Popular with US retailers, Dinerware is intuitive restaurant POS software created by restaurateurs, for restaurateurs. Designed to help bars and restaurants operate smoothly,  Dinerware was created to be easy to learn, use and modify, all designed with the restauranteur in mind.

Key features of Dinerware include:

• Quick menu building – build and manage menus from any terminal
• Fast pay™ – Sell an item in just two touches!
• List view ™ – Sort and pay multiple tickets, print delivery information and receipts, assign tips to multiple bills.
• Instant access to reports – real time data from any workstation including payroll, timesheets, overtime, daily sales, easily exported to applications like Excel.
• Create multiple revenue points – organise sales by type (e.g. bar, dining room)
• Unparalleled security – Managers grant or revoke permissions and assign security settings from any terminal
• Track customer history – look up customers with one touch including their favourite meals!
• Flexible discounts – create coupons, promotions or automatic discounts
• Order Entry and Bill Management – split bills, switch tables, share items, apply payments and stock tickets forever (ideal for tabs or catering)

CTS Retail were so impressed with Dinerware, that they decided to showcase it at this year’s Business Start Up Show, to help aspiring hospitality retailers move towards making their bars, cafes and restaurant ideas a reality.

Scott Storey, MD of CTS Retail commented:

“At CTS Retail, we have been looking for a quality hospitality software solution for some time and have been very impressed with what Dinerware has to offer our UK customers. It is highly flexible and accommodates many service environments from fine dining restaurants through to bars or cafes. We were particular impressed with the vast amount of reports available that enable hospitality retailers to manage all the functions associating with running a new restaurant, café or bar.”

Find out more about Dinerware on the main CTS Retail website.

If you were thinking of setting up a shop this year, I wouldn’t blame you if the stories in the press lately have made you think twice. But if you were seriously considering it, I’d urge you to think again, as I believe there are some great opportunities, despite difficult trading conditions.

I strongly believe that 2012 is THE year for the independent retailer, which is one of the reasons why we are actively supporting ‘Independent Retailer Month’  (http://www.independentretailermonth.co.uk/.)

The reality is that the costs of entering the retail marketplace have never been lower, especially with Pay As You Go EPOS software solutions like Cervello (http://www.cervello-pos.co.uk/)coupled with handy entry level terminals like the Casio VX100 (http://www.epospartners.co.uk/store/product/8045/Casio-VX-100-Android-EPOS-Terminal/).

It is also far easier to find good value shop units as there is less competition from aggressive multi-chain stores to snap up every available high street location! The market is also much more accommodating of independents than it has been for some time in my opinion. Many of our independent retailers have found that their customers have really supported them through a difficult trading time and they said they felt like they were part of their local trading community.

If you are thinking about setting up a shop but don’t know where to start, why not speak to us?

We’ll be exhibiting at this year’s ‘Business Start Up Show’ (http://www.bstartup.com/), where I’ll be speaking on Thursday at 1.15pm on the importance of knowing your market, as well as exploring the opportunities available to new retailers.

Please do come and pay us a visit  (on stand no. 947) and ask us any questions you may have about your shop venture. You will also be able to pick up a ‘Setting up Shop Guide’ from our stand, courtesy of our sister company EPOS Partners (http://www.epospartners.co.uk/)!

I’m sure many of you are faced with the challenge of evaluating whether to invest in exhibitions and trade shows and like us, have felt the disappointment when a show hasn’t delivered what you had hoped or indeed expected! I thought it may be helpful to share with you some of the developments we’ve experienced since exhibiting at the RBTE 2012 show, as it’s been really useful in helping us to determine the cost/benefit of exhibiting at shows like this.

During the two-day event, we had some really interesting conversations with both retailers directly and resellers but also directly with manufacturers too. What we found was that the traditional ‘Manufacturer-Reseller-Retailer’ route to market was changing and rather than sitting back and let the resellers do all the work, manufacturers were really keen to help empower their resellers to communicate with customers directly, whilst also looking to make their offering much more attractive and easy for customers to understand the benefits and buy.

What manufacturers seem to be looking for is ‘best of breed’ software to team up with their hardware to give retailers a simple, all in one solution to their POS needs. All hardware needs software to run on it and vice versa, so why not make it easy for customers by offering a ready-to-go solution? Makes sense doesn’t it!

A great example of this thinking can be seen with the launch of the Casio VX100 (http://www.epospartners.co.uk/store/product/8045/Casio-VX-100-Android-EPOS-Terminal/)  at RBTE 2012, pre-loaded with a range of useful software, including our Cervello-Lite (http://www.casiobp.co.uk/app0.aspx)  Pay As You Go POS solution. Casio (http://www.casio-b2b.com/) recognised the need to move their offering from simply providing hardware to delivering a full service solution for their customers and it seems other manufacturers are just as keen to follow suit.

So in summary, we’ve generated at least a dozen fresh leads from the show, we are now in discussions with a couple of major manufacturers who want to include our market leading software as part of their combined offering and we are being introduced to a number of interesting companies who have some exciting plans to expand into Europe.

As a brand, CTS Retail has grown leaps and bounds over the past 18 months and our position in the market as one of the UK’s leading independent software hardware and service retailers continues to grow. Shows like the RBTE help us to develop new relationships, re-ignite old ones and be part of the changing retail landscape. It’s always worth taking some time to fully evaluate an event before committing budget to exhibiting, but at such a critical time, investment in the right events is absolutely vital if you want to be part of the retail marketplace of the future.

Naturally, we have to take the statistics for what they are, which is an overview of the economy as a whole. But at a micro-level, I think there are some fascinating things happening which prove that there is growth happening.

Take one of our clients, Abuze Clothing London, for example. This fantastic independent clothing brand has been trading online for over a decade, but last year took the bold step of opening a high street store, in the middle of one of the worst times ever experienced by UK retailers. Why on earth did they do this? Well, because their business was growing to the point where they needed a high street presence to help drive growth. We spoke to them earlier this week and were delighted to hear that business has never been better for them!

At CTS Retail, we are passionate about finding ways to support retailers of all sizes to cope with the changing demands of modern retailing. We refuse to accept that the game is over when it comes to UK retail. It’s not over, it’s just changing and we have a responsibility to help retailers best cope with the changing landscape. This is why we are really excited about the launch of Cervello-lite, our new entry level POS system that works on a handy cost-per-transaction basis.

We had an exciting launch for Cervello-lite  at the Retail Business Technology Expo earlier this year in partnership with the new Casio VX100 terminal. Driven by demand from Casio for innovative software for their new system, Cervello-lite brings with it all of the benefits of the full Cervello POS suite, but in a simplified form to provide the perfect entry-level POS solution for small, independent and new-to-market retailers.

We know retailers are keen to keep up with the times, which is why we ensured that Cervello-lite delivered an attractive front-end design, whilst also providing all the basic sales functions a retailer would require from a POS system that doesn’t need to access any back-end functionality.

Out of the box Cervello-lite delivers fast entry keys and is ideal for FMCG, bars, cafés and convenience stores, with in built basic sales reporting analytics. Additional features of Cervello-lite include, item enquiry, price override functionality as well as dynamic “fast selling lines keys”. Cervello-lite is optimised to allow fast cash entry to the nearest denomination or credit card integration.  Optionally add e-receipts and now we have an environmentally friendly retail system that operates on both Android OS and Windows, delivering a powerful solution for every size and type of retailer.

What we realise from talking to many of our customers over the past few months  is that they are all experiencing different challenges and there isn’t a generic solution or answer for them all.  What they are looking for is a bespoke offering which empowers them to move forward at their own pace and tackle the specific challenges they face right now.  That’s why we offer a wide range of software solutions, because we know one size doesn’t fit all.

As with any race, there will be some who will naturally fall by the wayside, but the game certainly isn’t over for many retailers who are prepared to fight for survival.

Towns across the country have got their applications in ahead of today’s deadline (30th March 2012) in the hope of becoming Portas Pilots. Ministers will reveal the unexpectedly high level of interest whilst announcing that the Government is accepting virtually all the recommendations put forward by Mary Portas last December.

The Government will today for the first time issue its formal response to the Portas High Street Review. Ministers are expected to say that they are accepting the vast majority of Mary’s recommendations – but that they intend to go further with a raft of new incentives, funding schemes and bureaucracy-busting measures, all in a bid to rejuvenate the country’s rundown High Streets

In what Ministers are referring to as their ‘Portas Plus’ response a new package of help has been drawn up including:

• A multi-million pound High Street Innovation Fund – kick started by £10m of taxpayers money focussed on bringing empty shops back into use – which, if supplemented by both councils and landlords, could see £30 million going to support new business start-ups whilst bringing empty high Street properties back into use
• A £1m Future High-Street X-Fund, which will be awarded to the locations which deliver the most creative and effective schemes to revitalising the high streets in a year’s time
• A National Markets Day, launching a National Markets Fortnight, to celebrate the role markets can play, help aspiring entrepreneurs try out their business ideas, and encourage more visitors to town centres
• A £500,000 fund for Business Improvement Districts, to help Town Centres access loans for their set-up costs
• Launching a further round of Portas Pilots, to trial some of Mary’s recommendations and come up with new ideas the breathing life into underused high streets. This is in response to the massive interest from hundreds of locations across the country sparked by the first wave of 12 pilots launched last month.

Grant Shapps said:

“Today, I’m accepting virtually all of the recommendations from Mary Portas’s review – but I’m also going that one step further, offering a ‘Portas-Plus’ deal, with a range of measures designed to help local people turn their high streets into the beating hearts of their communities once again.

“Mary Portas’s review made crystal clear the stark challenge our high streets face.  With Internet shopping and out-of-town centres here to stay, they must offer something new if they are to entice visitors back.

“Her report has provided the catalyst for change that many towns have been craving.  I now want to see people coming together to form their own town teams and turning their creative ideas into reality to ensure their high streets thrive long into the future.”

Martin Blackwell, chief executive at the Association of Town Centre Management, said:

“We all recognise that the High Street in 10 or even five years will be radically different to that we see today.  This government’s approach, shown in the response to Mary’s report, is giving local communities the opportunity to shape the future High Street they want to see in their town”.

