At times, this festive selling and reporting period has resembled a Shakespearean Christmas with elements of farce, tragedy and comedy, at times all combined.

At times, this festive selling and reporting period has resembled a Shakespearean Christmas with elements of farce, tragedy and comedy, at times all combined.

It is apt, therefore, that we let the Bard in his own words review Christmas performance and provide some sage words of counsel for all concerned (let’s see how many quotes you can spot). Now is the winter of our discount tent, or not if you happen to be Next.

Lord Wolfson, by holding his nerve and not discounting before Christmas, proved that wise men ne’er sit and wail their loss, but cheerily seek how to redress their harms.

Maybe the big losers on the high street that lost their nerve in the run-up to Christmas and started Sales and heavy discounting should reflect on the following. How poor are they who have not patience! What wound did ever heal but by degrees.

Our doubts are traitors and make us lose the good we oft might win by fearing to attempt.

Lord Wolfson proved once more that there is no better sign of a brave mind than a hard hand.

For the losers, hopefully they will learn that to wilful men, the injuries that they themselves procure must be their schoolmasters. Oh what men dare do! What men may do! What men daily do, not knowing what they do!

Christmas proved disappointing for some, but for followers and shareholders in Next there is a tide in the affairs of men. Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune. For Lord Wolfson, Christmas proved the purest treasure mortal times afford is spotless reputation.

There is hope for the year ahead. There are still opportunities out there, especially in the digital arena with multichannel and click-and-collect strategies proving bountiful over Christmas.

We work by wit, not by witchcraft.

Despite the challenges retail faces, all of us are lucky to be working in an industry we love. To business that we love we rise betime and go to it with delight.

  • Jamie Zuppinger Co-founder and joint managing director, Barracuda Search