Opinion – Page 156
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OpinionComment: M&S fall in online sales highlights the risks of replatforming
The hostile reaction to M&S’s disclosure of an 8% decline in online sales, following the launch of its new website, is a timely reminder of the risks involved in major replatforming programmes.
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OpinionComment: Retailers underwhelmed by ‘business-friendly’ government
Last week Labour wheeled out its creaky ‘business-friendly’ bandwagon ahead of next year’s election campaign.
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OpinionBlog: Sir Philip's shopkeeping school has brought new talent into retail
Nine or 10 years ago I met Arcadia tycoon Sir Philip Green in Gresse Street, just behind Oxford Street and on the edge of the West End’s fashion district.
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OpinionComment: Sainsbury’s Justin King succeeded by listening to customers
Sainsbury’s CEO Justin King was able to rekindle the retailer’s core values by putting customers back at the heart of company strategy.
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OpinionComment: Asda’s continual innovation drives the retailer forward
Asda has continued to thrive in a rapidly changing retail environment by using innovation to make customers’ lives easier.
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OpinionComment: Now is the time to commit to business rates reform
If a week is a long time in politics, then 24 weeks – the period that has passed since we published The Road to Reform – must be the retailer’s equivalent of an aeon.
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OpinionNick Bubb's verdict: Marks & Spencer – a journey backwards
At a time when every multichannel retailer is relying on online sales to boost their overall like-for-like performance, at M&S it is the other way around.
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OpinionComment: When will Marks & Spencer fire on all cylinders?
If it’s not one thing it seems to be another at Marks & Spencer.
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OpinionComment: Why now is the best time to close your loss-making stores
News that Mamas and Papas may need go through some form of restructuring, primarily due to having too many stores, comes as no surprise.
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OpinionComment: La Senza’s Oxford Street flagship tells a story
Can the cost of creating flagships in high-profile locations really be justified or are they large nails in retail coffins?
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OpinionBlog: Four ways bricks-and-mortar stores can beat online retailers
Now that customers have the ability to shop when and where they want online, the need to enter a store is rapidly declining but bricks-and-mortar stores can still be a strong asset for retailers.
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OpinionBlog: 'Cool Britannia' rules in fashion so use it to your advantage
There’s something of a ‘Cool Britannia’ vibe going on in fashion at the moment and shoppers around the world are desperate to snap up goods from Blighty.
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OpinionBlog: Should retailers automate the returns process?
Returns are a long-term problem for online retailers. The proportion of returned products can reach 40% in some categories, with fashion particularly affected.
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OpinionComment: Retailers should embrace the new world of digital sharing
Smart retailers have begun to realise that they need to change their strategy for engaging with customers.
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OpinionComment: We must take steps to diversify the retail industry
In March Vince Cable gave an interview to The Guardian in which he accused the UK’s top companies of neglecting racial diversity in their boardrooms and urged business to use a wider talent pool when making appointments.
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OpinionRetail surgery: How should retailers approach merchandising in multichannel businesses?
We’re rethinking our merchandising processes as our business becomes increasingly multichannel. How should we approach this?
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OpinionRetail surgery: Why is having a customer retention strategy so important?
In a bid to attract new business, too many brands are forgetting their loyal followers.
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OpinionComment: M&S’s reshuffle raises questions on succession
Marks & Spencer perhaps flagged the shape of things to come for retail more widely when it rejigged top management responsibilities this week.
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Opinion
Nick Bubb’s verdict: Poundland - everywhere to run, nothing to hide
Companies don’t usually hide good news, so it’s not surprising that Poundland now seems happier to talk about like-for-like sales growth.
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OpinionComment: John Lewis demonstrates that management basics remain essential
John Lewis’s 150th anniversary serves as a reminder of the importance of outstanding leadership, continuity and commitment to values at a time when the frequency of retail management changes is beginning to rival that of football managers.