UK bricks and mortar retailers lack relevant e-commerce experience at board level, claims report April 12, 2016 British retailers lack relevant e-commerce experience on the boards, a new study by a leading global executive search firm has found, putting them at risk of falling further behind by their online-only rivals. According to DHR International, only five per cent of executive directors at the leading UK-listed bricks and mortar retail companies have an online background, placing the high street at a [...]
Asos goes from annus horribilis to the height of fashion July 21, 2015 Online clothing retailer Asos has seen a major turnaround in its fortunes over the past year. Despite being hit be several profit warnings and a major fire at its Barnsley, Yorkshire, depot, retail sales for the four months to the end of June increased 27 per cent in the UK, while international sales were up [...]
Koovs’ share prices leaps by a third after sales at Indian online retailer beat forecasts April 5, 2016 Koovs' share price leapt this morning after the Indian-focused online retailer said sales almost tripled last year to hit £10m for the first time. The company, which was founded four years ago by former Asos chairman Lord Waheed Alli, said sales jumped by 189 per cent to 981m Indian rupee (£10m) in the year to 31 March. Visitors to [...]
What slowdown? New Look is bucking the high street’s trend, as profits leap June 7, 2016 Here's one retailer making hay while the sun shines: New Look, beloved of budget fashionistas, has reported a jump in profits – despite slowing confidence on the high street. The figures In a statement this morning, the UK's second-largest women's clothing retailer said revenues rose 5.4 per cent to £1.49bn in the year to the end of March, while pre-tax profits [...]
Maturity of Aim questioned as it celebrates its 21st birthday June 20, 2016 The London Stock Exchange’s alternative investment market (Aim) has turned 21. But, in a happy birthday message, Hargreaves Lansdown has questioned its maturity. Senior analyst Laith Khalaf highlighted in a note this morning how the FTSE Aim Index has fallen by 30 per cent since its launch. Read more: Here's why you should invest on [...]
Asos share price falls as etailer confirms Nick Robertson to leave after 15 years; Nick Beighton to take reins September 2, 2015 Asos' share price tumbled this morning as the etailer confirmed boss Nick Robertson is stepping down as chief executive of the company he founded 15 years ago. Chief operating officer Nick Beighton will take on the reins with immediate effect. Robertson will stay on as a non-executive director. Beighton has been at Asos [...]
As social media platforms get better at monetising, what should marketers expect? June 6, 2016 Monetising is a top priority for the world’s leading social platforms like Twitter and Periscope, and recent figures suggest they’re getting better at it. According to the Internet Advertising Bureau, the UK’s social media ad spend rose 51 per cent last year to £574m, so what developments should marketers expect from these firms over the coming [...]
What Next for the UK’s struggling high street? May 5, 2016 Retailers are having a tough old time of it. After last week’s casualties (BHS and Austin Reed) it seems likely that others could follow, and yesterday’s update from one of the high street’s more reliable traders underscored just how jittery the market has become. As a rule, Next tends to downplay its confidence about any [...]
Britain hasn’t lost Arm: Its acquisition is the start of a new Great British tech story July 19, 2016 A week ago, many were wondering whether the UK’s tech sector would become less relevant in a post-Brexit world. The news of Arm’s acquisition by SoftBank for £24bn means many things for UK tech – but irrelevance is not one of them. This acquisition is positive and timely news. Following the referendum, it’s an immediate vote [...]
Could a focus on customer experience have saved BHS? June 3, 2016 Retailers have learnt harsh lessons about failing to stay relevant; the collapse of BHS is just the latest casualty. Like Woolworths and GAME before it, when BHS went into administration, the most common reaction was shock. However, the downfall of BHS cannot be considered a surprise. The company failed to keep up with the internet revolution and being outmanoeuvred [...]