Responding to the first recommendation in the review, Mr Shapps said he wanted to see hundreds of town teams – made up of key players in the local area including the council, local landlords, business owners and local MPs –being formed and mobilised across the country to drive forward the necessary change.

Shapps will encourage these town teams to consider:

• How their high streets can become the “beating heart of the community”, offering more than just retail with entertainment venues and leisure facilities, as well as housing and local public services;
• How they can work with councils to use the forthcoming new powers to offer local business rate discounts, and to ensure businesses are aware of the option to spread the payment of the retail price index increase in business rates bills  over three years, giving them the flexibility to manage their bills and help their cashflow.  This is in addition to Small business rate relief, which in England has been doubled for two years, from 1 October 2010 to 30 September 2012.
• How they could stimulate a vibrant evening economy by encouraging local shops to open later, offering a service to people as they come home from work, rather than them rely solely on online shopping
• How they could make more imaginative and exciting use of public spaces and remove street clutter to make town centres more pleasant for visitors.

And confirming the Government was accepting a number of other key recommendations to cut red tape and entice motorists to the town centre, Mr Shapps will give a commitment to:

• Help councils revoke unnecessary and archaic byelaws through a new streamlined process – enabling  outdated rules hindering efforts to get new markets and businesses up and running to be swiftly scrapped;

• Reform current planning rules to allow the conversion of space above
  shops to two flats, rather than the current limit of one; and

• Consult on abolishing centrally-set minimum parking charges, to give councils the flexibility to levy lower parking penalty notices if they choose.  We will also take steps to ensure greater transparency on parking charges to introduce greater competition between town centres

Increases in child benefit and personal tax thresholds have been welcomed as a positive step towards improving the consumer purse and therefore, boosting disposable income.
However, I am concerned that the budget may not do enough to help many struggling retailers, particularly those in ‘out of town’ locations thanks to a decision not to freeze duty on fuel. It’s also worth pointing out that products need to be delivered to stores and so the cost of transportation will inevitably end up adding the price the customer has to pay.

I also believe that there are many retailers who will be relatively unaffected by the Olympics, meaning that the extended Sunday Trading Laws, could serve only to ‘spread the load’ of customers rather than result in more sales.

So what is the solution?

Well, I strongly believe that retail suppliers to form more partnerships to help their customers to continue to trade during difficult economic conditions. In the current climate, we need to be working together to offer collaborative solutions to help support retailers.

Ultimately, it’s about solutions which help keeps costs at a minimum and improve process, productivity and enhance the customer experience. In isolation, the benefits are marginal, but a combined effort from all angles could significantly improve life for retailers in the UK in the coming months.

CTS Retail is maintaining its commitment to keeping the company ahead of the game and by adding to its portfolio of Windows® 7 and Office365 certifications, enabling the company to offer the most advanced cloud-based services available for retailers.

Read More

Managing staff holiday in a smaller retail business

When it comes to managing staff holidays small businesses always struggle – not just retailers. However, retailers do have the opportunity to plan and prepare to have well trained resources available for exactly the periods of time when regular staff are looking forward to a break.

The answer is students. During term time most students can only manage weekend work – good for the retailers as you can take them on for your busiest periods, ensure regular staff get some weekends off every month, AND get the weekend staff trained up. Students ALWAYS need extra cash – and they’re usually available full time during the school holiday periods too. Therefore if you play your cards right, you can be sure to have competent, loyal, well trained staff available just when you need them.

Planning ahead – where to find staff to cover for the next wave of holidays?

It’s simple really – approach your local University, colleges and 6th form – ask if you can advertise weekend / holiday positions on the notice boards or intranet. Still ensure you go through a professional interview and selection process, and always ensure you provide good quality training – but tap into your local community and you’ll be surprised at how easy it can be to get the right kind of cover for your retail business.

Get your student work-force trained during part-time weekend hours in term-time so that when it comes to  school holidays you’ll be confident letting your regular full timers take holiday, allowing your student workforce to rise to the challenge of providing cruical holiday cover for your regular staff.

Having the right mix of staff available to cover seasonal peaks and troughs is key!

Having the right mix of staff available to the business to cover peaks and troughs in demand, seasonal variations and key staff holiday cover is a great benefit. You’ll know your customer experience is un-compromised and you’ll be able to capitalise on increased seasonal footfall. Now is the time to start thinking about where can you best source the ideal resources to support you during the Easter holidays and also the longer, Summer holidays. If you start the recruitment process now, your new team will be competent by the time you need them most.

Filed under: Increasing Sales, Seasonal Retail, Service Tagged: holiday cover, recruitment, staffing

Retailing in 2011: A year of growth for Independents but a year of decline for Multiples in town centres across Great Britain.

The key highlights of the findings were that:

• Whilst multiple retailers shrank by -0.25% Independents grew by +2.4%
• Independents now account for 66% of all retail and leisure units in GB (+1%)
• Key growth areas have been fashion, off licences (wine shops) and nail bars
• East of England showed greatest increase of independents at +4.23%
• Bury Park, Luton has the highest percentage of independents at 85%
• Telford has the least percentage of independents at 22%

The Local Data Company’s recent report on the openings and closures of all retail and leisure outlets in the top 500 town centres shows that in 2011  Independents opened three times more stores (15,233) than the chain stores (5,094).

It wasn’t all rosy though – 2011 was a turbulent year in these town centres where 12,669 independents ‘shut up shop’ and the chains closed 5,268 units resulting in total closures of 17,937. However, the net change (openings less closures) was positive overall as Independent occupied units grew by 2,564 (+2.4%) whilst multiple units declined by 174 units (-0.25%). These changes mean that independents now account for 66% (+1%) of all retail and leisure units in Great Britain.

For the full report see “Local data company: Independent’s day“.

“Independents have the greatest potential to reinvigorate many of our failing high streets…”

Matthew Hopkinson, director at the Local Data Company commented: “This report shows how significant independents are to the future of our High Streets particularly now as chain stores reduce their numbers. It also challenges the common view that independents are an endangered species being killed off by supermarkets and the internet. In many towns they are the mainstay and are at the forefront of the move for communities to keep spend local in their economy by supporting the local independent businesses.“

*** The view, and purpose, of Independent Retailer Month ***

Matthew continued: “Given the right conditions, support and opportunity independents have the greatest potential to reinvigorate many of our failing high streets. The choice lies with us as shoppers to physically visit and spend our money in these outlets and the independents who own them to work harder than ever before to deliver the personal service and unique offer that the internet and large multiples struggle to achieve.”

Michael Weedon, Deputy Chief Executive of the British Independent Retailers Association, said: “Reports of the death of the High Street have been greatly exaggerated. Independents have been opening shops in increasing numbers while multiples have been shutting up or moving out. We’ve been telling the government this throughout the Portas Review and this report from LDC makes the real numbers in the debate crystal clear – there was a net gain of over 2,500 independent shops in Britain last year, that is about ten small towns’ worth of new shops in just a year.

If the government and local councils want to save their town centres and to create growth then they have to ensure that the environment is right to keep these businesses in business. Put Parking, Property (Business Rates and Rents) and Planning (Town Centre First) right and as these figures demonstrate, independent shops will do the rest.”

*** If you read my previous posts - “High Street vacancy rates static, multiples are leaving = #indieretail growing in number…” and “Grant Shapps: 12 “Portas Pilot” Towns to win “golden ticket” and share £1million for regeneration #indieretail” you’ll see that Michael and I are in very strong agreement! ***

You can hear from Michael, in person, at the Independent Retailer Month launch conference, he’ll be participating on the panel discussion and answering your questions about the state of the independent retail sector. Michael will be joined on the panel by representatives from the association of town centre management, action for market towns, federation of small businesses (keep trade local campaign) and Skillsmart Retail (behind July 4th – Independents’ Day). This panel will prove, if you had any doubt, just how much support there is, and passion for, the survival and success of the UK Independent Retail Sector.

Great News for Independent Retailers – So let’s Celebrate success!

 I hope, like me, you found this to be a great report and at last some positive news. Long may it continue. I look forward to seeing some of you on 1st July when I’ll be taking your questions for that panel… I am sure it will be a most engaging, passionate and interesting discussion!

Filed under: Independent Retailer Month, The Retail Champion Tagged: bira, high street, independent Retail, local data company, michael weedon, retail growth, retail multiples, town centre, vacancy rates

February/March issue

Amidst reports that consumers are more comfortable making higher value purchases via their mobile phone. Scott Storey predicts rapid growth in the mobile market place in 2012.

Read More

February/March Issue

With reports that online retail sales are continuing to soar, Scott Storey, MD of CTS Retail discusses why more garden retailers need to combine their online and offline activity in order to maximise sales in 2012.

Read More

Retail Technology Review

14.02.2012

Retailers are under increasing pressure to keep up market share by ensuring their webstores are configured to work properly on mobile devices, according to retail software and services providerCTS Retail. According to the company, a  growing number of retailers are enquiring about mCommerce as consumers continue to drive mobile forward as a critical sales channel.

Read More

10.02.2012

Retailers are under increasing pressure to keep up market share by ensuring their webstores are configured to work properly on mobile devices, according to retail software and services provider CTS Retail. According to the company, a growing number of retailers are enquiring about mCommerce as consumers continue to drive mobile forward as a critical sales channel.

 Read More

09.02.2012

Retailers are under increasing pressure to keep up market share by ensuring their webstores are configured to work properly on mobile devices, according to retail software and services providerCTS Retail. According to the company, a  growing number of retailers are enquiring about mCommerce as consumers continue to drive mobile forward as a critical sales channel.

Read More

09.02.2012

Retailers are under increasing pressure to keep up market share by ensuring their webstores are configured to work properly on mobile devices, according to retail software and services providerCTS Retail. According to the company, a growing number of retailers are enquiring about mCommerce as consumers continue to drive mobile forward as a critical sales channel

Read More

Mobile Marketing

09.02.2012

Retailers are under increasing pressure to keep up market share by ensuring their webstores are configured to work properly on mobile devices, according to retail software and services provider CTS Retail. According to the company, a growing number of retailers are enquiring about mCommerce as consumers continue to drive mobile forward as a critical sales channel.

