The Nordic region is generally perceived to be in a similar state of maturity to the UK when it comes to e-commerce adoption and acceptance. In terms of the choices the shopper makes when it comes to getting the items they’ve purchased, there are some interesting differences, as well as (more…)
There is always the next big thing, no matter what industry, what sector, what region. Click-and-collect was once the next big thing, as indeed was home delivery before that. More recently the industry was left scratching its head at the notion of low-flying parcels, thanks in no small part to (more…)
We’re around 200 days away from Black Friday 2015. While the promotions and dire predictions are still a long way off, planning and preparations are well under way. While there are longer terms challenges around the delivery value chain and shoppers’ willingness to pay for enhanced services, there are also (more…)
An indication that partnerships will play an increasing role in multichannel capabilities has come in the shape of two announcements within days of each other. The first concerns Magna Park based Core Management Logistics, which will now be offering a returns service through ReBOUND, a division of TSB Supply Chain (more…)
On 7 April news broke that FedEx is to acquire TNT Express in a takeover deal worth €4.4bn. Although UPS failed in a similar bid only two years ago, FedEx has said it doesn’t anticipate the European Commission blocking the deal. But of course, only time will tell. But while (more…)
The costs of supporting omnichannel retail are so high only 16% of companies are able to make a profit from it. This stark finding comes from research carried out by PwC on behalf of JDA Software, which spoke to more than 400 CEOs from global retail and consumer goods businesses. (more…)
The pressure to increase the success rate of first-time deliveries is unlikely to diminish any time soon, least of all with 1 billion parcels expected to be shipped out by retailers this year. While click and collect is growing in popularity, as demonstrated by recent news from John Lewis, a (more…)
It is highly unlikely that you missed the news that City Link went into administration on 24 December, a story that broke on Christmas Day via the BBC. Bought by Better Capital from Rentokil for £1 in April 2013, in its last full set of financial results, City Link recorded (more…)
Trading updates from two of the UK’s biggest department stores have confirmed the growing importance of click-and-collect services. In the five weeks leading up to 27 December 2014, total sales for John Lewis were £777M, which was an increase of 5.8% compared with last year, the company said. Online sales (more…)
We look at some of the emerging tech themes for next year, including mobility and data. (more…)
Shoppers are gravitating toward larger retailers in search of convenience and flexible deliveries. (more…)
Why is Black Friday still having such an effect two weeks after it took place? (more…)
Inventory and order management might be a high priority for almost everyone in the industry, yet less than half are making headway. (more…)
Was Black Friday behind failures at M&S’s Castle Donington distribution centre, and will other retailers be hit by a wave of orders and returns this Christmas that could see them struggle too? (more…)
Black Friday is already becoming a dim and distant memory, as all retail eyes are now firmly fixed on Christmas. But unless they make every effort to shore up their supply chains, UK retailers could be facing an almighty returns hangover once the Christmas party is over, according to Fraser (more…)
Promising the largest range of products from its smallest ever store, Argos has opened an outlet at Cannon Street Tube station on the London Underground network. The store, which measures just 650 sq ft, will make 20,000 products available for same-day and next-day collection. By comparison, the average Argos store (more…)
There’s a disconnect between the omni-channel promise and its reality, according to research from OrderDynamics, with significant gaps appearing between shoppers’ wants and the services some businesses offer. More than half of online shoppers (54%) want a named delivery date, but only 15% of retailers currently offer it, making it (more…)
With its sights set firmly on becoming a digitally-led business, Mothercare has announced the first signs of a turnaround in its fortunes. Following the appointment in July of a new CEO, Mark Newton-Jones, and a £95m rights issue, the parents-and-children retail group saw online sales grow by 14.1% in the (more…)
Half of UK online retailers expect to see 20% year-on-year growth this Christmas, according to IMRG In its latest survey of senior ecommerce professionals, IMRG found that the percentage of retailers expecting annual growth to reach in excess of 10% over the festive trading period reached 85%, compared with 80% (more…)
Almost one-in-three British consumers shopped online in the last three months, outpacing their French and German counterparts, according to research from Hermes. With 27% of British shoppers placing orders online (compared to 14% in France and just 10% in Germany), the growing importance of multichannel offerings and better delivery services (more…)