Retail Week
Alison Clements
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How to attract international shoppers
14-May-2012
As a big summer of tourism approaches, Alison Clements finds out why the UK has such appeal to international shoppers, what they like to buy and how retailers can attract them. -
Driving logistics efficiency
26-Mar-2012
Faced with the challenge of cutting costs, supply chain teams should scrutinise logistics efficiency because even small changes can bring big savings. Alison Clements reports. -
How can IT drive international expansion?
13-Mar-2012
How can retailers expanding into new international territories ensure sales aren’t hampered by IT headaches? Alison Clements reports on how EPoS systems can be rolled out globally. -
IT’s quest for talent
13-Mar-2012
From ecommerce to systems architecture, good-quality IT staff can be a nightmare to find. Alison Clements finds out how this is affecting retail and what can be done. -
The IT director’s changing role
13-Mar-2012
As technology creeps into every aspect of modern retailing, the role of the IT team has grown. Alison Clements considers how IT management should be structured in order to get the best results. -
Speeding up the spending process
February 24 2012
As customers demand choice in payments, do retailers that ignore self-service, contactless payment and a host of online transaction options risk losing sales? Alison Clements reports. -
Averting warehouse disasters
20-Feb-2012
Warehouse malfunctions can prove catastrophic for a retailer’s sales and reputation. So how can the risk of problems occurring be minimised? Alison Clements investigates. -
Time to bring delivery home
October 28 2011
Retailers can sometimes struggle with carrier reliability. Alison Clements considers whether delivery in-house rather than using a courier is a more reliable option. -
Are you being served?
21-Sep-2011
Customers increasingly want to serve themselves rather than wait in a queue, but they expect fast, reliable systems. Alison Clements looks at whether self-service technology is meeting their expectations -
In-store events in a digital world
5-Aug-2011
In-store events are a good way to draw the crowds. But in today’s digital world, have customers’ expectations of these footfall-driving extravaganzas changed? Alison Clements reports -
Affiliate marketing: Online retailers’ best friend
3-Aug-2011
Affiliate marketing is invaluable for retailers, but many forget its value in promoting full-price product. Alison Clements looks at how to get more from your affiliate marketing budget -
Turn on the Google box
July 15 2011
As Smart TV connects our televisions to the internet, it heralds a world where viewers can click-to-buy. Alison Clements looks at the advertising opportunities on offer to retailers -
The rise of personalised offers
May 27 2011
Faster, cheaper technology means personalised offers traditionally produced by the big grocers are now in reach of every retailer. Alison Clements finds out how retailers are doing it. -
Multichannel integration
31-Mar-2011
What are the common problems encountered by retailers trying to manage inventory across many different sales channels and how can integration help? -
Completing the supply chain story
March 25 2011
Achieve an end-to-end view of the supply chain and it’s possible to reap benefits across the business. Alison Clements reveals how Morrisons’ five-year plan transformed its supply chain operations. -
How to profit from international SEO
24-Feb-2011
Used correctly, SEO is the key to making money in new online territories. Alison Clements asks the experts how it’s done -
Knowing the unknown
February 18th 2011
Preparing for the unexpected is critical to supply chain success. Alison Clements looks at how retailers can react more quickly to changes in demand -
Joining forces to stop retail crime
10-Feb-2011
The rise of UK loss prevention forums is giving businesses a new voice in the battle against retail crime, finds Alison Clements -
Loyal to the last
February 4, 2011
Loyalty cards are back in fashion but gaining competitive edge from the rich source of customer data they generate is easier said than done. -
Contactless payments: Out of contact
October 8, 2010
Contactless is approaching tipping point, but concerns remain about costs and whether shoppers will embrace the system without a national consumer awareness campaign. -
Shipping costs: High prices on the high seas
September 24, 2010
Expert negotiating and management of inventory will both be necessary if retailers are to protect their margins from the kind of rise in shipping costs seen recently -
The rising cost of accepting card payments
September 24, 2010
Retailers are reeling from escalating charges for card transactions but now the pressure is on banks to stop raising fees, says Alison Clements -
PCIDSS confusion continues
May 28, 2010
Variations of the Payment Card Data Security Standard have been in place for several years, but many retailers still feel they don’t understand what exactly is required of them to comply with it, writes Alison Clements -
Keeping it consistent
March 5, 2010
The role of store operations in maximising staff productivity and in ensuring a consistent service offer is crucial -
The benefits of thinking locally
March 5, 2010
Localisation could be the way for large and medium-sized retailers to win more customers with targeted offers. Alison Clements explains -
Air freight: The sky’s the limit
November 13, 2009
Opting for air freight could help fashion retailers sell more, but what are the costs and challenges of jetting in your best-sellers, asks Alison Clements. -
Are retailers providing cost-effective delivery choices?
