AI chatbots prove ‘most disruptive’ automated experience for UK shoppers

AI-powered chatbots and conversational commerce tools, such as voice and virtual assistants, were deemed by UK shoppers as the most disruptive artificial intelligence (AI) applications causing friction in their online shopping experiences, the latest research from Intellias, the software engineering and digital consultancy company.

Original research of over 1,000 UK shoppers by Intellias showed that UK shoppers found AI chatbots to be the most likely cause of friction when buying online, with 25% agreeing chatbots are the area where AI most disrupts their shopping experiences, followed by automated virtual assistants (23%) and voice assistants (18%).  Meanwhile, a further 23% said that interactions with AI chatbots were the most likely stage in their online buying journeys where they were most likely to abandon a purchase, rising to 29% of Baby Boomers and 26% of Gen X.

Recently, the Institute of Customer Service (ICS) revealed that, while retailers such as Ocado, John Lewis, Costco and Holland & Barrett featured in the top 10 UK businesses for customer service, overall levels of satisfaction with customer service had dipped to an eight-year low.  Dropping to levels last seen in 2015, the ICS report blamed frustration with ‘dysfunctional chatbots’ being unable to effectively solve queries and poor technology applications as critical drivers of friction, suggesting that while tech and AI applications will improve, human elements would need to remain to uphold customer experiences.

Almost half (49%) of the shoppers polled by Intellias said they didn’t mind retailers using AI in their buying journeys as long as it wasn’t clunky.  In comparison, almost seven in ten (69%) aren’t adverse to retailers using AI to automate repetitive or monotonous tasks, but they don’t want it to replace human interaction.

Going further, almost three-quarters (74%) agreed that a blended experience of both automation delivered through AI and human interaction would always be needed in retail, regardless of how good the AI technology becomes in the future.

Alexander Goncharuk, VP of Global Retail at Intellias, commented:

“There’s little doubt that AI – and in particular Gen AI – have had their watershed moment, as the intersection between rapid consumer and business adoption really came to the fore last year.  While there’s no denying the hype curve, AI mustn’t become a go-to catchall for plugging gaps in shopping experiences.”

“Each application of the technology needs to be considered in the context of the entire value chain and only deployed where it can deliver value in a friction-free manner.  And that requires both orchestrating the tech stack in the right way to extract value, as well as looking at the application of AI in the shopper journey as a whole – only then will it deliver both the business benefits to the retailer while enhancing experiences for consumers,” he concluded.

To learn more about Intellias’ latest ‘GenAI in Retail’ report, which outlines a best-practice blueprint for retailers looking to strategise, pilot and launch successful GenAI programmes, download the report here: https://explore.intellias.com/gen-ai-in-retail-playbook


73% of UK shoppers back human roles in retail despite AI advances

Despite 2023 being hailed as the year of the Artificial Intelligence (AI) hype-curve, UK shoppers are clear that AI can never replace human interaction.  Nearly three quarters (74%) of consumers believe no matter how good AI becomes at improving customer experience (CX), there will always be a role for human interaction in retail, according to new research from the Retail Technology Show (RTS), the industry’s leading event taking place on 24 & 25 April 2024 at London’s Olympia.

Original research of over 1,000 UK shoppers by RTS revealed that already a quarter (25%) of UK consumers agree AI is improving their shopping CX.  And, with consumer and business adoption of AI evolving at pace, a further 44% of shoppers say they don’t mind if retailers use AI in their buying journeys, as long as the experience is positive.

However, there are still deep reservations around the impact of the technology on consumers and the retail industry overall.  While the Business of Fashion and McKinsey State of Fashion survey of global fashion executives found the majority (73%) of respondents said Gen AI will be an important priority for their businesses in 2024, there is work to do to allay consumer concerns with 69% of respondents polled by RTS wanting retailers to do more to build trust when using AI in their shopping experiences.

Three quarters (74%) of UK consumers say brands should be transparent when using AI in their buying journey, with a similar number (72%) demanding retailers spell out their governance policies and procedures for AI use with customers.  Two fifths (39%) of shoppers are mistrustful of retailers’ and brands’ use of AI – increasing to 41% of Gen Z, dispelling the idea that only older consumers are reluctant around this nascent technology.