Read More:

Opening Statement: More high street stores are closing than opening…

I was listening to the preview before the conversation and the presenter, Nick Ferrari, said “the report says more stores are opening than closing” – here the age-old problem of lies, damn lies and statistics was happening… The report says that “An average of 14 town centre shops a day were shut by store chains last year as shoppers increasingly desert high streets for online and out-of-town retailers. Multiple retailers with six or more shops failed to open as many stores as they closed last year for the first time since 2008, according to a study of the 500 biggest town centres in theUKby PwC and Local Data Company.”

However, only last week Local Data Company reported that the average shop vacancy rate in the UK was STATIC at 14.3% – well unless something is opening to match the closures then that would not have been the case… and, according to BIRA (British Independent Retailers Association) something is opening, that something is Independent Retail shops.

I started by making this correction and went on to say that the future of our high street would depend on new, entrepreneurial retailers filling the void.

Next provocative statement:  Let’s get real, an art shop would never open in Hackney!

Well possibly not if the media keep telling them it’s an impossibility! At this point I was getting quite irritated by the interviewer – now I know he is supposed to be challenging and push on the buttons to get the points of view raised etc… but I was not impressed. I am determined to champion retailers and this really irritated me! After the riots I went to Hackney with Retail Trust and I know it’s a vibrant, lively community. Yes they have some issues, no one would ignore that, but there is no reason to be dismissive! Independent retailers don’t have to be expensive! What if a young creative person in Hackney got a chance with a special rental deal to open a shop to showcase their work? As a person in the local community they’d know what an acceptable price would be, they’d deeply understand their customer… Furthermore I completely believe that communities are very supportive of their local talent, they know that those who take a few risks and stick their neck out can bring a bit of prosperity back to an area. I felt furious on behalf of anyone in Hackney with a glimmer of an entrepreneurial dream as the interview had just mocked the possibility of such a business ever being a success.

His perspective was people don’t have the money, they need food, shoes etc… Indeed, and that’s why supermarkets, out of town and internet will always be with us – providing the “boring basics”. Our high streets may become the breeding ground for new businesses offering unique products for the local community – there is a place for both!

Market forces are turning homogenised high streets back into local, social, community places

Portas review and many others before her identified issues with UK towns (and Cities) becoming “clone towns” – each like the next, nothing special, nothing different. This means there is no real reason to go to a town, battle the British weather, pay for parking, carry the shopping because if there is nothing different then a shopping centre or online is easier and a more “controlled” environment.

It’s also well known that markets increase footfall to towns – whether they are regular weekly markets or speciality markets, ALL the retailers see an increase in footfall on market days. Why? Because consumers are interested in the diverse products and unique items that they can find on a market. The shopping experience is a delight to the senses and it’s friendly, fun and experiential.

That’s the clue… people ARE voting with their feet and retail is being forced to respond. As I said to BBC radio Sheffield – “This the natural evolution of our retail model to meet the demands of a changing consumer, the changes are the natural ebbs and flows of the industry as it repositions”. Towns with a vibrant, relevant, unique offer that attracts their local consumers are doing well. Towns without that are not BUT as the multiples migrate away from failing towns they leave gaps that new, risk-taking, fresh businesses may fill and in so doing the high street becomes less homogenised and returns to being more at the heart of the local community once more. Over time I really believe our high streets will revert to the mix of businesses consumers wants – and that won’t be exclusively retail – it will include leisure, services and things to do e.g. Kids play centres, cinemas, cafes and galleries. Each town will regain it’s personality… but it won’t happen overnight!

This isn’t nostalgia, this is facing up to permanent change in the way we shop that has been driven by the internet

This week, at the launch of the Rochdale High Street Foundation, I talked about how the internet has only been “transactional” for 18 years (in 1994 Pizza Hut launched online ordering and it was the first consumer proposition to offer that). The fact is that there has been a consumer revolution! The NEW consumer has access to the internet any time, any place, any where (thanks to mobile) and social media is part of their normal mode of communication. Retailers could consider that a threat, or they can embrace the opportunity. A friend of mine, Thomas Power, forecasts that in 10 years we’ll have Amazon or Independent retailers and that’s all… perhaps a bit overstated, but his point is chains will consolidate to a few mega brands and then the only place for choice and diversity will be independents. I don’t know if it will come to that, what I do know is that the internet drives transactional behaviours – consumers check prices and compare products for the lowest price deal. They’re not loyal to big retailers, they just want value. Independents on the other hand can drive loyalty through being 100% in tune with their local customer. Loyalty  is based on trust. Thomas’ wife, Penny Power, says that in this new economy businesses must win share of heart before they can win share of wallet. She is right. And people don’t usually “love” chains the way that they do their “friendly, local independent”.

So, the consumer revolution leads to a high street evolution – one which is local, is social, and embraces mobile (Lo-So-Mo) as it is called – this is the future of the high street; it’s just going to be a slow and probably painful process to arrive there!

Finally: Don’t let the media gloom-mongers drag your spirits down!

Before I finish I wanted to share that the interviewer said to me “I thought you’d be sharing a really gloomy outlook” – and I did reply something about “bad news sells”! Frankly we can’t ignore the pain of the shake-up of the retail sector and the ripple effect it will have on the economy BUT if all we do is focus on gloom no one will stand up to initiate the changes required. I want everyone to be bold, brave and to take (calculated / planned / considered) risks. If you see an opportunity in your town where a retailer has closed down, explore it. Landlords do not want empty premises and it is the next generation of businesses, young start-ups, who will turn the economy around. If you think you can do it then find out more. You may be pleasantly surprised

It is proven that consumers WILL buy themselves treats in times of austerity – to bring a little JOY into their lives. They have less to spend but there is still money being spent. Make sure it is with you!

Filed under: Consumer Trends, The Retail Champion

Utalkmarketing

25.11.11

Mobile Retail To Take on New Direction for 2014

You only have to scan the news of late to see reports that consumers are increasingly becoming more comfortable making higher value purchases via their mobile phone. I believe this trend means there are going to be some rapid developments in the mobile marketplace in 2012, which could see mobile providers potentially offering ‘virtual banks services where consumer purchases via mobile are simply added to their phone bill.

Read More

Retail It

25.11.2011

Mobile Retail To Take on New Direction for 2013

Amidst reports that consumers are more comfortable making higher value purchases via their mobile phone, experts at CTS Retail are predicting rapid developments in the mobile marketplace in 2012, which could see mobile providers potentially offering ‘virtual banks services where consumer purchases via mobile are simply added to their phone bill.

Read More

commentcentral.brandrepublic

25.11.11

Mobile Retail To Take on New Direction for 2012

Amidst reports that consumers are more comfortable making higher value purchases via their mobile phone, experts at CTS Retail are predicting rapid developments in the mobile marketplace in 2012, which could see mobile providers potentially offering ‘virtual banks services where consumer purchases via mobile are simply added to their phone bill.

Read More

Retail Technology Review

23.11.11

Mobile Retail To Take on New Direction for 2012

Amidst reports that consumers are more comfortable making higher value purchases via their mobile phone, experts at CTS Retail are predicting rapid developments in the mobile marketplace in 2012, which could see mobile providers potentially offering ‘virtual banks services where consumer purchases via mobile are simply added to their phone bill.

Read More

Professional Jeweller

08.11.11

Be Seamless Online Ahead of Xmas Sales

Online retail expert CTS Retail has warned companies with online stores to ensure everything is in working order and that their brand message is the same across all channels ahead of Christmas, as the boom in online shopping hits its annual peak.

Read More

On Windows

08.11.11

Retailers to focus online for Christmas

Retailers are being urged to focus their attention on ensuring their webstore is up to scratch before the clocks start ticking in the race for Christmas sales.

Read More

The Multi Channel Retailer

02.01.11

The next decade will be ‘All About the Technology’

The next decade of retail will be characterised by the adoption and evolution of technology as part of the shopping experience, according to Retail Expert Scott Storey during a workshop at the recent Retail Conference 2011.

Read More

Retail expert predicts next decade will be ‘all about the technology’

The next decade of retail will be characterised by the adoption and evolution of technology as part of the shopping experience, according to Retail Expert Scott Storey during a workshop at the recent Retail Conference 2011.

Read More

Retail Technology Review

26.10.2011

Retail expert predicts next decade will be ‘all about the technology’

The next decade of retail will be characterised by the adoption and evolution of technology as part of the shopping experience, according to Retail Expert Scott Storey during a workshop at the recent Retail Conference 2011.

Read More

The People Pad

21.10.11

The next decade will be ‘All About the Technology’

Over the next ten years, retail will be characterised by the adoption and evolution of technology as part of the shopping experience.

Read More

Comment Central

07.10.11

The next decade will be ‘All About the Technology’

Over the next ten years, retail will be characterised by the adoption and evolution of technology as part of the shopping experience.

Read More

The Retail Bulletin

21.10.11

The next decade will be ‘All About the Technology’

Over the next ten years, retail will be characterised by the adoption and evolution of technology as part of the shopping experience.

Read More

Business Computer Weekly

11.10.11

The inability to deliver a consistent customer experience threatens the modern retailer

Retail Conference 2011, a fantastic day of workshops and business briefings that explored the state of the retail sector, shared insights into the market and brought together like minded individuals from both retail and services sectors.

Read More

Event based marketing

Retailers can take advantage of calendar events to market their business. One case study for this was achieved through another of my businesses, e-mphasis internet marketing, who helped Pizza Express double their website traffic and create a sales-peak for searches relating to “a place to eat on Valentine’s day.”

Why Google Places worked so well for event based marketing

The reason that e-mphasis and Pizza Express were able to create such an uplift around Valentine’s day was down to the fact that when updated Google Places listings index on search pretty much immediately. Unlike traditional SEO (which can take months to kick-in) changes are usually visible, to searching consumers, within a matter of hours. Unlike paid search (such as Adwords) there is no cost per click with Google Places – so your listing doesn’t disappear when all your budget is spent!

All this means that when you’ve got your Google Places listing claimed and updated you can begin to add event specific wording to ensure you get found by consumers searching for what you offer for the event or occasion in question.

It doesn’t have to be calendar events – ANY event based marketing works!

