Black Friday 2015 UK: Will this be the last deals day of chaos? How smart tech will turn the sales event into a great shopping experience November 17, 2015 Last year shoppers in the UK spent £810m on Black Friday. Predictions are that the UK will see the first ever £1bn shopping day this year, when it lands on 27 November. The build-up is hugely hyped, alongside secrecy on the parts of many retailers about their killer offers. But what about the chaos that [...]
Walmart results: Asda third quarter sales drop as parent company’s performance improves November 17, 2015 Asda's chief executive Andy Clarke will be coming under greater pressure, as the troubled supermarket reveals another drop in sales. Back in August, Clarke said the supermarket had reached its nadir – but today it appears to have fallen further. Like-for-likes at the Walmart-owned grocer fell 4.5 per cent for the 13 weeks to 30 September. That [...]
FTSE 100 index opens higher, led by British Land and Smiths Group, despite further losses by Easyjet November 17, 2015 The FTSE 100 opened higher this morning, following rallies in both the US and Asia. The UK's top blue-chip index was 1.16 per cent up at 6,217 points as the market opened. British Land's share price rose 1.89 per cent to 835.5p, after the company reported higher than expected growth in the value of its assets. Underlying pre-tax profit was also [...]
Entertainment One share price rises, bringing home the bacon as profits fly with Peppa Pig plans November 17, 2015 The figures Pre-tax profit at Entertainment One (eOne) shot up 654 per cent to £18.1m in the six months to September, or a more reserved 42 per cent to £39.9m on an adjusted basis. Revenue rose two per cent to £337.1m. [stockChart code="ETO" date="2015-11-17 09:06"] Why it's interesting eOne bought a majority stake in the [...]
Kantar figures show Aldi and Lidl combined now account for 10 per cent of UK grocery market November 17, 2015 Budget supermarkets Aldi and Lidl now account for 10 per cent of all spend on the British grocery market for the first time since they launched in the country, new figures reveal. The two grocers have stolen market share from the more established supermarkets in a short period of time. Just three years ago, their [...]
Black Friday 2015 UK: Retailers must ensure their employees do not take all the best deals ahead of other consumers to “resale” items at a profit November 16, 2015 Black Friday is almost upon us and with such a buying frenzy, retailers and consumers should have their eyes open to the risk of fraud. Consumers face the risk of bogus websites and online scams; and retailers are also exposed to increased risk, from amongst their own ranks. A significant amount of retail fraud comes [...]
Majestic Wine unveils turnaround to deliver £500m sales by 2019 as profits halve November 16, 2015 Majestic Wine has unveiled a three-year plan targeting over £500m sales by 2019 as part of a shakeup that saw the company buy Naked Wines in April and its founder Rowan Gormley take over as chief executive. The FTSE 250 wine retailer has struggled over the last few years with stiff competition from major supermarkets, [...]
Black Friday 2015: A third of British and American retailers say the sales bonanza is unprofitable November 16, 2015 Britain's biggest online shopping fixture Black Friday is dividing the retail industry, with a third of major retailers saying it is unprofitable while the same number believe it provides a major fillip, research by LCP Consulting shows. The business consultancy firm’s annual Omnichannel report released today found that retailers with an established presence both in bricks [...]
Sports Direct in talks to open Lillywhites concessions in House of Fraser November 15, 2015 Sports Direct is reported to be in talks with House of Fraser about introducing concessions of its famous Piccadilly store Lillywhites inside the department store chain. Dave Forsey, the chief executive of the sportswear group, has held early stage talks with House of Fraser boss Nigel Oddy, according to The Sunday Telegraph, which reported that proposals [...]
The end of Black Friday: Why the seasonal price-slashing frenzy is too unprofitable to last November 15, 2015 Asda's decision to pull out of Black Friday may have hit the headlines last week, but the move was far from unprecedented. In the US, where this seasonal price-slashing frenzy originated, held on the Friday after Thanksgiving, retailers have also started to back off. The outdoor and sporting goods chain REI, which has more than [...]