Consumer concerns are more wide-ranging than just the potential personal impact of AI.  Over half of respondents (53%) say AI risks stifling creativity within the retail sector, while a further 70% say AI will risk retail jobs within the industry which, according to Centre for Retail Research, already saw 120,000 jobs lost in 2023.  Yet, despite these challenges, 73% of UK shoppers polled by RTS also felt that despite the fast-paced adoption of AI, human roles will always be needed in retail.

Matt Bradley, Event Director for the Retail Technology Show, commented: “There’s no doubt 2023 was the year that Generative AI (Gen AI) exploded into the consumer psyche, increasing shoppers’ awareness of the use of AI, both in their personal lives as well as when interacting with businesses and in their shopping journeys.  And while AI’s mainstream use in retail is quickly accelerating, the proliferation of products and tools that came to market last year, alongside the level of further investment, signpost AI as one of the key transformative and disruptive technologies to watch as we look to the year ahead.”

Having worked as a speechwriter and advisor for Larry Page and Sergei Brin, Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk’s SpaceX, RTS headline speaker, Dex Hunter-Torricke, will be discussing the impact of Gen AI and how the retail industry can make sense of what he sees as a major opportunity.  Speaking to Customer Whisperer, Kate Hardcastle MBE, on the Headline Stage on Day 1, Hunter-Torricke will outline the AI lessons he has learned from working at Google, DeepMind, Meta and SpaceX and discuss the real-life applications and benefits, its potential to disrupt the industry and what retailers need to understand from a risk, compliance and copyright perspective.

Also on the Headline Stage, speakers from John Lewis & Partners, Morrissons, B&Q and Aptos Retail will join a panel discussing how retailers can increase competitive advantage by embracing the AI revolution.

Bringing together the brightest minds in retail with the most transformative technologies, the 2024 Retail Technology Show is a one-stop-shop for innovation, with 400+ innovators – from tech’s biggest players to fast-growth disruptors showcasing their transformative solutions.

To register to attend the Retail Technology Show for free, visit: Retail Technology Show 2024.


Asia Supply Chain Decarbonization And Sustainability Summit 2024

Navigating the Path to a Greener Future

In the pursuit of global carbon neutrality by 2030, Asian countries are paving the way towards sustainable practices, setting ambitious net-zero targets by 2050. Recognizing the critical role of decarbonizing supply chains, the Asia Supply Chain Decarbonization And Sustainability Summit 2024 is poised to address the urgent need for environmental stewardship and strategic industry transformation.

Scheduled for May 30-31, 2024, in Singapore, this summit, organized by ECV International, will provide a comprehensive platform both in-person and online, fostering dialogue on the latest advancements, cost-cutting strategies, innovative processes, and solutions aimed at overcoming the challenges of supply chain decarbonization and sustainability in the Asia Pacific region.

Key Topics:

Aligning Business Strategies and Decision-making with Regulation and Climate Goals

Acceleration of Carbon Accounting

Reducing Scope 3 Emissions

Engaging Suppliers

Supply Chain Collaboration for Sustainability

Leveraging Innovative Solutions for Supply Chain Decarbonization

Target Industries:

Consulting

Food and Beverage

Home Appliance

Vehicle & Auto Parts

Luxury Goods

Apparel & Footwear

Electronics

Healthcare & Pharma

Chemicals

Energy & Oils & Gas

Bags & Suitcases

Infant & Mom

Retailers

Supply Chain & Logistics

Software

Intended Attendees:

CEOs

Supply Chain Vice Presidents/Directors/Managers

Logistics Vice Presidents/Directors/Managers

Sustainability Directors/Managers

Responsible Purchasing Vice Presidents/Directors/Managers

Warehouse Directors/Managers

Value Chain Sustainability Directors/Managers

Climate Vice Presidents/Directors/Managers

Environmental Sustainability Vice Presidents/Directors/Managers

Operation Sustainability Directors/Managers

 

The Asia Supply Chain Decarbonization And Sustainability Summit 2024 welcomes the participation of industry leaders and professionals dedicated to advancing sustainable practices in the supply chain.

If you are interested in being part of this transformative summit, visit our official event website [https://www.ecv-events.com/ads/AsiaSupplyChain/index.php] or contact us via email.

About ECV International: ECV International is a prominent organizer of high-end international events, spanning the globe with over 60 high-level online and in-person conferences annually. With a commitment to delivering high-quality and personalized services, ECV International attracts over 6,000 attendees from various industries, including senior management, entrepreneurs, and technical experts.


