British department store chain Harvey Nichols was founded in 1831. It currently operates stores in eight locations across the UK and Ireland, including its flagship store in Knightsbridge, London. Harvey Nichols also has a number of international stores in Asia and the Middle East. Harvey Nichols has been undergoing a digital transformation over the past few years, with the relaunch of its website in 2014 the first step in its multichannel journey. This is being supported by investment in the store portfolio. Online is the main growth driver. The group launched its own online marketplace in February 2016 and is continuing to invest in the business. In a bid to gain further traction, Harvey Nichols inked a partnership with online fashion portal Farfetch to sell via its platform in 2018. Alongside digital, Harvey Nichols’ is developing its customer experience strategy to give shoppers more reason to visit the stores. It has established itself as a “large boutique” rather than a department store with a focus on ease of shop and a 360-degree service proposition.
As the old saying goes ‘beauty is in the eye of the beholder’ and for consumers looking to purchase beauty products today their eyes are more likely than ever to be fixed on a screen.
Following the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions, “freedom” may have arrived in the UK – but tourists have not. Indeed, it could take years for the volume of visitors, particularly those from Asia, to return to pre-pandemic levels. So how can prime cities like London adapt and innovate to win more spend from domestic consumers?
The Covid pandemic may finally be starting to cool down, but attention this week has shifted to another crisis that’s threatening to boil over – climate change.
Harvey Nichols has partnered with resale technology specialist Reflaunt to launch a second-hand fashion and accessories proposition online.
From Thailand to France to Venezuela, Retail Week takes a look at the festive windows of department stores from around the globe.
Advertisement