You don’t have to restrict your thinking to calendar events either – sporting events, religious events and general “life” events all work – here’s an example:

Do you sell ball gowns, evening dresses and occasion wear? If so you need to focus on prom dresses, summer balls, Christmas parties or wedding receptions. Then, people looking for “where can I buy a prom dress in [your location]” should see YOUR Google Places listing as the answer to their prayers…

Do you sell camping equipment and outdoor items? If so what about talking about music festivals. This is more about timing; people travel far and wide to festivals – but if someone who happened to be browsing on their mobile in your general location did a NON-location specific search for “what do I need to take to the Reading festival” – guess what? Clever GPS technology in their smartphone would figure out that YOU were the most local camping supplies shop to the searching consumer. If you had included “all you need for the Reading festival” in your Google Places then matching your result to that searching customer is easy for Google!

Just think about what YOU sell that people might need for an event or occasion

All you really need to do is try and think a bit laterally – What do YOU offer that people might want to celebrate the events that are coming up in the next 3-6 months? If you can incorporate events into your online marketing you’ll tap into a whole area of “undecided” consumers who are searching online for inspiration. Make sure you’re well positioned to BE the answer to their question!

If you want some help / advice on this then the e-mphasis team offer a one-off set up and optimisation of your Google Places listing for just £100…. so you could always give them a call on 0844 4145159

Filed under: Consumer Trends, Events, Increasing Sales, Seasonal Retail Tagged: e-mphasis internet marketing, event based marketing, google places

Filed under: 10 steps to retail success, Independent Retailer Month, The Retail Champion

Customer centric multi-channel retail operations

Marks and Spencer is a great example of how to run an efficient multi-channel operation. Their ecommerce site supplements their stores and the customer doesn’t ever need to feel that if they’ve bought through M&S online that they will have issues, for example, if they want to return items to stores. The channels work together in harmony for the benefit of the customer. This approach to the delivering a “customer-centric” experience SHOULD be the norm for all retailers, but in the most part the bigger players still have work to do to match the standards in multi-channel service experience set by M&S and also others, such as Argos and Game. Smaller retailers do have the opportunity to embed customer centricity into their business with relative ease. For example, if offering multiple channels (stores and online for instance) ensure that customers instore can browse and order via your website for collection instore, or, if customers want home delivery of their purchases, rather than selling to them through the EPOS, your sales staff could place the order on your ecommerce, on behalf of the customer, in order to trigger the home delivery.

Research has proven that the multi-channel customer, one who can browse via one channel and transact via another, is worth 130% of a single channel customer – so it’s an area where a smaller retailer, who would typically be more nimble and responsive, can deliver an excellent customer experience. Recent stats also show that in 2011 c. 10% of ALL online sales were “click and collect” – the convenience of picking up from the local store rather than waiting for a delivery is clearly something consumers value. When implementing your multi-channel thinking, your processes and systems, and when training your team, make sure you provision for click and collect (as well as “ring and reserve”) as these various ways to make your customers’ lives easier will enable you to build loyalty with them. One of the reasons that the internet has become so key to the consumer is access to information in a convenient format – extend that thinking of “making buying from you convenient” to all that you do to win their loyalty where your less nimble competition will fail.

Get your positioning right, be clear about what you offer and consistently deliver on your service promises.

Another retailer to take a look at is Hotel Chocolat – a true specialist who have enjoyed rapid expansion. Operating at the more luxury end of the market, their success has been underpinned by their constant service delivery, product quality, and instore presentation. Hotel Chocolat don’t compete on price, they compete on service and experience; able to charge a premium for their product due to the uniqueness of it and the whole brand experience. Consider the congruence of their brand positioning – the 4 key factors being product, price, presentation and service. Hotel Chocolat are higher end on all 4 of those areas, meaning that they lead their customers to expect a quality product, great service, in a beautiful store environment. With those expectations set, consumers also expect a higher price point than an average chocolate item. Thus, leveraging the whole brand experience, makes them “reassuringly expensive” (to quote Stella Artois) and customers have confidence and trust in the brand to part with their cash.

Smaller retailers can learn from this – in the face of the sheer buying power of the major chains smaller, independent retailers (as Hotel Chocolat was only a few years ago) need to stand out from the crowd as competing on price is suicide. When you move away from trying to compete on price, shifting your positioning and your total brand experience to competing on service and experience, THEN you can quite justifiably increase your prices. They beauty of this is that you will attract a more discerning customer, who buys into your brand experience and appreciates what you have to offer, rarely ever questioning your price point. When you compete on price you enter into a downward spiral, no one really benefits (apart from the consumer), and it is completely unsustainable. The kind of customers you will attract with a low price point / value based brand experience are typically very price sensitive, not buying into the great service and attention to detail that you, as a smaller retailer, can offer. All they are buying into the lowest possible price point. You won’t secure loyalty if you compete on price as you’ll be considered a commodity, so follow Hotel Chocolat’s example (and in fact the example also set by retailers such as White Company, Lush and Waitrose – all doing well where others are failing) and remember this mantra “don’t compete on price compete on service”!

Focus on agility, rapidly responding to consumer trends, and leveraging opportunities

Finally I’d like to mention Debenhams – not necessarily the first retailer to spring to mind for innovation but actually they are one of the most entrepreneurial “major players” out there. Debenhams make quick decisions and get to market even more quickly. One example was the rapid implementation of their cash-for-gold equivalent… Within literally days of the decision to offer a cash-for-gold service they’d gone live with it online. The interesting feature however for me was not specifically the fact they made a decision and implemented so quickly, it was the method / approach to the process and operational impact that was so clever. Debenhams offer gift cards to spend instore in lieu of the gold. Whilst making nothing on the actual cash-for-gold process they do engage their customer to spend the cash generated with them and to thus achieve the retail sales margin on the purchases those customers make.

Thinking gift cards generically, it is rare indeed that a customer ever spends exactly the amount on the card, often topping it up to get something of greater value than the card itself. What smaller retailers can learn from Debenhams is 2-fold:

1. Keep an eye on consumer trends, figure out how you can incorporate some of those trends in your offer, make a decision to do it and get on with it fast – you’ll get first to market advantage.
2. If you know that your customers buy gifts for others from your store (as opposed to just buying for themselves) then a gift card has great benefits and you should get one implemented!

The benefits of gift cards include:

1. Increased footfall – rather than your customer being the only visitor to your store the recipient of the gift card will now also visit. Perhaps they would not have done before; this is an opportunity to engage with a potential new customer.
2. Increased sales – the gift card itself is purely cash in lieu of a future purchase. Upon redemption classically consumers spend more than the value of the gift card, thus you have the opportunity to increase the sale beyond the budget of the original buyer of the gift card.

So all in all, taking a couple of leaves from Debenhams book could inspire you to really hook into key consumer trends and leverage opportunities that might exist for you that you might not have considered before…

Take inspiration from the successful retailers, and avoid being dragged down by all the doom and gloom!

In summary, take some time to look at those retailers who aren’t reporting doom and gloom – there are quite a few who have reported some impressive figures even when their high street neighbours are in dire straits. Usually these retailers share common attributes, which are ALL attributes that a smart independent retailer should quickly be able to adopt:

• They have a deep understanding of who their ideal customer is and thus deliver 100% relevancy in the product offer, pricing and promotions
• They have great positioning, in the main they are higher end, so that they don’t compete on price, they compete on service. By delivering consistent, reliable service, they create brand advocates amongst their customer base
• They have a fearless focus on growth – through getting it right and proving the concept these retailers KNOW their business opportunities. They are not being deterred by global financial gloom – they understand their customer, positioning, channel strategy and growth potential and they’re not afraid to invest in growth at a time when many are downsizing
• They have been able to leverage technology – most of these most successful retailers have engaged with technology – making themselves mobile-ready, having a strong social media presence, and including some cute interactive elements instore such as touch screen displays for product information. Actually whilst technology can be daunting it neither needs to be overly complex or massively expensive and really adds to the process of customer engagement through attraction, conversion and retention.
• They have very tight control on costs – it goes without saying fearless growth comes at a price – almost all successful retailers have keep a very close eye on profits, costs, efficiencies and cash flow – meaning that they have had confidence in their decisions based on cold, hard facts. Smaller retailers needs to be mindful of this, it’s cash flow NOT profitability that kills businesses! Keep close to the numbers; be utterly focused on the detail because this deep understanding of the financial dynamics of your business will give you the confidence to make decisions AND to know when to walk away from an opportunity.

Happy trading

Filed under: Consumer Trends, Increasing Sales, multi-channel, planning and controlling, positioning, Pricing and Promotions, Range Strategy, Retail Strategy, Service, The Retail Champion Tagged: customer centricity, independent retailers, marks and spencer, retail operations

Customer centric multi-channel retail operations

Marks and Spencer is a great example of how to run an efficient multi-channel operation. Their ecommerce site supplements their stores and the customer doesn’t ever need to feel that if they’ve bought through M&S online that they will have issues, for example, if they want to return items to stores. The channels work together in harmony for the benefit of the customer. This approach to the delivering a “customer-centric” experience SHOULD be the norm for all retailers, but in the most part the bigger players still have work to do to match the standards in multi-channel service experience set by M&S and also others, such as Argos and Game. Smaller retailers do have the opportunity to embed customer centricity into their business with relative ease. For example, if offering multiple channels (stores and online for instance) ensure that customers instore can browse and order via your website for collection instore, or, if customers want home delivery of their purchases, rather than selling to them through the EPOS, your sales staff could place the order on your ecommerce, on behalf of the customer, in order to trigger the home delivery.

Research has proven that the multi-channel customer, one who can browse via one channel and transact via another, is worth 130% of a single channel customer – so it’s an area where a smaller retailer, who would typically be more nimble and responsive, can deliver an excellent customer experience. Recent stats also show that in 2011 c. 10% of ALL online sales were “click and collect” – the convenience of picking up from the local store rather than waiting for a delivery is clearly something consumers value. When implementing your multi-channel thinking, your processes and systems, and when training your team, make sure you provision for click and collect (as well as “ring and reserve”) as these various ways to make your customers’ lives easier will enable you to build loyalty with them. One of the reasons that the internet has become so key to the consumer is access to information in a convenient format – extend that thinking of “making buying from you convenient” to all that you do to win their loyalty where your less nimble competition will fail.

