Christmas news and archive

Why loyalty, not discounts, is shaping retail’s next growth phase

As the festive rush fades and discount fatigue sets in, many retailers are entering the new year questioning whether traditional promotional playbooks are still fit for purpose. While deep discounts continue to generate short term spikes in traffic, they are increasingly failing to deliver what brands need most: repeat engagement, loyalty and...

Fashion |In Pictures

5 stylish designer Christmas trees in London

This holiday season, fashion brands and designers aren’t just content with taking over the windows at luxury department stores but instead dressing Christmas trees for luxury hotels across London. Claridge’s unveiled a 16-foot tree decorated with bows designed by Burberry’s Daniel Lee, while The Londoner embraced the ethereal aesthetic of Susan...

Retail

Snapchat launches festive AR retail experience

Social media platform Snapchat, which has more than 900 million monthly active users, has unveiled a festive retail experience in augmented reality (AR), designed to bring holiday shopping to life through immersive and interactive digital boutiques. The inaugural Snapchat Winter Village launches in collaboration with luxury fashion brand Boss,...

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Retail|Report

6 Takeaways for Retailers to Achieve a Winning Holiday Season

The kick-off for the holiday shopping season has begun, with Black Friday well underway and Cyber Monday just around the corner. As shoppers across the nation get into the festive season and begin the hunt for the perfect gifts for their loved ones, one key message emerges. While it’s not secret that shoppers receive countless marketing...

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Business

Despite doubts over economy, Americans set for record holiday spending

Americans are expected to spend a record amount over the holiday season, despite lingering worries in the world's biggest economy about stubborn inflation, tariffs and the knock-on effects of the government shutdown. "Consumers remain pretty concerned about inflation and, there's no doubt, about where prices are going," Mark Mathews, chief...

Culture

Paul Smith announces festive collaboration with the Royal Opera House

British designer Paul Smith is collaborating with the Royal Opera House in London’s Covent Garden for the festive season to celebrate “the spirit of creativity and cultural heritage”. The festive takeover is described as a first-of-its-kind collaboration bringing together “two icons of British design and the arts, united by a shared commitment...

Retail

Selfridges to host the “most magical Christmas” with Disney

British luxury department store Selfridges is teaming up with Disney to celebrate the festive season across its London, Manchester, and Birmingham stores, as well as online. Billed as the “most magical Christmas,” the festive collaboration will see Selfridges stores transformed to excite and enchant visitors with “festive wonderlands filled with...

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Retail

Seasalt reports record Christmas sales

British clothing and lifestyle brand Seasalt, based in Cornwall, has reported a 10 percent rise in total sales for the five weeks to December 28, 2024, across online, stores, marketplace partners and wholesale. In a statement, Seasalt said it had set “new records for the Christmas period” across every channel, led by a “particularly noteworthy...

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Retail

December sales boost fails to save UK retail’s “Golden Quarter”

Christmas fails to save 2024 trading, as new data from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and KPMG International reveals that UK total retail sales for the year increased by just 0.7 percent from 2023, while non-food declined by 1.5 percent. For the three months to December, known as the “Golden Quarter,” sales growth was 0.4 percent...

Retail

US Mastercard report: Sales increase over festive season, apparel leads digital sales

This festive season appeared to be a valuable time of the year for US retailers according to preliminary insights from Mastercard SpendingPulse, which reported a year-over-year uptick in retail sales in the region, with a peak coming in the final five days before Christmas. According to the data, US retail sales (excluding automotive) rose 3.8...

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Fashion

Happy Holidays from FashionUnited!

FashionUnited wishes you and yours a very Merry Christmas and happy holidays!

Retail

Urban Outfitters and Gymshark among retailers accused of hiring festive workers without basic rights

A new report has accused a number of UK retailers of hiring young “freelance” employees via hiring apps that leave them without basic employment rights. According to The Observer, Urban Outfitters, Gymshark and Uniqlo are understood to be among those carrying out such practices as they fill out staff in preparation for the festive season. Such...