Interiors: Why you should go the extra mile this Christmas and make your own wreath November 20, 2018 As golden leaves flutter and fall, it’s time to get all fired up about decorating for the festive season. From a stunning wreath on the front door, to scented table pieces, to traditional garlands snaking their way up the bannisters, it’s the stylish and fragrant way to add seasonal cheer, and chuck the potted cacti [...]
Weekly sales slump at John Lewis ahead of crucial Christmas period November 20, 2018 John Lewis Partnership has suffered its second consecutive week of tumbling sales, in a downturn that the retailer will be hoping to reverse as it enters Black Friday and the Christmas shopping season. Britain’s largest department store chain said today that total sales in the week to 17 November had plunged 6.8 per cent year-on-year, [...]
John Lewis, Sainsbury’s, or M&S? Whose Christmas ad was best this year November 20, 2018 So this is Christmas. And what have you done? Another year over, and the festive ads just begun. Yes, ’tis the season for brands to splash the cash on fancy holiday-themed adverts in hope of attracting that sweet Christmas shopping revenue. Retailer John Lewis has been the reigning champion of the season for the past [...]
Twitter picks a man named John Lewis as the star of its new Christmas advert November 20, 2018 Every year, a man named John Lewis in Virginia receives over 50,000 tweets intended for UK department store John Lewis and Partners. This year, he's been made the star of Twitter's Christmas advert. Lewis secured the Twitter username @JohnLewis in 2007, and has become known for his witty responses to people who confuse him for [...]
All I want for Christmas… is for retailers to get real and rethink their festive ads November 20, 2018 TV has long been a staple of Christmas advertising, highlighted by the millions of people who look forward to the annual John Lewis spot. This year, the retailer reportedly spent millions of pounds on a cameo from Elton John, though it is being tight-lipped about exactly how much. However, while the department store’s festive offering [...]
Bonmarche maintains dividend despite lower store sales shredding profits in half November 20, 2018 Retailer Bonmarche laid bare its high street struggles today after a recent profit warning, revealing that store sales fell in the first six months to the end of September despite a boost to online income. The figures Revenue came in flat in its half-year results compared to the same period last year at £97.9m. In-store like-for-like sales dropped [...]
Thank God it’s Black Friday – why retailers need price transparency to make a success of the festive season November 19, 2018 During the early days of what quickly became known as the “retail apocalypse” back in 2010, a commentator or retailer would come out in the press and say that all the doom and gloom was overstated. The sector, they’d argue, was merely riding out a bumpy stretch of road, and would undoubtedly emerge on the [...]
Buyers eye up Christmas offers as prices slip in November November 19, 2018 Homeowners hoping to sell their house are slashing prices and expectations, in a move that signals a boon for buyers in the run-up to the festive season. Property prices tumbled 1.7 per cent this month, marking the largest November drop since 2012, with London’s stagnant housing market continuing to see a sharper decline than any [...]
Theresa May admits she harbours ‘concerns’ over Brexit deal’s Irish backstop agreement November 16, 2018 Theresa May admitted she has concerns over her Brexit deal’s strategy to avoid a hard border in Ireland as she resisted calls to step down as Prime Minister on LBC today. A string of MPs have resigned so far over her Brexit withdrawal agreement, which puts the UK in a temporary customs union with the [...]
Nintendo hit by largest share price drop in two years November 16, 2018 Game-maker Nintendo's share price dropped more than 10 per cent in trading overnight, after its Switch console's chipmaker took a tumble. Shares in US chip designer Nvidia crashed nearly 17 per cent in after-hours trading last night, after it disappointed Wall Street by missing sales estimates in its third quarter and forecasting lower sales for [...]