Get your positioning right, be clear about what you offer and consistently deliver on your service promises.

Another retailer to take a look at is Hotel Chocolat – a true specialist who have enjoyed rapid expansion. Operating at the more luxury end of the market, their success has been underpinned by their constant service delivery, product quality, and instore presentation. Hotel Chocolat don’t compete on price, they compete on service and experience; able to charge a premium for their product due to the uniqueness of it and the whole brand experience. Consider the congruence of their brand positioning – the 4 key factors being product, price, presentation and service. Hotel Chocolat are higher end on all 4 of those areas, meaning that they lead their customers to expect a quality product, great service, in a beautiful store environment. With those expectations set, consumers also expect a higher price point than an average chocolate item. Thus, leveraging the whole brand experience, makes them “reassuringly expensive” (to quote Stella Artois) and customers have confidence and trust in the brand to part with their cash.

Smaller retailers can learn from this – in the face of the sheer buying power of the major chains smaller, independent retailers (as Hotel Chocolat was only a few years ago) need to stand out from the crowd as competing on price is suicide. When you move away from trying to compete on price, shifting your positioning and your total brand experience to competing on service and experience, THEN you can quite justifiably increase your prices. They beauty of this is that you will attract a more discerning customer, who buys into your brand experience and appreciates what you have to offer, rarely ever questioning your price point. When you compete on price you enter into a downward spiral, no one really benefits (apart from the consumer), and it is completely unsustainable. The kind of customers you will attract with a low price point / value based brand experience are typically very price sensitive, not buying into the great service and attention to detail that you, as a smaller retailer, can offer. All they are buying into the lowest possible price point. You won’t secure loyalty if you compete on price as you’ll be considered a commodity, so follow Hotel Chocolat’s example (and in fact the example also set by retailers such as White Company, Lush and Waitrose – all doing well where others are failing) and remember this mantra “don’t compete on price compete on service”!

Focus on agility, rapidly responding to consumer trends, and leveraging opportunities

Finally I’d like to mention Debenhams – not necessarily the first retailer to spring to mind for innovation but actually they are one of the most entrepreneurial “major players” out there. Debenhams make quick decisions and get to market even more quickly. One example was the rapid implementation of their cash-for-gold equivalent… Within literally days of the decision to offer a cash-for-gold service they’d gone live with it online. The interesting feature however for me was not specifically the fact they made a decision and implemented so quickly, it was the method / approach to the process and operational impact that was so clever. Debenhams offer gift cards to spend instore in lieu of the gold. Whilst making nothing on the actual cash-for-gold process they do engage their customer to spend the cash generated with them and to thus achieve the retail sales margin on the purchases those customers make.

Thinking gift cards generically, it is rare indeed that a customer ever spends exactly the amount on the card, often topping it up to get something of greater value than the card itself. What smaller retailers can learn from Debenhams is 2-fold:

1. Keep an eye on consumer trends, figure out how you can incorporate some of those trends in your offer, make a decision to do it and get on with it fast – you’ll get first to market advantage.
2. If you know that your customers buy gifts for others from your store (as opposed to just buying for themselves) then a gift card has great benefits and you should get one implemented!

The benefits of gift cards include:

1. Increased footfall – rather than your customer being the only visitor to your store the recipient of the gift card will now also visit. Perhaps they would not have done before; this is an opportunity to engage with a potential new customer.
2. Increased sales – the gift card itself is purely cash in lieu of a future purchase. Upon redemption classically consumers spend more than the value of the gift card, thus you have the opportunity to increase the sale beyond the budget of the original buyer of the gift card.

So all in all, taking a couple of leaves from Debenhams book could inspire you to really hook into key consumer trends and leverage opportunities that might exist for you that you might not have considered before…

Take inspiration from the successful retailers, and avoid being dragged down by all the doom and gloom!

In summary, take some time to look at those retailers who aren’t reporting doom and gloom – there are quite a few who have reported some impressive figures even when their high street neighbours are in dire straits. Usually these retailers share common attributes, which are ALL attributes that a smart independent retailer should quickly be able to adopt:

• They have a deep understanding of who their ideal customer is and thus deliver 100% relevancy in the product offer, pricing and promotions
• They have great positioning, in the main they are higher end, so that they don’t compete on price, they compete on service. By delivering consistent, reliable service, they create brand advocates amongst their customer base
• They have a fearless focus on growth – through getting it right and proving the concept these retailers KNOW their business opportunities. They are not being deterred by global financial gloom – they understand their customer, positioning, channel strategy and growth potential and they’re not afraid to invest in growth at a time when many are downsizing
• They have been able to leverage technology – most of these most successful retailers have engaged with technology – making themselves mobile-ready, having a strong social media presence, and including some cute interactive elements instore such as touch screen displays for product information. Actually whilst technology can be daunting it neither needs to be overly complex or massively expensive and really adds to the process of customer engagement through attraction, conversion and retention.
• They have very tight control on costs – it goes without saying fearless growth comes at a price – almost all successful retailers have keep a very close eye on profits, costs, efficiencies and cash flow – meaning that they have had confidence in their decisions based on cold, hard facts. Smaller retailers needs to be mindful of this, it’s cash flow NOT profitability that kills businesses! Keep close to the numbers; be utterly focused on the detail because this deep understanding of the financial dynamics of your business will give you the confidence to make decisions AND to know when to walk away from an opportunity.

Happy trading

Filed under: Consumer Trends, Increasing Sales, multi-channel, planning and controlling, positioning, Pricing and Promotions, Range Strategy, Retail Strategy, Service, The Retail Champion Tagged: customer centricity, independent retailers, marks and spencer, retail operations

Delivering a truly joined up multi-channel service experience

It’s not new news that the multi-channel shopper is worth 130% of a single channel shopper; experts at businesses such as K3 Retail have been saying this for a couple of years.

What are new and impressive stats are that:

• about 60% of consumers research online with the intent of buying in store
• 10% of online transactions are now for click and collect

So anyone who thinks the high street doesn’t have relevance is wrong!

What role should the evolving high street play?

What matters for the survival of the high street is that it can evolve to support current and future needs and wants of the community it serves. Each should be different; clone towns will become a thing of the past (thank goodness)!

Retailers such as Ryman and a few others have had the sense to add courier collection points to some of their stores – they’re increasing footfall (and therefore the opportunity for impulse purchase) in their high street locations by offering a service. Ecommerce only retailers, such as Figleaves and Amazon, are also offering various solutions for local collection points that take away the time-based element (and thus inconvenience) of home delivery.

In a future vision of the high street I believe shops will play the role of showrooms and collection points, most orders can be made online or via mobile. Interaction with product and advice from well trained staff will still be necessary for some purchases. Less retail property will be needed, that’s almost certain, BUT the high street needs to play a role in the community that it serves.

In a future vision that high street probably has a reasonable array of retail – from a Tesco Express, or similar small-format supermarket, to a variety of unique independents. The overall amount of retail space will reduce making way for more experiential and service related B2C businesses – from day care to libraries, from betting shops to beauty salons. There may be a need to redevelop some property into housing too; bring the consumer closer to the service providers.

The crux of the future will be about each high street being relevant and tailored to the needs and wants of the community it serves.

The internet only accounts for a fraction of overall retail sales…

Whilst clearly there is a shift towards online shopping, and this will be a trend for the long term, online sales are presently only a fraction of the overall retail sales that come from “bricks and mortar”. We must not loose sight of this. There are still a vast proportion of shoppers who DO visit the high street, who need local goods and services. Parking may well be irrelevant to them – they either don’t drive, can’t drive or can’t afford to drive – depending on public transport and accessible shopping. The elderly, students, low income families – all need an accessible high street.

Many people report that they still enjoy the social aspect of going to their local high street – and regardless of how engaged we are online and how tied to “facebook on the mobile” we still need face to face interactions!

Others simply like to browse the products, to be inspired by the visual merchandising and to enjoy the “sensational” aspects of a visit to the shops – sight, sound, taste, touch, smell.

How can the failing high streets be turned around?

There are high streets which are in a downward spiral and these are the ones that some of the suggestions made by Mary Portas in the high street review can really help (especially around BIDs and rates).  These need a co-ordinated effort to create a sustainable platform for businesses, employment and the community.

Others, where there are customers still willing to spend, need to focus on their customer engagement – attraction, conversion, retention and encouraging advocacy. My experience, and one echoed by Vanessa Feltz on BBC Radio London, is that too many retailers and their staff particularly are delivering seriously POOR SERVICE. Vanessa had a feature on air on both 16th and 17th of November 2011 about how she was “trying to buy” an item. She was overwhelmed by callers who also had “tried to buy” items but retailers had neither stock nor much inclination to sell to them. Where has the passion gone? Where has the service ethic gone? Why is no one hungry to make the sale anymore? Well that’s a whole other blog… I can talk about my own “trying to buy” experience in Phones4U in St Albans high street too!

So, what is the magic formula to save the high streets?

There isn’t one, and anyone who thought Mary Portas could create it will be disappointed. That’s not any reflection on how much Mary did achieve, but simply their expectations were too high and this will take a LONG time.

Each town centre has it’s unique needs. Local authorities need to have the ability to apply a mix of measures to promote sustainable business in their areas. Business owners need to be sure that their proposition is appropriate for the local catchment area and plan their costs in detail to ensure their trade will support the rent, rates, utilities and staffing costs both now and in the future (assuming increasing cost base for the timebeing).

I am sorry that there is no quick fix, but, to echo 3 words that I think do encapsulate the purpose and the feeling being the Portas Review, it’s going to be about “communication, collaboration and compromise”.

Lets hope that the actions resulting from this bring about some positive change in 2012.

Filed under: channel and location, Consumer Trends, multi-channel, Retail Strategy, The Retail Champion Tagged: future of the high street, high street review, mary portas, multi-channel

3 Elements to managing the Supply Chain

There are 3 main ingredients I advise all smaller retailers to include in their processes. These include:

• Selecting a Supplier
• Managing the relationship
• Managing physical logistics

Supplier Selection Process

There is more to choosing a supplier than just picking the one who can provide the right product for the right price and at the right quality.

