Retail in Review (July & August)

Retailers have been busy over the summer! While the Paris Olympics and EURO 2024 took consumer audiences by storm, UK retailers have spent the last couple of months evolving in preparation for a climactic year-end. Integrating a range of innovative technologies, a number of brands are showing their determination to boost the performance of new sales channels, put customers at the centre of their strategies and strengthen their brick-and-mortar presence.

In our latest Retail in Review blog, we explore a few of the most notable stories that have come out of the UK retail environment during July and August…

Striving for Exciting Experiences

Customers remain at the heart of retail operations. Over the past few months, several retailers have reiterated this narrative by adopting  more customer centric strategies, designed to exceed customer expectations at every touchpoint.

British retailer, Pets at Home, unveiled the first of its four planned concept stores – fitted with digital and interactive innovations to educate and guide customers through their pet care journeys. This investment reflects the brand’s commitment to customer experience and is expected to continue to influence its in-store strategy moving forward.

Plush toy brand, Jellycat, delivered a creative store experience with an interactive pop-up at Selfridges London towards the end of July. The stuffed toy company celebrated the launch of its ‘Fish & Chips’ collection in celebration of its 25th anniversary. The new and exclusive experience allowed customers to  book slots to visit the pop-up and play a part in ordering their delightful soft toys, inspired by the famous british dish.

As retail strategies continue to revolve around the customer experience, pop-up stores and concept flagship stores are becoming a significant part of how retailers are transforming their relationships with consumers.

Focus on Blending Operations

Home and leisure retailer, The Range, caught headlines when going live with new iOS and Android mobile apps recently. The new deployment will make online ordering even easier, giving customers the ability to access thousands of products through an entirely new sales channel.

Whilst The Range upgraded its sales strategy to enhance the digital experience of customers, electrical retailer, Currys, set its sights on developing a blended in-store and online omnichannel model to match customer demands. 50 of its biggest stores will undergo a makeover which includes the launch of new categories, seasonal showcases and envisioning in-store merchandising. This  follows shortly after the announcement of the reimagining of 65 store layouts to make the retailer’s mid-size superstores more navigable. In total, Currys plans to transform 115 of its 305 UK stores throughout 2024/25, all focused on enhancing customer experiences.

Online marketplace, eBay, official sponsor of ITV’s hit show, Love Island, capitalised on the success of this summer’s series which saw 2.2 million people tune in to the first episode – the highest it had been since the 2022 series. Making the most of the hype, eBay reimagined its typical online sale strategy with the hosting of the first ever Love Island eBay Live.

The pre-loved fashion retailer showcased several items collected from iconic moments viewers would have witnessed over the years with a live shopping event that allowed fans to get their hands on statement pieces from their favourite islanders. The never done before live shopping event was an innovative way to encourage fans and customers to interact while browsing pre-loved fashion.

Developing Relationships

As we progressed through the British summer, the unpredictability of the weather (as always) continued to keep us on our toes. However, one constant and reliable trend within retail proved to be the continued effort to strengthen partnerships and relationships for the benefits of the end user.

One of the most noteworthy came from fashion giant, ASOS, extending its relationship with Microsoft by signing a 3-year agreement to push the use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) features, which can be integrated into ASOS’ online model. This continuation of the relationship aims to not only allow ASOS to ensure it is operating in the most effective and efficient manner, but will also see further developments with the rollout of AI tools to change and enhance the customer experience.

Whether for operational purposes, or for improved customer experiences, the integration of AI within retail has quickly gone from an exciting promise to a very real deployment. These stories are certainly worth keeping a close eye on as the technology continues to mature and evolve.

Navigating Seasons Changing

Sights are firmly set on strategy as we navigate towards the end of the year. July and August have highlighted how the positioning of customer experience is continuing to drive innovation and strategy, with an importance placed on blending operations and thinking outside the box. 

As we move forward, the focus will likely remain on perfecting the customer experience, especially with the festive shopping season slowly approaching…

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