All Opinion articles – Page 44
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OpinionMove of the Week: Shop Direct CFO can mark start of new era
Ben Fletcher would be well advised to make the most of his Christmas break. When Shop Direct’s new group chief financial officer joins in January he faces being thrust into a business still suffering the effects of a PPI-induced financial shock that has escalated to the point where it pushed 2018/19 profits significantly into the red.
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OpinionOpinion: The time isn’t right to sell Shop Direct
Shop Direct owners the Barclay family are understood to have kicked off a review of their business empire, raising questions about the etailer’s future ownership.
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OpinionLeader: Will Mothercare administration signal death knell for CVAs?
As recently as May, having won approval for a CVA last year, Mothercare chief executive Mark Newton-Jones was bullish about the retailer’s turnaround prospects.
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OpinionLeader: In-store polling stations could give retail a boost
December’s general election has raised fears among retailers of disruption to peak trading. But perhaps the political showdown brings an opportunity for store groups to welcome more shoppers by serving their communities.
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OpinionOpinion: Supporting retail this election is just good politics
We are blessed with one of the most vibrant and dynamic retail industries in the world.
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OpinionMichael Jary: Driverless cars will change everything about retail hot spots
In his autobiography, Sam Walton described why he preferred a small propeller plane to a jet. The Walmart founder could fly closer to the ground and see how America’s towns and cities were growing.
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OpinionLeader: December election – keep calm and carry on retailing
The last thing retail needs is a December election, as Boris Johnson has called for.
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OpinionMove of the Week: Why counteroffers aren’t all they seem
It will understandably have come as a great source of frustration for Marks & Spencer that its new stores director David Lepley has had a last-minute change of heart and opted to stay at Morrisons.
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OpinionOpinion: Forget about plunging profits, Zara still leads the fashion pack
When a retailer’s profits nosedive by half, alarm bells would usually sound. But Zara is an unusual retailer.
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OpinionOpinion: New retail growth requires an old-school ethos
One hundred years ago – prior to the industrialisation of retail – every retailer was by definition what I call a ‘customer-keeper’.
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OpinionOpinion: ‘Why’ is more important than ‘what’ for successful retailers
I have two daughters. Last weekend, I found myself fielding the following questions (among others): “Dad, why don’t people share their homes with homeless people?”; “Why did the First World War start?”; “Why do I need to do maths when I have a calculator on my phone?”; “Why do I need to lay the table, why can’t Evie?” And the classic: “Dad, why are you so embarrassing?”
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OpinionMove of the Week: Ted Baker hopes for American dream
Ted Baker continues to move on from the Ray Kelvin era with the news this week it has appointed its first-ever US chief executive.
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OpinionLeader: Never mind the carpets, WHSmith’s Clarke leaves the firmest of foundations
The state of WHSmith’s carpets might prompt mirth on social media, but there’s nothing shabby about the legacy of departing chief executive Steve Clarke.
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OpinionOpinion: Sports Direct’s Nike swipe smacks of desperation
Sports Direct has taken aim at sportswear titans Nike and Adidas, but is it a gamble that will pay off?
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OpinionOpinion: Can new boss lead Walmart to victory in battle with Amazon?
As it enters a crucial period in its ongoing domestic battle with Amazon, Walmart US has announced a change in its top leadership, with the business now to be helmed by an avowed technophile with a strong run of success on his CV.
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OpinionBryan Roberts: Clubcard and Nectar won’t lure Aldi and Lidl shoppers
Perhaps overshadowed by the exits of Dave Lewis and John Rogers, the big reveal of supercharged loyalty schemes from Tesco and Sainsbury’s did not receive the amount of fanfare that the retailers had been anticipating.
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OpinionMove of the Week: Is Kingfisher’s new CFO a jack of all trades?
When your boardroom has as many empty chairs as it has full, it makes sense to hire people with a good breadth of skills.
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OpinionLeader: Thomas Cook deal is vote of confidence in high streets
The acquisition of Thomas Cook by Hays Travel is potentially great news for high streets, one shaft of sunlight to pierce the clouds hanging over town centres.
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OpinionMichael Poynor: Retailers must sing from customers’ new hymn sheet
I’ve been retained as a regular columnist by Retail Week for 25 years, half my career. Following my 50th work anniversary this week, my columns will become more ad hoc. This is not my swan song; my golden milestone is but a staging post on a retail journey that’s far from the finish line.
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OpinionOpinion: Are Ted Baker’s woes down to Ray Kelvin’s departure?
After a horror show set of interim results, Ted Baker has been doing its best to reassure the City that this is just a blip. But to what extent can the fashion retailer’s travails be blamed on the sudden departure of its founder?