Debenhams taps Taggstar to improve conversions with social proof

Online marketplace, Debenhams, has partnered with social proof messaging leader, Taggstar, to drive improved conversions.

The boohoo-owned business wanted to reconnect with customers following its move online, and sought to increase conversion rates and sales on its website by maximising interaction with existing customers, while engaging and acquiring new shoppers.

Following a successful proof of concept pilot with Taggstar, Debenhams saw the positive impact of social proof messaging on its business, with conversions rising by 3.29% and Taggstar delivering an ROI of 36.4X.

Debenhams then deployed machine learning-supported social proof messaging across its product details pages (PDP) and basket pages.  It leveraged Taggstar’s solution that uses an algorithm, which selects social proof messages based on shoppers’ behaviours.

It then continuously tests all message combinations, ensuring the right messages or combination of messages – from ‘trending now’ notifications to outlining the number of items sold over a certain time period or the amount of other shoppers currently viewing the same item – are delivered at the right time in the customer journey to optimise conversions and sales.

With the addition of machine learning, a further 1.3% uplift in conversion rate was achieved, delivering a 23.5X ROI.

Dan Finley, CEO of Debenhams, commented:

“We saw the value of social proof messaging very quickly within Debenhams at proof-of-concept but were further impressed with the additional uplift we saw when we added machine learning to the mix and the powerful ROI both delivered.

Following the pilots, Debenhams will test further social proof messaging across its site, including ratings and reviews sharing, as well as extending the capabilities across its products listing pages.


Cotswold Outdoor owner, O&CC, boosts customer experience with digital solution from Pricer

As the first UK clothing and activewear retailer to deploy Electronic Shelf Labels (ESLs) from Pricer, O&CC, which owns brands including Cotswold Outdoor, Snow+Rock and Runners Need, plans to complete a full chain rollout of the cloud-based platform Pricer Plaza and digital labels with a customised solution for this high-end retail group.

As the largest outdoor, run and snow sports retailer in the UK, Outdoor and Cycle Concepts Ltd (O&CC), puts customer service at the forefront of its retail offer.

To improve efficiency in its stores and free up time for store employees to focus on serving customers, a digital solution for in-store automation and communication from Pricer will be installed in all 78 stores by the end of May 2024.

After a successful pilot installation in the new Cotswold Outdoor store in Milton Keynes with the cloud-based platform Pricer Plaza and customised ESLs, and five more stores installed during Autumn 2023, O&CC will move forward with installation of Pricer’s solution across its store estate.

In addition to real-time price adjustment capabilities across its full chain of stores, O&CC is looking at the possibilities of using the solution to deliver more efficient picking of online orders for its Click & Collect service, as well as enhanced replenishment which will ensure all products are available on the shelves at all times, reducing shelf gaps and out of stocks.

Chris Jones, Strategic Operations Director at O&CC, commented: “Our mission is to inspire and support customers to get outside.  As well as offering the best brands and products, we provide exceptional in-store services, like 3D foot scanning, outdoor footwear and pack fitting, running gait analysis and ski boot fitting.  Installing a digital in-store pricing solution from Pricer will drive efficiency, improve sustainability, and ultimately enable our in-store teams to dedicate more time to serving our customers.  We’re delighted to be in partnership with Pricer to help achieve this ambition during 2024 and beyond.”

Peter Ward, Country Manager for UK & Ireland at Pricer, added: “We are delighted to welcome this high-end retail group as a new customer and that, together, we have developed a customised label to fit the needs of its clothing department, with individual ESLs on each garment.  It is also a strategic decision that O&CC has taken to invest in business-critical in-store technology that enhances efficiency, which is especially important in times with high inflation and rising labour costs.”


Greece’s largest online marketplace, Skroutz, partners with MoEngage

Skroutz, the largest ecommerce marketplace in Greece, is eyeing further European expansion.  Following its rapid growth, it has partnered with MoEngage, the leading insights-led customer engagement platform, growing customer conversions by +350% since implementation.

Founded 18 years ago in Athens, Skroutz, the ecommerce giant often referred to as the ‘Greek Amazon’, now offers customers access to over 30 million products on its online marketplace and employs over 500 staff.  Following its success in its homeland of Greece, Skroutz has already started selling goods to 27 countries in Europe, including Ireland, France, Spain, Germany, Italy and Austria, as it eyes further expansion and growth within the EMEA region and outside of the eurozone to countries including Bulgaria, Romania, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Sweden.  Skroutz saw over 2 million unique consumers to make purchases from its marketplace in 2023, a projected 25% increase in sales year-on-year.

