Grace Bowden
Grace is a reporter for Retail Week.
She covers a variety of sectors including value, sports & leisure, health & beauty and lingerie, as well as wider technology developments across retail.
She is interested in new appointments, store formats and how retailers are keeping pace with the myriad of technological developments across the industry, from their boardrooms to shop floors.
Contact info
- Tel:
- +44 (0)20 3033 4338
- Email:
- grace.bowden@retail-week.com
AnalysisQ&A: JD.com boss Liu on robots, millennials and the UK
JD.com boss Richard Liu talks to Retail Week at the World Retail Congress about his UK ambitions, Cambridge vs. Silicon Valley and staying relevant.
NewsRetail will be run entirely by robots, says JD.com boss
JD.com chief executive Richard Liu says that, in the future, retail will be operated not by humans but by “data, technology and robots”.
NewsThe Original Factory Shop to transform store estate
The Original Factory Shop has kicked off a store overhaul programme across nearly a fifth of its shops, Retail Week can reveal.
NewsNotonthehighstreet appoints new chief executive
Notonthehighstreet has drafted in Barrie Seidenberg to take the reins at the online gifting firm, Retail Week can reveal.
AnalysisAnalysis: Social shopping – turning likes into sales
There was a time when platforms like Facebook and Instagram offered little more than ‘vanity’ metrics for retailers, rather than tangibly affecting their bottom lines.
AnalysisAnalysis: Five things retailers can learn from JetBlue
US airline JetBlue was founded in 2000 with the mission to “bring humanity back to air travel”. This aim – and how the firm fulfilled it – carries relevant lessons for retail.
NewsDixons Carphone poaches Halfords finance boss
Dixons Carphone has snapped up Halfords chief finance officer Jonny Mason to bolster its executive board.
NewsGame profits plunge despite sales increase
Game posted haemorrhaging profits at the interim mark exacerbated by steep declines in the profitability of its retail arm.
NewsMoss Bros profits tumble due to 'frustrating' Christmas
Moss Bros has recorded a slump in preliminary profits despite increased like-for-like sales, which boss Brian Brick blamed on poor Christmas trading.
NewsSuperdry co-founder Dunkerton to step down
Superdry co-founder and product and brand director Julian Dunkerton will exit the retailer this month.
NewsAlibaba adds ‘sight’ capabilities to its smart speaker
Alibaba has launched the latest iteration of its AI-powered speaker with visual capabilities that allow the device to read and understand written text.
NewsNext sets up innovation hub to improve tech prowess
Next has established an innovation hub in a bid to recover its former tech prowess, Retail Week has learnt.
NewsWBA profits jump despite Boots sales drop
Walgreens Boots Alliance recorded a rise in its second-quarter profits driven by strong sales growth across its US subsidiaries.
VideoThe Retail Week: Are retailers prepared for Brexit?
With just one year left until the UK exits the EU, the Retail Week team discusses the impact of Brexit and whether retailers are prepared for what it may bring.
AnalysisGymshark punches well above its weight to win
A born entrepreneur, Ben Francis started fitness brand Gymshark at the age of 19. Now just 25, he has built a global phenomenon. Grace Bowden reports on the OC&C Emerging Retailer winner
NewsZara launches AR-enabled app across flagship stores
Zara has unveiled plans to roll out an augmented reality (AR) experience across 120 of its global flagships.
NewsAlibaba founders plough $20m into Rent the Runway
Alibaba’s co-founders Jack Ma and Joe Tsai have invested $20m (£14.3m) into Rent the Runway via their investment firm Blue Pool Capital.
NewsToys R Us plans to close down all US stores
Toys R Us has reportedly told its US employees that it will sell or shutter all of its 885 US stores, putting 33,000 jobs at risk.
AnalysisProfile: Shop Direct's new boss Henry Birch
Shop Direct’s incoming boss Henry Birch’s career to date has spanned stints in the House of Commons and running William Hill’s online arm from Gibraltar.
NewsL'Oréal snaps up AR-tech beauty firm ModiFace
L’Oréal has acquired Canadian augmented reality and artificial intelligence focused beauty company ModiFace to bolster its digital capabilities.