Wonderful to have Nick Bubb on the podcast this week. We discuss:
š Christmas trading results ā winners and losers.
š» Why electricals retailing is poised for a comeback in 2024.
š What JD Sportsā and Burberryās profit warnings tell us about the state of retail.
š What went wrong at John Lewis and whether Peter Ruis can revive the brand.
š Frasersā stake-building strategy ā what is the end game for Asos and Boohoo?
š Supermarket switching and the importance of physical stores in food retail.
TLDL: skip to 26 minutes to hear 3 reasons why Currys is Nickās tip of 2024. Last year, he picked Marks & Spencer so Iād listen up!
Tag: podcast
A Year of Stagnation
Paul Martin, Global Retail Lead and Head of UK Retail at KPMG is the first Retail Disrupted guest of 2024. In this episode, Paul and Natalie explore:
š¹ The bifurcation of retail winners and losers.
š¹ Why consumers will be battening down the hatches in H1.
š¹ Breaking down the BRC-KPMG December sales data.
š¹ Promotions, margins, and the importance of stock visibility.
š¹ Economic outlook and impact of attacks on container ships in the Red Sea.
š¹ Opportunities for retailers in 2024 and beyond.
Chris Noice, Communications Director at theĀ Association of Convenience Stores, joins Natalie to discuss Britainās shoplifting epidemic. They explore:
- The scale of the problem and factors driving the growing wave of shoplifting.
- What motivates shoplifters and is it a victimless crime?
- Cops in shops ā will we see more retailers andĀ shopping centresĀ collaborate with the police for in-store police stations?
- From equipping staff with body cams to hiring undercover security guards ā what more can retailers do to deter theft?
- Retail staff abuse and the issue of under-reporting.
- The rise of middle class shoplifting and how automation is exacerbating the problem.
- Will retailers see more TikTok-inspired mass shoplifting rampages?
- How can the government take action to curb the rise in shoplifting?
Richard Lim, CEO ofĀ Retail Economics, joins Natalie for a wide-ranging discussion on:
- The health of the UK consumer and why 2024 will be a year of two halves.
- Richardās inflation theory (listen to find out!)
- Combating cost pressures in 2024 ā business rates, labour costs and more.
- November data releases ā interpreting theĀ BRC retail salesĀ andĀ Barclaycard consumer spending dataĀ ā from āinsperiencesā to ārevenge spendingā
- Digital transformation progress and where next for the industry.
- Separating hype from reality ā why generative AI is not āthe next metaverseā (in buzzword bingo).
- ESG ā managing conflicting consumer demands for convenience and sustainability.
Recording live from the retailerās new Second Chance store in London, Amazon UK Country Manager John BoumphreyĀ joins Natalie on the podcast to discuss:
- How is Amazon extending the life of returned goods through its Second Chance programme?
- How can the wider industry overcome the returns challenge?
- Futureproofing ā with more disruption on the horizon, how does Amazon ensure it stays relevant to customers?
- Consumer outlook ā does JB expect consumers to remain relatively resilient as we move into 2024?
- From drones to generative AI: what technologies and innovations should we be watching?
Retail expert Maureen Hinton joins Natalie to discuss retailer resilience. Which fashion retailers are defying the economic climate and what is the secret to their success? Maureen also shares her views on the state of the consumer and whether the Black Friday deals will sizzle or fizzle.
Connect with Maureen on Twitter/X and LinkedIn
Learn more about our work at theĀ KPMG/Retail Next Retail Think Tank
Love it or loathe it, Black Friday has become a permanent fixture on the UK retail calendar.
In this episode, Natalie shares her predictions and general observations around Black Friday 2023. Youāll learn:
- Why Natalie is expecting a strong turnout this year.
- Black Friday creep ā why retailers like John Lewis are going earlier than ever before.
- Whether the growing skepticism around Black Friday will impact shoppersā willingness to participate.
- Why blanket discounts are out and targeted promotions are in.
- What the ONS and BRC data tells us about Black Friday 2023.
AI: The Word of 2023
Collins Dictionary has announced that āAIā is the Word of Year for 2023. Miya Knights, Retail Consultant and Publisher ofĀ Retail Technology Magazine, joins Natalie to discuss the wide-ranging implications of artificial intelligence. They break down the learnings from last weekās first ever AI Safety Summit, held at Bletchley Park, exploring both short-term and longer-term risks posed by the technology.
They then move into a conversation about AIās impact on the retail sector and how it will transform the way we shop, exploring the many opportunities for retailersĀ ā from driving back-end efficiencies to utilising AI-powered shopping assistants to deliver more tailored customer experiences.
Itās a bumper episode of #RetailDisruptedĀ this week with retail consultant and high street championĀ Graham Soult. We discuss:
š¹ 5m: Business rates
š¹ 10m: Store closures ā is there more rightsizing to do or has the industry now recalibrated?
š¹ 14m: Wilkoās demise and rebirth: what went wrong and how will the new stores be different?
š¹ 21m: Back from the brink: how to revive defunct brands
š¹ 28m: Mixed fashion fortunes: Is Asos still relevant and whatās the secret to Nextās resilience?
š¹ 37m: New Channel 5 Lidl documentary
š¹ 40m: Future of the high street
Ā
In retail today, you need to have a laser-clear understanding of your brand and what it stands for.
But what if what you stand for is no longer culturally relevant? Can you shed your skin and completely reinvent yourself? Can you buy your way out of cultural insignificance?
The lingerie brandĀ Victoriaās Secret tried to do exactly that and it hasnāt worked out so well. Theyāre now ready to ditch their feminist makeover and re-embrace āsex appealā. On todayās podcast, weāre going to be exploring what went wrong at Victoriaās Secret, how they tried to fix it, and whether they can go back to their roots in a post-#MeToo world.
TLDL: Victoria Secretās newfound conscience and subsequent brand overhaul whiffed of inauthenticity. Too much, too soonā¦ alienating both those in favour (who perhaps questioned the integrity of such a radical makeover) and those not.