To support its growth plans, Skroutz recognised the need to optimise its customer engagement, improving both the effectiveness of its campaigns as well as helping the CRM team operate more efficiently.  It sought a customer engagement platform that would be easy to use and integrate with its existing systems, as well as affording it the long-term flexibility needed within the solution to scale as its business grew.

Prior to MoEngage, Skroutz used multiple platforms to build, execute and monitor engagement campaigns.  From onboarding to retention, customer journey marketing depended heavily on design, Business Intelligence (BI) and engineering teams.  The culmination of extensive manual tasks carried out on multiple systems and a lack of real-time customer data were hampering Skoutz’s customer engagement.

Skroutz partnered with MoEngage, leveraging the insights-led automation within its customer engagement platform to set up automated flows within customer journeys.  This allowed Skroutz to increase the volume of campaigns run through the platform by over 300% and reduce the dependency on the BI team to provide campaign analysis, thanks to in-built analytics dashboards on the platform.

“It helped us in our daily routine and saved us a lot of time, which eventually allowed us to increase the number of daily and weekly campaigns,” Andreas Dikaros, CRM Manager at Skroutz, explained.  “In the analytics part, we can deep dive even more without the help of the BI team, which helps us pull analysis on specific events, not just in terms of purchases, but also other app-related events.”

These automated flows also allowed the marketplace to create multichannel campaigns that deliver personalised interactions at any stage of the customer lifecycle, including welcome journeys to lapsed customer engagement and churn prevention.  Since implementing MoEngage, Skroutz has seen a 350% increase in conversions amongst existing customers.

“We are committed to providing our customers with a one-stop app, a companion that helps you draw inspiration and stay productive when shopping online,” George Chatzigeorgiou, CEO of Skroutz, explained in a recent interview.  “Our goal is to make the online shopping experience more efficient and enjoyable, by offering features that help customers find what they need quickly and easily.  To achieve this goal we have already created a strong fulfilment and service foundation.”

Jason Smith, VP at MoEngage, commented: “The sheer breadth and scale of Skroutz’ offer, which encompasses a vast amount of choice to shoppers across 30 million products from 8,000 merchants, means it needed to leverage automation to help it scale.  But, being customer-centric, it needed intelligent automation that could serve personalisation based on customer insight and real-time behavioural data to scale at the required pace.  With rapid expansion plans, we’ve been excited to be a part of Skroutz’ journey so far and look forward to helping them on their next growth loop.”


Online fashion revenues rose +6% year-on-year in December, according to True Fit’s data

‘Muted’ Golden Quarter fashion order volumes were buoyed by a Black Friday boost, while fashion revenues rose +6%  compared to 2022 in December, the latest data from True Fit, the leading AI platform that decodes size and fit for consumers and apparel and footwear retailers.

True Fit’s Fashion Genome™, the world’s largest connected data set for apparel and footwear, which brings together the preferences of 82 million active shoppers and 20,000+ brands, showed that while demand (order volumes) fell marginally year-on-year in December, overall demand during Peak Trading was bolstered by Black Friday and Cyber 5, the period which covers Thursday 23 Nov – Cyber Monday (27 Nov 2023).

Order volumes of apparel fell by -7% year-on-year in December. However, those who did place fashion orders were spending more during the Golden Quarter (Q4), with fashion revenues up +10% in October, +12% in November and +6% in December.  Meanwhile Average Order Value (AOV) also grew 11% compared to 2022 in Q4.

Discounting events, such as Black Friday played a key role in generating demand during Peak Trading; True Fit’s data showed order volumes on the week of Black Friday (w/c 19 Nov through 25 Nov) rose +14% year-on-year, as price-sensitive shoppers sought out deals.

Jessica Arredondo Murphy, Co-Founder & COO at True Fit, commented: “Discounting will, of course, remain a key lever in securing share of wallet while household spending remains squeezed.  With a muted economic outlook, this will continue past Peak Trading and into 2024, making margin protection a key consideration for retailers in 2024.”