October 23, 2009
Retailers aren’t keeping up with consumer demand when it comes to providing convenient and cost-effective delivery choices, says Alison Clements -
How retailers are minimising fuel costs
September 25, 2009
Volatile fuel costs are having a major impact on the retail supply chain. Alison Clements discovers how retailers are attempting to minimise costs without jeopardising service -
Supply chain inventory: Who’s counting?
September 25, 2009
No retailer can afford increasing wastage as they battle to survive this recession. Alison Clements examines how some are employing greater discipline in inventory management to offset the risks -
Loss prevention: the latest tagging projects
August 21, 2009
Are the latest tagging projects helping reduce recession-driven shrinkage? Alison Clements learns how retailers are striving for the optimum return on their theft-prevention investments -
The technology behind global shopkeeping
July 31, 2009
As retailers increasingly look at overseas expansion, standardising store technology certainly has its benefits. Yet, finds Alison Clements, local knowledge and support can still be crucial -
M&S adopts tagging as theft levels swell
4-Mar-2009
After dismissing the need for electronic article surveillance (EAS) tagging for decades, Marks & Spencer has finally relented and is electronically protecting products in 50 of its branches across the south of England. -
New technology improving multichannel retailers’ delivery service
27-Feb-2009
Poor delivery experiences are still one of customers’ biggest gripes. However, advances in technology and services are making the process run a lot smoother. -
Green collaboration
26 September 2008
Until recently, collaboration on green initiatives was a case of all talk and little action. But retailers are now reaping the benefits of working together to reduce their environmental impact. Alison Clements reports. -
Fruits of our labour
31-Jul-2008
Thanks to BlackBerries, retail executives are never off duty anymore, while e-mail into stores has often proved more of a hindrance than a help on the shopfloor. So how can retailers communicate in a way that is effective and doesn’t confuse staff, asks Alison Clements. -
Lay down the law
11-Jul-2008
Keeping on top of never-ending updates to employment laws is tricky. So how can retailers ensure full compliance and be certain that staff are well-versed? Alison Clements reports -
She’s the one
23-May-2008
Women represent less than a fifth of the IT workforce, and correcting the gender imbalance could pave the way for a whole new culture, writes Alison Clements -
Vodafone launches staff mobile intranet
14-May-2008
Vodafone Retail is revolutionising store communications with an intranet service that is accessible via its employees’ mobile phones. -
Business partners
25-Apr-2008
Buyers and merchandisers are like two sides of the same coin and, when they work together, they can really lift a brand. So what skills do today’s fledgling stars need, asks Alison Clements -
End result
22-Nov-2007
The end-to-end supply chain approach can not only increase efficiency, but reduce costs and improve service for non-food retailers into the bargain, as Alison Clements discovers -
United front
9-Nov-2007
Retailers are waging war on antisocial behaviour – and it’s a battle they are winning. Alison Clements reports -
Payment upfront
31-Aug-2007
Alison Clements on the popularity of prepay cards -
Hunter boosts Qube chain with £40m cash pot
10-Mar-2005
Trendy footwear retailer Qube has stacked up more than £40 million capital to support immediate growth of standalone stores, either organically or by acquisition. -
Bidwell eyes up brand deals for Selfridges chain
11-Jan-2005
James Bidwell, strategic projects director at Selfridges owner Wittington Fashion Retail Group, is on the hunt for brand acquisition deals worth between £2 million and £10 million. -
Chip & PIN goes live as Northampton trial starts
23-May-2003
Chip & PIN goes live as Northampton trial starts -
Tesco warning on chip and PIN cost
31-Jan-2003
Tesco warning on chip and PIN cost -
Boden earmarks London for full-price store debut
24-Jan-2003
Boden earmarks London for full-price store debut