You need to consider the ethics and values of the supplier – are they a business you can work with? Is there a good basis for the ongoing relationship?

You also need to consider their flexibility – will they be able to support the ebbs and flows of your business, increase and decrease order quantities etc?

Finally it’s worth checking their reputation – in the same way as your customers will check consumer review about your business you would be wise to seek references or check into recommendations / testimonials for your supplier.

Supplier Relationship

Once you’ve chosen a supplier you need to manage the relationship. This is all about the ongoing communications, negotiations and performance management that will be required to maintain an effective and respectful, professional relationship with your supplier.

Physical Logistics

Finally you need to be water tight on your relationship with your physical logistics provider, especially if they are doing outbound deliveries to your customers. They are the final touch point a customer will experience when they receive your products – so it’s critical that they understand the role they pay in keeping the promises you make to your customers.

Introducing Step 9 of the 10-steps to retail success – Planning and Controlling

In the next blog about the 10 steps to retail success I’ll be introducing step 9, Planning and Controlling. If you can’t wait then don’t forget that I’m also offering the “Be a retail champion by next year” programme, which includes 52 FREE weekly retail tips by email.

To sign up for that visit www.retailchampion.co.uk/retail-tips

Filed under: 10 steps to retail success, Retail Strategy, robust repeatable processes, saleable business, scalable, supply chain Tagged: physical logistics, supplier relationship, supplier selection, supply chain

3 Elements to managing the Supply Chain

There are 3 main ingredients I advise all smaller retailers to include in their processes. These include:

• Selecting a Supplier
• Managing the relationship
• Managing physical logistics

Supplier Selection Process

There is more to choosing a supplier than just picking the one who can provide the right product for the right price and at the right quality.

You need to consider the ethics and values of the supplier – are they a business you can work with? Is there a good basis for the ongoing relationship?

You also need to consider their flexibility – will they be able to support the ebbs and flows of your business, increase and decrease order quantities etc?

Finally it’s worth checking their reputation – in the same way as your customers will check consumer review about your business you would be wise to seek references or check into recommendations / testimonials for your supplier.

Supplier Relationship

Once you’ve chosen a supplier you need to manage the relationship. This is all about the ongoing communications, negotiations and performance management that will be required to maintain an effective and respectful, professional relationship with your supplier.

Physical Logistics

Finally you need to be water tight on your relationship with your physical logistics provider, especially if they are doing outbound deliveries to your customers. They are the final touch point a customer will experience when they receive your products – so it’s critical that they understand the role they pay in keeping the promises you make to your customers.

Introducing Step 9 of the 10-steps to retail success – Planning and Controlling

In the next blog about the 10 steps to retail success I’ll be introducing step 9, Planning and Controlling. If you can’t wait then don’t forget that I’m also offering the “Be a retail champion by next year” programme, which includes 52 FREE weekly retail tips by email.

To sign up for that visit www.retailchampion.co.uk/retail-tips

Filed under: 10 steps to retail success, Retail Strategy, robust repeatable processes, saleable business, scalable, supply chain Tagged: physical logistics, supplier relationship, supplier selection, supply chain

You only have to spend a brief moment researching this sector to gain a feel for the pace of change occuring when it comes to Mobile Commerce. Research suggests that 87% of people have changed their shopping habits since the start of the recession. Further reports reveal that 79% of the on-the-go audience is comfortable making purchases on their mobile devices, such as smart phones or tablets and A YouGov survey of shoppers on the high street found 47% of shoppers aged 18-24 and 33% of shoppers aged 35-44 said they would shop more at a store if they could use a mobile device.

Combine these statistics with a growing demand for a seamless customer experience, regardless of what channel is used to purchase, I believe that rapid developments in the delivery of m-commerce are inevitable if retailers are going to tap into this ‘mobile ready’ market and adopt mobile as a viable mainstream sales channel.

Retailers are still getting the hang of the m-commerce approach, but is there still a way to go? I think so…

It is clear that consumers have a real desire to use their mobile but our discussions with retailers have uncovered mixed views with regards to their adoption of mobile payments. Many online retailers currently use a service from the banks known as 3D Secure, providing a higher level of protection from fraudulent payments, however this service is not supported at present when paying via a mobile application. This is an area of concern for retailers and something which will needed addressing before mobile can really become integrated in the sales strategy.

I believe mobile payment will increasingly gain in popularity and use, but the big question is will it continue in its present guise or will mobile payments simply be added to the consumer’s mobile phone bill?

It will be interesting to see whether mobile phone providers take this step towards becoming ‘virtual banks’. It’s certainly viable in my opinion.

What is clear is that Next truly understand the evolution in consumer shopping trends and this is evidenced by their outstanding performance. Next Directory sales climbed 16.9% in the period to October 29, bringing the year-to-date advance to 15.8%

However, in my opinion, the analysts do not seem to have made the transition to the cross-channel eco system.

I strongly believe that sales performance can no longer be measured in silos by channel and have to be viewed collectively. Consumer spend must now be viewed as a collective with the interdependencies between channels recognised.

Next have continued to deliver a customer focused cross-channel initiative and as a direct result customers may be using other sales channels, but sales are still increasing and the consumer is getting the consistent level of service they want.

After all, a true mark of customer satisfaction is the sales you generate as a result.

This is why we insist on conducting multi-channel reviews with our customers, because what matters most, is not how many different channels your customers can buy from, but that they get the service they want, whichever way they choose to buy from you.

If as part of your multi-channel strategy, you are exploring the impact of mobile, be sure to look out for my next blog, as I’ll be discussing some potentially exciting developments in this space!

At the present time, many retailers are focusing on offering customers the opportunity to buy across multiple channels, such as instore, online, via mobile apps, perhaps even on Facebook and Twitter, but is there a problem with this? Is there too much choice for the consumer?

Possibly.

The fact is, most of these additions have been created or managed by different departments and by different software which means that whilst the branding and products on sale are consistent across the channels, most other aspects won’t be as consistent! Whether it’s price promotions or stock availability, or just the general process the customer has to go through to complete the sale, these inconsistencies can really grate on time-precious customers and could result in substantial lost sales.

Consumers now want the shopping experience to be as short and simple as possible, but the list of channels to buy may be making that process not as straightforward as it can be. In addition to this, retailers often run separate promotions on their website as they do in store which can cause unnecessary confusion for those wanting to shop via the bricks and mortar store but want to receive the online offers. This can then cause unnecessary stress and can play a part in the consumer not completing the sale.

As part of the Mutlichannel Review we do every year at CTS Retail, we explore the entire sales journey, from stock management and reporting, to EPOS provision (hardware and software) through to product feeds and online visibility. We then help retailers to understand how to create one seamless, integrated multichannel proposition, so that customers feel like they are receiving exactly the same service whether they choose to shop instore, online, via a catalogue or from a price comparison site.

It is this kind of service that I believe will help retailers secure those sales and make the shopping experience much more enjoyable for the consumer. The next 18-24 months are set to continue to be a tough time for the High Street and anything retailers can do now will only give them a better chance for survival.

If this blog resonates with you and you’d like to discuss a multi-channel review, please do get in touch with me. You can connect with me on Linkedin or via facebook or twitter

The attendees for the workshop came from all verticals within retail – electrical, fashion, FMCG and grocery to name but a few and there was a resounding consensus that  optimised retailing is not just about price, it is about the customer experience that is delivered from the blend and compromise of quality, service and price.

The internet and mobile technologies have opened many new sales channels over the last decade and typically each new sales channel has been adopted in an isolated way at the point of implementation. Over the past 18 months we have seen increasing consumer demand for a consistent cross-channel experience. Today it is the inability to deliver this consistent customer experience regardless of channel which threatens the future of the modern retailer.

The future of retail lies in creating a seamless and integrated customer experience across multiple touch points. Too often, we are seeing markedly different shopping experiences in store compared to online or via mail order and in this day and age there is no excuse for it. Customers want to have the same experience, regardless of what channel they use. They want you to recognise them, to remember what they purchased and to offer them options which meet their needs and the way you embrace technology will determine how well you achieve this.

The customer is now very well educated in terms of the benefits of technology , using smartphones, tablets, etc. and it is this accelerated adoption of technology by the customer that is now making more retailers explore ways to embrace technology into their shopping experience. From iPhone Apps and contactless payments to QR codes and sales by text, the next few years are going to be an exciting but challenging time for retailers.

The past decade has been highly characterised by the internet and this is only going to develop further with the future decade seeing great developments in technology.

The question will be who will be brave enough to embrace the inevitable and who will choose to sit by the wayside, pretending they’ll be ok to just carry on doing things the way they always have.

I for one will not be resting on my laurels but looking at new and exciting ways that we can use technology to keep pace with the modern consumer.

Retail Technology Review
6^th September 2011
CTS Retail backs Government move to revive town centre shopping

Recent announcements that the government has plans to combat parking issues in town centres has been backed by retail experts at CTS Retail, who believe that urgent action is required to encourage footfall back into stores, as well as adopting a multi-channel sales strategy, to prevent further retailers falling into administration.

Read More

Retail Technology Review
6^th September 2011
Retailers urged to imitate ‘Click & Collect’ strategy to gain slice of Christmas pie

In this article, retail experts at CTS Retail are urging others to explore ways to better link their offline and online sales channels to lock in customers much earlier in the sales process, through tactics like pre-ordering, stock reservations and special promotions.

Read More

Retail Gazette
1^st September 2011
Retailers ‘missing a trick’ with loyalty schemes

Many retailers are not making the most of their loyalty schemes and are therefore failing to understand enough about their customers’ shopping habits, it has been claimed. In this article,

Scott Storey, talks about how the current heavy focus by retailers on promotional activity is necessary but unsustainable, and advises firms to give more consideration to long-term strategies.

Read More

Craft Focus
August/September 2011 issue
To Webstore or not to webstore

Will craft retailers feel the pinch in 2011 as more customers switch to the web? Scott Storey shares his views and talks about how EPOS solutions like Cervello will rise in popularity.

Read More

Fashion United
17^th August 2011
Google Wallet to push retailers to EPOS

With Internet giant, Google, now moving forward into the mobile payment system, retailers look likely to be pushed further into updating their own electronic point of sale systems. In this article, Scott Storey, Managing Director of technology solutions firm CTS Retail, argues, The introduction of Google Wallet will mean that many retailers will have to seriously look at their provision.

