Opinion – Page 173
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OpinionComment: Poundland has surged ahead of rivals to charm the middle classes
Poundland today reported a ‘record’ Christmas as year-on-year total gross sales surged 12.4% to £348.8m in its third quarter. Prospects for the year ahead, as the retailer eyes a public listing, are positive.
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OpinionComment: George brand extension provides impetus for Asda’s non-food growth
Using the George brand to reinvigorate its home offer will allow Asda to take full advantage of a housing market recovery in 2014, and establish itself as a serious player in the homewares market.
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OpinionComment: Will there be appetite for a McColl’s float?
Now that the retail sector temperature can be measured in the wake of the bulk of the January trading statements, a variety of privately held retailers are considering whether to float.
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OpinionNick Bubb's verdict: WHSmith - the more things change the more they stay the same
The Christmas trading update from WHSmith was the first from new chief executive Stephen Clarke, but the more things change the more they stay the same.
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OpinionComment: Walden’s promotion points to retail’s future
The appointment of John Walden to the top job at Home Retail Group may be one of the most unsurprising successions to play out in UK retail.
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OpinionComment: NRF - Big ideas for a small world
The retail year had its usual big start in the Big Apple last week with thousands attending the Big Show of the National Retail Federation.
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OpinionBlog: Hearing from retail's trailblazers at NRF
At a show that’s big on emphasising the importance of ecommerce to future growth, it was refreshing to hear so many industry leaders talking up the value of physical locations at the National Retail Foundation’s (NRF) show last week.
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OpinionComment: How retail fared on the Christmas stage
At times, this festive selling and reporting period has resembled a Shakespearean Christmas with elements of farce, tragedy and comedy, at times all combined.
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OpinionNRF: John Lewis IT boss on the themes that mattered this year
NRF in New York is the ‘big show’ for anyone interested in retail technology – retailers and suppliers alike.
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OpinionComment: It’s hard not to admire Sports Direct
The news that Sports Direct acquired a 4.63% stake in Debenhams last week week was eclipsed by the fact that the company then decided to sell the shares. This, along with an option contract, could eventually see Sports Direct take almost 7 per cent of the department store chain.
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OpinionComment: UK retail blows hot and cold over Christmas
Figures from the UK Office of National Statistics (ONS) have indicated an exceptionally strong retail performance over Christmas. Some retailers may beg to differ.
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OpinionComment: Retail crime is far from victimless and must be tackled
In amongst all the festive data and commentary ushered in by the New Year, the BRC’s annual Retail Crime Survey often stands out as a more challenging read.
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OpinionComment: Primark or Topshop? The two-speed store design economy
In-store screens or not? The choice is up to the individual retailer, but being half-hearted is really not an option.
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OpinionNRF: Tesco's IT chief on the key technology trends of 2014
Retail Week readers will need no introduction to the NRF Big Show, the annual gathering of the retail technology world which takes place in New York every January.
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OpinionComment: Horse meat controversy made us all up our game
It’s hard to believe that a year has now passed since the Irish Food Standards Authority found horse meat in some frozen beefburgers.
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OpinionRetail surgery: How can suppliers properly support retailers during the January sales?
Given the pressure of the January Sales period, the support that retailers receive from their regular suppliers can make or break sales levels in what is a small window of opportunity.
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OpinionRetail surgery: How can retailers work around the constraints associated with listed buildings when implementing PoS systems?
How can retailers work around the constraints associated with listed buildings when implementing point-of-sale systems?
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OpinionComment: Halfords has shown what putting the customer first really means
Putting the customer first is a retail cliché, so often mouthed but less frequently put into practice.
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OpinionComment: What the year ahead has in store for retail
There’s no such thing as a slow start to the year at the BRC. The day the office reopens in early January always ushers in feverish preparation for answering that multibillion pound question: how was Christmas for retailers?
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OpinionComment: Retailers need to take action to preserve their brands overseas
Where do we go when Christmas is no longer safe? There’s been talk in the wake of the UK slump of focusing on international versus domestic trade.