Retail has undergone some of the most significant changes in the sector’s recent history. With the news of high street retailer British Homes Stores (BHS) filing for administration and House of Fraser now seeing a third of their sales being driven by ecommerce, retail is facing its biggest crossroads since the rise of the internet.
By Peter Wake
Are you familiar with the concept of the boiled frog syndrome It’s a premise that if you put a frog in boiling water, it will jump out. However, if it’s placed in a pan of cold water that is heated slowly, the frog won’t realise it’s in growing danger and will eventually pay the ultimate price.
By Ian Jindal
The importance of delivery for retailers appears to be obvious; when the customer purchases an item, it needs to be delivered to them. While this is indeed correct, it portrays delivery as a side consideration on the e-retailing process, which is wrong.
As part of his Budget 2016 address, George Osborne sought to reassure the small business leaders that feel they’re struggling against online rivals and revealed he will clamp down on VAT dodgers overseas, while supporting sharing economy entrepreneurs with a tax break for an Airbnb allowance.
Women’s fashion site Missguided crashed on 14 March – a result of a 50 per cent off sale sending customers wild. However, with transactions unavailable, shoppers were left frustrated and the company’s banter-based updates did little to placate customers.
Launched in 2013, Rare Pink is a seller of diamonds, engagement and wedding rings, which has been listed in the Everline Future 50 2016 thanks to a creative combination of “clicks and bricks” that’s being used to challenge high-end jewellery retailers.
Recognising the ecommerce boom, Everline Future 50 2016 entrant Bizdaq is a digital marketplace that lets entrepreneurs and investors buy and sell businesses across desktop and mobiles.
By Greg Liset
“Your website is your shop window” is an often-used phrase in online retailing, and one that continues to ring true for the majority of small business owners. No matter what your industry, your website is a fantastic branding tool that – when running smoothly – can have a real impact on business success, helping to attract and maintain customers and stimulating growth as a result.
To support the growth of online businesses globally, digital payments service Stripe has introduced Stripe Atlas at Mobile World Congress 2016, which will provide a framework that includes incorporated business and bank account in the US.
The way in which retailers take consumers to the point of sale continues to evolve. As such, Real Business spoke with the rising UK SMEs with innovative ideas to discuss the challenges of entering an age-old industry with a new proposition and how they were dealt with.