Read More

IT Web
16^th August 2011
Google Wallet Strains Retailers

Internet giant Google’s foray into the world of mobile payments could be the catalyst that sees retailers upgrade their electronic point-of-sale (EPoS) terminals, an industry expert argues. In this article, Scott Storey, Managing Director of technology solutions firm CTS Retail, argues that many firms are currently not capable of accepting payments made this way.

Read More

Retail Gazette
10^th August 2011
Retailers must adapt to Google Wallet

Internet giant Google’s foray into the world of mobile payments could be the catalyst that sees retailers upgrade their electronic point-of-sale (EPoS) terminals, an industry expert argues. In this article, Scott Storey, Managing Director of technology solutions firm CTS Retail, argues that many firms are currently not capable of accepting payments made this way.

Read More

Retail Systems
9^th August 2011
Will Google prompt EPoS upgrade?

The imminent launch of Google’s wallet could see pressure heaped on retailers to upgrade their payment terminals, according to CTS Retail. Scott Storey explains the impact of Google Wallet on retailers.

Read More

Zippy Cart
9^th August 2011
Google Wallet May Strain Retailers

This article talks about how Google Wallet and NFC technology will have an impact on retailers and includes Scott Storey’s comments on how it could affect retailers.

Read More

Professional Jeweller
2^nd August 2011
How to get the best from your EPOS

For many jewellers, an EPoS system is nothing more than an ungainly piece of hardware straddling the payment counter. But as Andrew Seymour discovers, investing in the technology can help with data capture, marketing and pay-as-you-go options can combat seasonal highs and lows. This article mentions Scott Storeys comments on EPOS and talks about Cervello, the pay as you go EPOS system offered by CTS Retail.

Read More

There have even been reports suggesting that as many as 85% of Britain’s major stores are holding sales in a bid to attract shoppers, but are retailers being too hasty with slashing their prices? Are retailers in fact shooting themselves in the foot by reducing their prices too low, which therefore lowers their brand image and quality?

These are just some of the questions that are on the minds of many onlookers and retail analysts and personally, I believe price cuts are absolutely the right tactic for a short term strategy, but retailers must ensure they do not reduce their prices too much or they may face the danger of devaluing their brand.

However, retailers must also keep in mind that consumer confidence will inevitably be restored and there will be more disposable income available as this occurs. It is absolutely imperative that retailers continue to work on their medium / long term strategy and invest in Quality- of products, resources, processes and technology and deliver the level of Service that the modern day consumer will expect when the focus shifts back from its temporary price-led position.

The recent riots have added a further dimension to the plight of British retailers, adding yet more pressure to already squeezed margins. However, Storey believes that with careful planning, smart cost reductions which don’t compromise on quality or service and a focus on delivering a consistent multi-channel customer experience, many will survive a potentially turbulent final quarter of 2011.

The next few months are going to be tougher than predicted due to recent events and so it is understandable that retailers will want to focus on restoring confidence and luring customers back into store. The reality however, is that if retailers do not focus on their medium to long term strategies to deliver a seamless, consistent, customer experience across all channels, they will inevitably find themselves losing market share and ultimately, we will end up with even more closed stores on our high street.

My advice to retailers is to maintain focus on both short term and longer term tactics to boost sales in the run up to Christmas and to be very careful and tactful with their price reductions and promotions if they want to be successful in the long run.

Scott Storey www.cts-retail.com

It’s hard to really hand out advice or pass comments at this time, knowing just how profoundly the events of recent days will have affected many retailers, but here are my thoughts on how to ensure you get through this period and minimise the damage, whether physically, or as a knock on effect of what has happened to other retailers in nearby locations.

BUSINESS AS USUAL

If you are fortunate enough not to be directly affected by the riots, then you must let your customer base know that it is business as usual. Ensure you utilise social media (Facebook, Twitter etc) to let your customers know that your shop is open, or that you are still able to fulfil online orders etc. If you have been affected and need to close your store, then also let your customers know so that they don’t make unnecessary trips. If you can’t process sales through your store but can online, make sure you let your customers know how to order so that they can still do so with minimal fuss. Utilise your database to send out a newsletter or email bulletin if you have lots of information to tell them.
GET HELP
If you find you need to replace hardware following damage to your store, look to your suppliers for help and advice. EPoS Partners for example offer next day delivery on all items in stock and same day despatch on all items ordered before 3pm.  EPoS Partners are also offering 10% off all products ordered with the code Newstart-11 and are on hand to offer advice and guidance on complete shop systems from 8am to 6.30pm.
GET ONLINE
If you do one thing at the moment, make sure you get online. Lots of people are talking via social networks so make sure you are part of the conversation. Retweet messages of support for retailers and keep in contact, so that your customers know you are there and ready for business. Keep your website updated with the latest information (particularly if you are in affected areas) and encourage people to shop with you remotely, perhaps by offering special discounts for online orders. Remain positive and upbeat and most importantly reassure your customers. They won’t panic if you don’t.
Don’t give up. My thoughts are with everyone affected all at this difficult time.

Parking charges in towns and cities has always been at the centre of debate, as it has encouraged more customers to venture out of town for their shopping needs, where parking isn’t so restrictive, or shop online instead. The retail market is constantly evolving and retailers need to ensure that they are utlising both online and offline channels to maximum effect. Following this move to reduce parking charges and create more spaces in town centres, I predict that it will encourage more people to return to their town centres to purchase products instead of having to visit out of town stores with free parking. However, measures such as free parking and increased parking spaces won’t be the only factor to save the High Street, but it will certainly even the status quo for shoppers choosing to travel by car.

I always track the retail industry, my customer, and even more so in the past 18 months as there have been many changes to the way customers choose to shop and the face of retail itself. I am always on the lookout for ways to help retailers, especially new ones trying to gain a presence on the High Street, so back in 2010, we at CTS Retail launched a campaign to promote the use of Pay As You Go EPoS solutions as a way for retailers to reduce their fixed costs and improve their cashflow. We also teamed up with EPOS Partners to produce a Guide to Setting Up a Shop, an independent guide to help new retailers start off on a strong footing with the right hardware and software choices. This year we have joined forces with local Chamber of Commerce to allow them to offer incentives to their local shopkeepers to use our Pay as You Go Epos at great rates, utilizing the economies of scale afforded by the central Chambers.

If the government makes these changes and works together with the retailers, I am confident this could be the kick start needed to get the consumers back on the High Street.

Kiosk Technology Review

5^th July 2011

Retailers Urged to become ‘Top of the Pops’ to minimise new store failures

In this article, Scott Storey explains not enough retailers are utilising the growing popularity of ‘pop-up shops’ as a means to test new markets and venues before committing budget to bricks & mortar stores, which could be adding to the problem of rising store closures.

More

Retail Technology Review

5^th July 2011

Retailers Urged to become ‘Top of the Pops’ to minimise new store failures

In this article, Scott Storey explains not enough retailers are utilising the growing popularity of ‘pop-up shops’ as a means to test new markets and venues before committing budget to bricks & mortar stores, which could be adding to the problem of rising store closures.

More

Footwear Today

4^th July 2011

Will footwear retailers feel the pinch in 2011 as more customers switch to the web

With an increasingly techno-savvy customer and online sales continuing to soar, Scott Storey explains how footwear retailers can best capitalise on this trend and boost revenue.

More

Discount Displays Express

1^st July 2011

Pop-Up shops could save the high street

In this article, Scott Storey urges cautious retailers looking to grow their store portfolio but worried about the impact of the current slow-paced marketplace to consider opening pop-up shops.

More

Retail Gazette

1^st July 2011

Retailers Should Consider Pop-Ups

In this article, Scott Storey urges cautious retailers looking to grow their store portfolio but worried about the impact of the current slow-paced marketplace to consider opening pop-up shops.

More

The Sales Pro

1^st July 2011

Customer centricity will drive independent retail sales in time for Olympics

In this article, Scott Storey explains that 2011 could be the turning point for many smaller retailers who, thanks to lower cost bases, can make innovative improvements to their offering, quicker than their larger counterparts.

More

Retail Technology Review

14^th June 2011

Customer centricity will drive independent retail sales in time for Olympics

In this article, Scott Storey, managing director of CTS Retail, explains that 2011 could be the turning point for many smaller retailers who, thanks to lower cost bases, can make innovative improvements to their offering, quicker than their larger counterparts.

More

Retail Systems Online

9^th June 2011

The right fit

Has EPoS software become bloated? asks Liz Morrell. And, if so, are we about to see the development of leaner, meaner cloud-based EPoS systems? This article includes comments from Craig Wood, director of product development at CTS Retail.

More

Retail Focus

June 2011 issue

New EPoS guide for start-up retailers

This short article talks about the release of the Setting up a Shop guide by Epos Partners.

Printwear and Promotion

June 2011 issue

To Webstore or not to Webstore

Will you be feeling the pinch as more customers switch to the web? In this article Scott Storey, managing director of CTS Retail, believes EPOS solutions are the answer to reaching a wider audience.

Read More

Pop-up shops are different, exciting and can be an extremely great way of trialling market demand before committing to full-blown store rollout. The volatile nature of the High Street means that there are many opportunities to gain further presence which may seem too good to miss out on, but the reality is that the previous retailer who occupied that position failed for a reason, and it may not be purely due to the brand itself, or poor management of the business. There may be external factors that will influence success that a new retailer simply would not be aware of.

Pop-up shops present a real opportunity and are such a great way to test new markets and new locations before actually committing budget to a bricks and mortar store, something which is high on the agenda at the present time as more and more retailers announce store closures.

What retailers must remember is that consumers will expect the same standard of shopping experience from a pop-up shop as they would in a normal outlet. Credit card terminals are everywhere but the savvy retailer will need to think about provisions which enable them to go further, such as being able to check stock and order immediately via their EPOS system for home delivery if they don’t have the product in stock for example, to log sales, to manage inventory to know exactly what has been sold rather than the traditional inefficient methods of counting up at the end of the day.

Retailers will need to ensure they have a good solid retail solutions package, and one I feel would fit perfectly for this is Cervello.

