look for thrifty ways to shop without compromising on style.





