Opinion – Page 5
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Opinion
‘Planning is the elephant in the room in high streets debate’
Effective planning could drive intelligent developments in towns, including the ways that retail can be bolstered, argues entrepreneur Emma Bridgewater
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Retail Voice
Why reducing food waste is an untapped silver bullet
With plans for mandatory food waste reporting now discarded by the government, Olio’s Tessa Clarke examines why it could be the solution hiding in plain sight
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Opinion
‘Sharon White will be leaving a job half-finished at John Lewis Partnership’
John Lewis Partnership (JLP) chair Dame Sharon White’s decision to stand down at the end of a single term is perhaps not surprising. But it raises questions about the legacy she will leave behind.
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Opinion
‘Retailers must operate as loyalty companies, not businesses with a loyalty scheme’
Loyalty must sit at the centre of a brand’s strategy and positioning – think Starbucks Rewards or Amazon Prime – believe Eagle Eye’s Sarah Jarvis and Tim Mason
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Retail Voice
The changing face of loyalty – building brand advocates
Building sustained customer loyalty is the holy grail for any retail brand. It gives a compelling and continued competitive advantage, yet it’s also notoriously elusive and can be easily lost, says American Express’ Dan Edelman
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Opinion
‘High streets need grassroots solutions – not a Royal Commission to tell us what we already know’
John Lewis Partnership chair Dame Sharon White has called for a Royal Commission on high streets, but town centre solutions must be locally inspired and driven – and there is plenty of good practice to share, argues expert Graham Soult
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Retail Voice
Can we still afford for the customer to always be right?
It’s a truth universally experienced in the retail business but so rarely discussed: delivering an outstanding quality of customer experience can’t come at any price, says Colin Gittens at Arvato CRM Solutions
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Retail Voice
Dear marketer, don’t shoot an arrow in the dark
The lack of relevant focus and in-depth data around consumer food habits and preferences is costing retailers and brands in the F&B sector unparalleled lost opportunities each year. Vinhood looks at how to collect the right data points
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Retail Voice
Sustainable fashion: five key trends
From second-hand markets to de-influencing, Gowling WLG’s Jocelyn Paulley takes a look at five key trends that are shaping the sustainable fashion world.
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Opinion
‘Tech modernisation should not be about complex integration’
Retailers no longer have to choose between a rock and a hard place when it comes to modernising technology, says AlixPartners’ Brian Kalms
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Retail Voice
The next retail battleground: seeking ‘share of life’ over ‘share of wallet’
Creating the best customer experience is essential to building profitability and loyalty. So what should ecommerce and multichannel retailers do when there appears to be a tension between giving the customer what they want and doing what is best for profit? nShift’s Lars Dige Pedersen explores.
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Opinion
‘Time to address crime or face a US-style retail flight from troubled towns’
Right across the retail spectrum, from value shops to department stores, indies to chains, the blight of crime is increasingly being felt.
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Opinion
‘Wilko’s rescue deal fiasco is a distraction from the real problem’
A new week brings fresh headlines about Wilko’s struggle to find a rescue deal that would save most of its 400 stores and keep its 12,500 staff employed but, as of the time of writing, the hunt for a buyer rumbles on.
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Opinion
‘Successful digital transformation should also mean return on investment’
The current climate presents an opportunity for retailers to leverage the full spectrum of technological advancement, believes Alvarez & Marsal’s Erin Brookes
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Opinion
‘Wilko’s demise doesn’t mean the death of the high street’
The collapse into administration of Wilko has been seen as symbolic of an ongoing ‘death of the high street’ as the town centres in which it mainly operates face the prospect of yet more shuttered stores – some in places where former Debenhams or Topshop stores may still stand empty since they toppled.
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Opinion
‘Purposeful business is not an alternative to shareholder value but the best way to create it’
Retail has a unique role in society and can use its strengths to address some of our most important challenges, believes The Very Group chief finance and transformation officer Ben Fletcher
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Opinion
‘Fashion stands out as signs bode well for retailers this Christmas’
Categories such as fashion look well positioned for success as the golden quarter nears, believes PwC’s Lisa Hooker
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Opinion
‘As the M&S-backed Lionesses march on, the retailer is in contention for the customer cup’
In the week where England’s Lionesses kicked some important goals, so did Marks & Spencer – a partner of the England women’s team.
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Opinion
‘Deflation is coming – retailers must be alive to the risks’
Inflation has been making headlines for more than a year but retailers now need to be alert to the risks of deflation, warns True’s Matt Truman
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Opinion
‘I’ve been tortured by my inability to see why investors have championed new, disruptive models’
While investors may covet the latest shiny new thing and bash retail as ‘last season’, they are missing the virtues that great omnichannel retail increasingly holds, believes Matt Coode of OC&C Strategy Consultants