Coronavirus outbreak: how the retail technology sector is reacting
Retail Technology Innovation Hub rounds up the key Covid-19 developments from last week.
Year-on-year UK retail footfall decreased by 33.5% in October, with a 3.4 percentage point decline from September, according to research from the BRC and ShopperTrak.
High streets and shopping centres fared worse of all as the public shunned city centres in favour of out of town locations with their on-site parking.
Cegid has announced that French fashion label, Isabel Marant, is deploying various omnichannel services in France and abroad as it continues to expand its retail and e-commerce operations.
Wilko has announced that all its 416 stores across the UK will remain open during the second coronavirus lockdown.
47% of UK consumers intend to spend less during this December festive season compared to last year, according to research by EY.
Primark has no plans to venture online despite the latest round of coronavirus related closures in markets such as the UK, Spain and Ireland costing it about £375 million of lost sales.
Watsons, the flagship health and beauty brand of A.S. Watson Group, is laying claim to 100 million loyalty members in Asia.
As many organisations hide behind the pandemic for failing service standards, Abbie Heslop, Commercial AI Analyst, EBI.AI shows how to buck the trend using Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group has confirmed media reports about a tie up with online luxury fashion platform Farfetch.
Both it and Swiss group Richemont will invest $600 million ($300 million each) in Farfetch and $250 million each for a 25% stake in a newly formed Farfetch China joint venture.
M&S has rolled out its Sparks Book & Shop online reservation service to all 566 UK foodhalls and larger stores with foodhalls.
It says that it is the first major UK retailer to deploy such an offering. Sparks customers can use it to arrange shopping times and avoid the need to queue when they arrive.
The British Retail Consortium has hit out at Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s announcement of a month-long national coronavirus lockdown.
Pubs, restaurants, gyms, non-essential shops and places of worship have closed, but schools, colleges and universities are staying open. People are being told to stay at home unless they have a specific reason to leave, such as work and education.
Bookshop.org, which launched in the US earlier this year, has gone online in partnership with more than 130 UK shops.
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