River Island ‘positive’ about future despite £30m losses October 10, 2024 High street retailer River Island has slipped into the red with a £30m loss before tax as it struggles to hold up against online competition and rising costs. The company reported a loss before tax of £32.3m in 2023, down from profit of £7.5m in 2022, according to newly-filed accounts with Companies House. Turnover fell [...]
Amazon announces raft of new AI gambits as it battles rise of Temu and Shein October 9, 2024 Amazon has announced a raft of new artificial intelligence (AI) features and technologies to speed up deliveries and reduce costs across its business. The logistics giant plans to deploy a fleet of 1,000 electric delivery vans with a new AI-powered ‘vision-assisted package retrieval’ (VAPR) technology that allows drivers to find packages faster and more easily. [...]
Could Shein set its sights on Asos after putting Boohoo in the shade? October 9, 2024 The hierarchy of the UK’s fast fashion industry looks to have shifted after Shein’s UK sales eclipsed Boohoo’s for the first time. The Chinese-founded online retailer, which is on track for a bumper IPO on the London Stock Exchange, achieved a revenue of more than £1.5bn in 2023, it was revealed this week. Shein also [...]
Shein parks tanks on Boohoo’s lawn as UK sales pass £1.5bn ahead of IPO October 8, 2024 UK sales at Shein, the Chinese-founded online retailer on track for a bumper IPO on the London Stock Exchange, passed £1.5bn last year, the company has revealed. The division generated a revenue of £1.55bn for 2023, up from the £1.12bn it achieved in 2022. Shein also posted an annual profit of £18.7m, a significant rise [...]
Online retailer Shein to hold roadshows soon ahead of London IPO October 4, 2024 Shein is set to hold informal investor meetings in the coming weeks for its planned London initial public offering (IPO), three sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters, pushing ahead with preparations as it awaits UK regulatory approval. The China-founded online retailer plans to hold informal roadshows mainly across Europe, one of the sources [...]
The Notebook: Turning 18 with a junior ISA? Here’s what to do October 1, 2024 From managing a junior ISA to preparing for upcoming tax changes, financial expert Susannah Streeter offers her advice in today's Notebook.
Can Asos fight back against Shein and Temu in the market it once dominated? September 30, 2024 To say that investors have lost confidence in Asos may be something of an understatement: its share price has plummeted since April 2021, to the tune of about 90 per cent. The stock resembles a playground slide, dotted with small cliffs that correspond to profit warnings, news of a slump in sales, or lowered guidance. [...]
Asos to cut 200 jobs at head office as it battles cheaper fast fashion rivals September 25, 2024 Asos is planning to chop 200 roles from its head office as it looks to restructure its business in the face of mounting difficulties post-pandemic due to intense competition from cheaper rivals, according to reports. Asos said that current set-up was “no longer suitable for today’s business priorities and context… We need to move faster [...]
Boohoo makes major US change in bid to broaden appeal September 11, 2024 Boohoo has announced significant changes to its operations in the US market as it looks to broaden its product offering across the Atlantic. The Manchester-headquartered group will stop supplying US customers from its distribution centre in Pennsylvania, as the company’s management look at ways to drive a more sustainable and profitable business. Orders will instead [...]
Retailers fret over human rights abuses in supply chains September 9, 2024 Concern among retail leaders comes amid controversy over Shein’s planned blockbuster listing on the London Stock Exchange.