Simon Laffin
Simon Laffin is an independent retail adviser and non-executive director
OpinionComment: What was the weak link in Tesco’s financial controls?
Having dealt with a misreported payment himself, Tesco boss Dave Lewis faces a difficult task picking up the pieces at the retailer.
OpinionComment: Dave Lewis must focus on strengthening the Tesco brand
Tesco’s chief executive Dave Lewis must both revise the basics for the struggling retailer and work out what modern superstores stand for today.
OpinionComment: Sainsbury’s is to dabble in discounting, but will it work?
Sainsbury’s recently announced a joint venture with Netto, to launch later this year and reach 15 stores by the end of next.
OpinionComment: Retail regulation remains despite name change
So farewell to both the Office of Fair Trading and the Competition Commission, replaced by the Competition and Markets Authority.
OpinionComment: Money in the tills is key for Morrisons
Arbitrage is the practice of taking advantage of a price difference between markets. It’s usually a City term, but is actually common in retail.
OpinionComment: Seeking the value in retail shares
My financial adviser recently asked me what retail stocks he should buy.
OpinionComment: Imagining failure can lead to retail success
Retailers will by now be well advanced planning for next year. To most of us planning is a tedious necessity - ‘failure to plan is planning to fail’.
OpinionComment: Promotions versus Everyday Low Prices at Asda
I notice that Asda is once again saying that Everyday Low Prices (EDLP) is driving its volume growth. Apparently £100m annual EDLP investment will prove more sustainable than going for top-line growth through promotions.
OpinionComment: Tax should be about law, not morality
Justin King said recently: “Tax is a moral issue…Trust is a moral issue and you can’t claim to hold a trustworthy space on any issue, including tax, by just saying ‘I’m operating within the law’.
OpinionComment: Price trumps customer service in the battle for online custom
Santander has quietly dropped my ISA interest rate to 0.1%. Irritated, I called them up to move it into another ISA account, which earns all of 2%.
OpinionComment: How the retail sector rates as an investment opportunity
Investor and author Robert Allen once asked: “How many millionaires do you know who have become wealthy by investing in savings accounts? I rest my case.”
OpinionComment: Click-and-collect could be retailers’ trump card
I’m sure that we are all tired of reading about how the internet is killing shops. At least the horse meat scandal gave a bit of variety.
OpinionComment: Retail predictions for 2013
It is said that there are two sorts of predictions: the lucky and the wrong. But I thought I should try my luck.
OpinionComment: Beware of online competition
I used to warn potential investors to avoid retailers that were at risk from competition from either hypermarkets or the internet, especially in the UK where hypermarkets were growing rapidly and online shopping already represented 14% of non-food sales by 2011.
OpinionComment: Problems derived from derivatives
It is alleged that banks have sold complex derivatives that were inappropriate and poorly understood by the customer.
OpinionRetailers must focus on delivery service
“A sale isn’t a sale till you’ve got the cash.” So said the sign in my cab in my days as a Co-op milkman. But for most retailers this is not really an issue any more with both electronic payments and cash proving to be fast and secure.
OpinionPrepare for the worst-case scenario
The Bundesbank recently concluded that banks with more women on the board took more risks than ones dominated by men.
OpinionTesco faces long road to recovery
Simon Laffin is an independent retail adviser and non-executive director with extensive experience in retail markets across Europe, USA, and Australia.
OpinionThe shifting battleground on price
Tesco announces a new price initiative and the media proclaim a price war.