Cervello is the best solution on the market for the pop-up shop as it has no upfront license costs so it doesn’t matter how many terminals, laptops or mobile devices you enable. You literally only pay each time a transaction is made, so the risk in terms of fixed upfront costs associated with a new location trial are minimal.

My advice to retailers is to open up pop-up shops across the country, and what better time to do so in festival season as there are sure to be many locations and customers in need of the pure convenience that pop-up retailing offers, posing endless opportunities.

But retailers must be prepared to give the customer what they require and be fully equipped to serve their needs.

*- http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/quarter-of-high-streets-failing-2298876.html

The High Street is a totally different marketplace than it was five years ago and being a top brand just doesn’t have the same power as it used to. Look at all the brands that have disappeared in recent months or have faced difficulties. The truth is that size doesn’t protect you from the threat of closure, in fact it probably makes it more of a threat as companies become set in their ways and fail to respond to the changing demands of their customer.

Smaller Independent retailers can now use their size and low cost base totally to their advantage by making improvements to the customer experience that may cost larger retail chains hundreds of thousands of pounds to roll out across their stores.  They can enjoy the first mover advantage in many areas and build a loyal and profitable customer base over the coming months, which will just strengthen their position and ability to capitalise on some of the big events coming up in 2012.

Rather than worrying about expensive store refits or hefty advertising campaign, independent retailers can make smart improvements to small but significant aspects of their offering simply by asking their customer what they want, the ability to buy the same products online, via their mobile phone, use wave and pay technology to speed up their shopping they can explore how their EPOS systems can support this.

For example, a customer who finds a product out of stock in a small retailer, but is then helped by an assistant to automatically order it for them then and there via their EPOS system and have it available for delivery or collection in just a few days, will retain a happy customer, prevent them buying an alternative product from another retailer and boost their brand reputation in the process.
I strongly recommend that independent retailers take a good look at their customer service provision and what else they could be doing to boost satisfaction and loyalty. By doing so, independent retailers can ensure they can compete with the larger retailers and give their customers a much needed quality service offering.

Business and Industry Today
Issue 233
Store closures pave way for new Independents on the High Street

In this article, Scott Storey explains how 2011 could present newly emerged retailers with the opportunity to get in front of a mainstream audience and potentially become the High Street’s next big thing, if they are smart with their start up capital.

Read More

Retail Technology Review
25^th May 2011
Retail experts warn that a ‘day out browsing’ is becoming a thing of the past

In this article, Scott Storey is urging retailers across all sectors, both large and small, to focus on building a good strong presence online as the old ‘magic’ of the high street shopping experience continues to dwindle.

Read More

Retail Systems
April- May 2011 issue
Letters to the editor

In this letter to the editor, Scott Storey comments on whether the budget goes far enough in helping ailing retailers and what strategies can be employed to manage costs over the coming months.

Retail Systems
April- May 2011 issue
The right fit

Has EPoS software become bloated? asks Liz Morrell. And, if so, are we about to see the development of leaner, meaner cloud-based EPoS systems? This article includes comments from Craig Wood, director of product development at CTS Retail.

In this article Managing Director of retail solutions company CTS Retail Scott Storey has called upon retailers to combine their online and offline presence to maximise overall sales.

Giftware Pro and Giftware Pro.com
13^th April 2011
Voice of the Industry

In this article Scott Storey, managing director of retail solutions provider CTS Retail, explains why more gift shops need to adopt a ‘bricks and clicks’ approach to business.

Read More

Craft Focus
April 2011 issue
e-commerce – the way ahead

With the bad weather experienced by so many last year, and the increase in numbers online shopping, e-commerce is definitely an important sales tool report. This articles includes comments from Scott Storey on the benefits of e-commerce.

Read More

Currently only offered by CTS Retail, Cervello is a software + services solution that for the first time provides a solution which perfectly aligns costs to sales.

Boutique magazine
March 2011 issue
Dual benefits

With online sales continuing to soar, Scott Storey, MD for CTS Retail, believes more fashion retailers need to combine bricks and clicks to maximise sales.

Kiosk Technology Review
1^st March 2011
Store closures pave way for new Independents on the High Street

As the number of vacant high street stores continues to rise, Independent retailers who adopt PAYG EPOS solutions are well placed to snap up prime locations without having to worry about finding funds to cover expensive annual license fees for their IT, according to CTS Retail.

Read More

As Paul Manning points out in the guide, the recession has changed the face of retail dramatically, with household names such as Woolworths disappearing from the High Street after surviving for almost 100 years. It has shown us that nothing can be taken for granted when it comes to trading and that even the strongest of brand names and cult followings won’t protect a retailer from the reality of closure.

But as with every big change, what this also presents is a huge opportunity for many new, fresh and aspiring retailers to gain a foothold in the marketplace and in some cases, gain a High Street presence that simply wouldn’t have been possible a few years ago.

If new retailers are to be successful, they need to ensure they are fully equipped with developments in technology in order to meet the expectations of the ever-evolving consumer. They must know their market and create an e-commerce site that attracts them, along with a mobile application for ease of use and pure convenience

According to research by the Online Retail Monitor from Google and The British Retail Consortium, the amount of consumers searching for retail information on mobile devices has more than trebled in the first quarter of 2011* which puts multi channelling at the forefront of retailers’ minds as this should be something they are adapting into their offering in order to meet the demands of the technology savvy consumer. And with half of those who own smartphones such as the Apple iPhone making a purchase via their handset** it is no wonder that more and more retailers are introducing their own branded mobile phone applications, one of which includes Maplin, who has been the latest retailer to announce just that***.

If new retailers have all this in place, then in my opinion, they have a high chance of competing with the ‘Big Boy’ retailers of today. But they must not forget the importance of their bricks and mortar store, as consistency of image and brand reputation must be the same across the spectrum of sales channels if they are to succeed in the long term and gain a loyal customer base.

*- http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/ldpbusiness/business-local/2011/05/09/ben-hatton-get-smart-with-mobile-search-92534-28657097/
**- http://www.retailgazette.co.uk/articles/34444-retail-sales-via-smartphones-up-20-in-nine-months
***- http://www.retailgazette.co.uk/articles/00324-maplin-makes-multichannel-commitment-with-new-app

Sure, the outlined changes offers support for enterprise and certainly the small business measures set the right tone. An extension in the business rate relief holiday for small businesses means that smaller retailers will be breathing a sigh of relief and a simplification in tax systems could also provide a big helping hand. But I really do think the sentiment should be applied more widely.

While it is great that the government are making plans to help out the smaller retailers, what the recession has proved is that the larger chains are just as vulnerable – just look at MFI, Woolworths and Zavvi. Injecting cash into the economy does not ensure these retailers future as long-term stability and vulnerability are more of a threat.

What I’d like to see is the government finding more ways to better educate and support retailers in finding ways to maintain long-term stability.  There should be more funds available to all struggling retailers who can present viable strategies for survival based on smart cost reductions and more advice and support around opening online stores, utilising social media and mobile commerce. These are all really important to stimulate growth. Offering free training in smart cost reduction strategies for retail or promoting the use of Pay-As-You-Sell EPOS solutions which reduce capital costs and promote business growth would all be useful.

As it is, many retailers are simply being left to make their own mistakes. It really is sad to think what other iconic brands could disappear by the end of this year simply because they didn’t have the skills needed to survive the huge shift in customer behaviour that we’ve seen in recent months. The tide is turning and those who can’t adapt will ultimately be left behind.

The group, which owns the John Lewis department store chain and Waitrose supermarkets, says sales increased to £8.21bn for the year ending 29 January, which simply highlights the importance of how multi channelling can help.

Multi channelling provides the platforms to connect to your customers in a multiple number of ways, making access and the shopping experience much more enjoyable and easier for them.

In the current environment, a seamless integration between online and bricks & mortar offerings is key to building customer loyalty and truly understanding your target audience. If your customer does not receive the same level of experience through the various shopping channels available, then the retailer runs a significant risk of losing market share.

Typically retailers have managed web stores and Bricks & Mortar stores with different management structures and disciplines. Both independently delivering customer service and ensuring the level of service not only is maintained but also increased, is a crucial component to the success of this integration. In the first instance this is about the retailers personnel, aligning their working processes and values to deliver a true cross-channel customer experience. Stock availability and customer service at local store level is critical.

Tesco, Next and Homebase are all examples of retailers who have truly embraced the cross-channel service model and are clearly reaping the benefits.

I believe retailers will continue to realise the benefits of integrating online and offline sales and creating a single customer experience, regardless of which channel the customer chooses to use and will look to invest in solutions which enable seamless integration of multi-channel and multi-store sales as multi channelling has proven to create great results for some well known retailers.

There is no doubt that retail parks offer many benefits for customers as parking is often convenient and usually free, which in itself is enough to provide encouragement to potential shoppers to spend their money with retailers who in turn welcome the footfall in their stores. But despite this, if these retailers move away from the High Street, it could prove very disastrous for those who haven’t actually taken the time to investigate who their customers are and where they are able to shop on a regular basis. For generation Y (those aged 14-21), the High Street is so important as they need it for its great transport links. Colleges, schools and leisure centres are also in town centres, which are just some of the facilities that this generation often uses. I believe that if retailers want to meet the needs of their regular and loyal customers, they must be on the High Street.

The pressure for retailers paying rental on the High Street is continuing to mount as they are always on the lookout for ways to curb unnecessary overheads, but I believe that retailers facing rental renewals should not be too hasty. The High Street is still the place to be and it is still worth the investment, so retailers should look at other ways to cut their costs. The benefit of being on the High Street far outweighs the costs. I strongly advise retailers to get on the High Street and stay on the High Street.

The digital age and e-commerce supports both out of town and high street equally and outlets like Amazon and Ebay are clearly capitalising on the boom in online selling. The younger generation are still craving the High Street as a preferred destination to go and look at the product and receive advice, even if they do go back home and look at the same store and same product online to actually make their purchase.

I believe the out of town offering only works if you have a mix of retailers there and are actually creating a mini town centre with all that people would need in one place but the problem remains with getting the younger generation there. Also we mustn’t forget the aging population who again will struggle to access the out of town options.