Retail news and archive

US retail sales pick up pace in September

Washington - Retail sales in the United States accelerated in September, according to government data released Thursday, a positive sign for consumption as the election approaches. Overall sales rose 0.4 percent to 714.4 billion dollars (549.8 billion pounds) between August and September, according to Commerce Department data, beating analysts'...

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Online retailers see sharp rise in retail fraud

The fashion and retail industry has seen a surge in account takeover fraud, as cases filed to the UK's National Fraud Database (NFD) jumped by 142 percent in the first half of 2024, according to data from Cifas, the UK's leading fraud prevention service. The increase poses a significant challenge for online retailers, particularly in the fashion...

Retail

The cheapest cities to open a brick-and-mortar store in the UK

In a recent study examining the most cost-effective locations for establishing brick-and-mortar stores in the UK, Nottingham has emerged as the top choice for entrepreneurs. The research, conducted by business credit card experts at Capital on Tap, considered various factors including retail space costs, handyman rates, internet expenses, and...

Retail

Retailers urged to improve workplace wellbeing as cases of poor mental health rise

A new report by retail industry charity the Retail Trust has brought to light concerns over mental health issues among UK retail and call centre staff. To collate its data, the organisation surveyed over 1,300 retail workers, 17 percent of which said they had missed at least one day of work this year due to poor mental health. Among the...

Retail |Beauty

Evolvetogether announces first retail partnership with Bluemercury

Luxury personal care brand Evolvetogether has confirmed its retail debut with luxury beauty retailer Bluemercury to extend its reach beyond its direct-to-consumer digital roots to a broader audience. The beauty brand is known for its planet-conscious, high-performing daily essentials with clean formulas that leave the skin feeling cleansed...

From design, supply, distribution, marketing to retail: How AI is being used in the fashion industry

Attention fashion brands and retailers: how you can use Artificial Intelligence to make your business more intelligent and/or efficient “Artificial intelligence (AI) can make the fashion industry smarter,” said Matthew Drinkwater, head of the Fashion Innovation Agency at the London College of Fashion and specialist in new technologies and their...

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Retail fraud surges in UK, costing businesses millions

A rise in retail fraud has hit UK businesses hard in the first half of 2024, according to a recent report by payments specialist Dojo. The company's analysis of data from the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB) reveals a staggering 545 percent increase in reported cases compared to the same period in 2023. The financial impact has been...

Retail

UK fashion retail prices dip amid broader economic uncertainties

The UK fashion and retail sector experienced a notable deflationary trend in July, according to the latest British Retail Consortium (BRC) data, offering a temporary respite for consumers amidst broader economic pressures. Non-food prices, which encompass fashion and retail goods, remained in deflation at -0.9 percent, a slight improvement from...

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Will relocation and digitalisation help in the renaissance of France’s fashion retail sector?

Which industries, with the possible exception of emerging ones, bring only good news? Once thriving, the retail sector in the French textile and clothing industry is now facing a host of challenges. Competition from low-cost countries, the rise of e-commerce and changes in consumer habits have undermined what was once a dynamic sector. Far from...

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The future of retail and its stores: A new interior design for a new way of shopping

Valencia - In an eminently online moment, in which we can scroll to buy a T-shirt or some sneakers without leaving the sofa, what is the role of traditional stores? To answer this question, FashionUnited looked to industry experts and retail professionals who could elaborate on how the evolving position of the 'store' has changed. Among these...

Retail

Asda to update George departments as part of 50 million pound retail investment

Supermarket giant Asda has outlined its plans for a 50 million pound store upgrade programme as it looks to improve the shopping experience of its customers. While the programme is set to be carried out over 170 stores in total, 50 of larger stores will receive major updates, including the introduction of new in-store services and features....

Retail

Retail sales drop in April as wet weather impacts footfall

Retail sales in the UK took a slight hit in April, dropping 2.3 percent over the period as poor weather impacted footfall. According to figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS), sales volumes fell across most sectors, including clothing, dropping below the previous figure of a 0.2 percent decline in March. Non-food stores saw their...