“With our research suggesting the average UK shopper returns almost a quarter of the fashion items they buy, retailers will need to look towards strategies that protect margin to drive growth.  This will rely not just on limiting unnecessary fit-related returns, but also on leveraging strategies to retain customers acquired during discounting periods and sales events, turning first time shoppers who have bought at discounted prices into repeat, full-price customers in 2024.”

Demand for fit guidance also rose during Peak Trading, up +60% month-on-month in November and increasing by +122% during BFCM compared to the first week in November.  Over BFCM, True Fit saw 2.4 million new shopper registrations, while December saw True Fit registrations rising +20% between the week of Christmas and the last week in December, with Boxing Day (26 Dec 2023) the biggest grossing day for new sign-ups.


Pour Moi partners with Wunderkind to optimise owned channels for DTC growth

Lingerie and swimwear brand, Pour Moi, has partnered with Wunderkind, the performance marketing solution that scales one-to-one messages for retailers, to boost first-party data capture and optimise its owned channel engagement capabilities to drive performance and growth.

Launched in 2006 as a size inclusive lingerie brand, Pour Moi has rapidly expanded its offer into swimwear, sportswear, and women’s clothing.  Already working with wholesale retail partners including Next, Very, ASOS and Zalando, Pour Moi experienced significant growth of its Direct to Consumer (DTC) channel during the pandemic. In 2022, it posted a 154% increase in ecommerce website sales compared with 2019 figures and saw its DTC offer grow to account for 58% of its business.

As its ambitious growth trajectory has continued, with an ongoing emphasis on DTC expansion, Pour Moi recognised the need to reinvigorate its owned channel performance. To do this, it wanted to grow and qualify its marketable customer data and email lists – seeking to optimise 1st party audience engagement, build deeper shopper relationships and support its growth targets.  Furthermore, it wanted to partner with a solution provider that could scale at the same pace as the business’ growth plans, something it felt its legacy system wasn’t able to effectively offer.

Pour Moi selected Wunderkind as its partner to help it scale and accelerate owned channel engagement.  The collaborative nature of the onboarding process made it clear that Wunderkind’s team would add significant expertise, as specialists in driving high-converting, behaviourally triggered, 1:1 messaging campaigns, both on-site and across key owned channels such as email.

“From the very first conversations, the openness of the Wunderkind team was really refreshing – and it became clear very quickly that they were experts and specialists within this space,” Nicola Cosens, CMO at Pour MOI explained.  “This meant that on day one, we already felt confident we could achieve our ambitions and goals. Wunderkind had a great offer to begin with, but since then we’ve worked collaboratively to hone our forecasts and uplifts from an early stage.”

From a technology perspective, Wunderkind slotted neatly into Pour Moi’s tech stack, offering ease of integration and additional functionalities compared to the previous solution.  Leveraging Wunderkind’s proprietary Identity Network, Pour Moi will now be able to identify a much greater proportion of its non-logged-in website traffic, increase the rate at which it can capture new customers’ first-party data, and enhance brand-rich personalisation with shoppers on-site and via its email channel.

“We’re genuinely excited by our partnership with Wunderkind – we’d already seen the success other retail partners had experienced and wanted a piece of that success. Key for us will be working with Wunderkind to better understand who our customer is, what motivates her and how she wants to interact with our brand so we can create personal and curated customer journeys for each shopper,” Nicola Cosens, CMO at Pour Moi added.

Wulfric Light-Wilkinson, GM International at Wunderkind, commented: “Pour Moi has already seen phenomenal growth, thanks to its unique vision, values, and brand, as well as its retail offer and on-point ranging. By unlocking personalisation at scale, it can get to know and understand its customers even better, helping it to deliver the rich and relevant personalised shopping journeys needed to underpin growth. We’re really excited to drive guaranteed revenue and performance for them in this next phase of their journey.”


Pricer to showcase digital in-store automation solutions at NRF

Pricer, the global leader in retail in-store automation and communication, will exhibit at the National Retail Federation (NRF)’s Big Show, taking place in New York from January 14 to 16, 2024.

Exhibiting at booth #6457, Pricer solutions, recognised the world over by Tier 1 retail, will showcase its latest in-store automation and communication solutions that serve the rapidly growing smart retail market.  Pricer transforms the shelf edge in real-time to improve store operations—with dynamic pricing, up-to-date product availability, and streamlined in-store order fulfilment and replenishment activities. T his includes the fastest, most responsive, pick-to-light solution for e-commerce orders with automated product positioning.  Pricer further pushes the envelope with the unique and timely opportunity of implementing a Store-in-a-Store parallel designated picking area.

