The mantra ‘listen, react, respond’ holds true, especially in today’s uncertain environment. Listen to your customer: your customer is talking to you, take time to hear them. They talk through purchases made - through what they buy, how they buy it, how they reach...

If retail is a people business, how will AI influence the sector in 2023? Here’s are six ways, according to our trusted friend, Chat GPT: AI can be used to personalise the shopping experience for individual customers. For example, it can be used to recommend products...

Let’s highlight six trends, reflecting shopping polarisation, value for money, innovation, efficiency, ESG and people. 1.) Luxury and Discounters are faring better than mid-market 2.) Last year we saw a shift from Volume to Quality. That is continuing. 3.) Innovation...

Is ‘knowledge’ really power, as the political philosopher Thomas Hobbes once wrote? After all, the more you learn, the more you discover you don’t know. At least that’s what Einstein thought. Psychologists have also found that knowing too much or possessing too much...

It can feel like the deck is stacked against you… Looming recession and persistent inflation are fuelling social unrest and a cost of living crisis at home. Continuing conflict in the Ukraine and US and Chinese sabre-rattling over Taiwan are keeping geo-political...

It’s one hell of a treasure chest… One that is worth trillions of dollars worldwide. Did you know that 20.8% of retail purchases are expected to take place online in 2023? Forbes magazine predicts that total global sales will be $6.3 TRILLION – that’s up from $4.2...

Now more than ever you need to listen up. As a multi-channel retailer, you have to wrestle with all manner of challenges. Your customers are constantly ‘talking’ to you, through what they buy, how they buy it. And this will be influenced both by what is going on in...

Insight Director, David Lockwood chaired a Retail Leaders Forum last week – an online discussion group of retail leaders sharing challenges and successes. Here are the key views, results and benchmarks – unattributed due to our Chatham House Rule. As ever there will...

Claire Odom, Client Strategy Director Our last blog outlined five consideration areas for e-commerce retailers as we approach the critical Black Friday period. But what online and offline tactics can you implement to make the most of this period? Well, here are...

Claire Odom, Client Strategy Director As another Black Friday approaches, once again, it’s embroiled in uncertainty as consumers return to physical stores, the cost-of-living crisis bites, and there’s a winter World Cup and strikes. All these factors make forecasting...

A group of retail leaders met in London for a Tapestry “Free Lunch”. Post pandemic we welcome clients and potential clients back to this established, friendly get together. Free Lunches are open forum informal gatherings for senior leaders to discuss the good, bad and...

If you’re considering partnering with an agency to help you grow in these challenging times, assessing their thinking must be high on your list. Here are five key areas to assess when selecting a new agency that can make a difference to your business.  Actions, not...