Bringing promotions to life at the shelf-edge

Developed to meet retailers’ needs for enhanced promotion and color functionality, Pricer’s latest labels, SmartTAG Color, bring promotions, enriched content, and messaging to life at the shelf edge.  They also facilitate brand and value communication throughout the store, allowing retailers to leverage the shelf edge for delivering digital media and advertising campaigns sponsored by third-party brands.

Retail Media

As retail-owned digital platforms that sell ad space to marketers continue to experience tremendous growth, retailers will be looking at the next stage of development for these platforms.  Pricer’s digital signage solution integrates electronic shelf labels with digital signage to improve the shopper experience and increase sales by engaging with shoppers where it matters the most, at the shelf edge.

Pricer Plaza – a powerful cloud-based service for retailers

Central to Pricer’s solution is Pricer Plaza, its cloud-based managed services platform comprising a suite of sophisticated management tools, analytics, and applications. Pricer Plaza serves as the key foundation for advanced store digitalisation functionalities, including chain and regional management, template design and infrastructure optimisation.

Miniaturisation of ESLs brings merchandising flexibility

Pricer unveils a unique industry label, now designed for dense peg-hook environments. Pricer HangTAG delivers a miniaturized label in a slick and modern housing, designed to meet today’s retail needs.

Magnus Larsson, President and CEO at Pricer, commented:

“Many leading retail brands are now integrating ESLs to transform their operations and customer experience, spanning consumer electronics, food, hardware, pharmacy, and convenience. Our customers require scalable and reliable tools to build their business for the future. Making the shelf more dynamic allows retailers to better connect their products and services with customers, whether through real-time interaction or pricing at the shelf-edge, facilitating easier in-store navigation, or addressing on-shelf availability and replenishment.

To book an appointment to speak to one of Pricer’s experts in the booth (#6457), or to find out more about how Pricer’s solutions can deliver game-changing in-store capabilities, visit: NRF 2024 – Join Pricer in booth 6457.


Post-Christmas online sales rise +9.5% as shoppers delay Christmas spending to search for deals

Post-Christmas deal seeking by price-sensitive shoppers saw a boost to web revenues during the week after Christmas, with Boxing Day delivering a significant uptick in ecommerce performance, the latest data from Wunderkind, the performance marketing solution that scales one-to-one messages for retailers, revealed.

Original data from Wunderkind’s Marketing Pulse, which analysed over 91.2million shopping journeys, revealed that digital sales rose +9.52% week-on-week (w/c 25 Dec 2023 vs w/c 18 Dec 2023), as shoppers held out for access to post-Christmas discounts. Boxing Day delivered a significant increase to web revenues, rising +51% on 26 Dec 2023 compared to the week prior.

Boxing Day ecommerce takings were also up +39% year-on-year, prompted by ongoing price- and promotions sensitivity among shoppers squeezed by cost-of-living pressures. UK consumers were tipped to spend £3.7billion on ‘deep discounts’ on Boxing Day, with fashion items proving the most popular category.

The higher levels of online purchasing may also have been further bolstered as many retailers, including M&S, John Lewis and Next, chose to keep retail stores closed on Boxing Day to give staff an extra day to spend with family.

Wulfric Light-Wilkinson, GM International at Wunderkind, commented:

“With consumers focused on making their budgets work as hard as possible this year, the data shows that many shoppers held off on Christmas spending in order to make the most of Boxing Day discounts. On the flip-side, retailers will have been managing a fine balancing act between meeting consumer demand for deals, driving stock sell-through, and maintaining margins.  

To ensure the value from this sales boost continues into 2024, it’s vital that retailers continue to engage these consumers through personalised messaging year-round. Re-engaging lapsed customers – including the ‘one hit wonders’ who purchase once, often during a sale period, and then vanish – is important, and, given rising new customer acquisition costs, may be a more efficient use of marketing spend.”

This year, Christmas Day also saw a significant rise in online shopping, with web revenues up +123% year-on-year, as consumers took advantage of early access Boxing Day sales, according to Wunderkind’s data. This follows a poll by Barclays which showed that 23% of UK consumers planned to start shopping the sales on Christmas Eve, and a further 17% intended to bargain hunt on Christmas Day.


Join Retail Connections

Get the latest industry views and exclusive member offers sent direct to your mailbox.