Selected tweets from our live coverage of Retail Week Live 2019
Walmart International boss Judith McKenna takes to the stage for the opening keynote #RWL19 pic.twitter.com/SNu7K25inm
— Luke Tugby (@LukeTugby) March 27, 2019
“We are increasingly becoming technology companies” says @Walmart’s McKenna. “We in retail have to lead the conversations” around digital and automation #RW19
— Luke Tugby (@LukeTugby) March 27, 2019
McKenna says that Walmart's robotic shelf scanners have increased sales and efficiencies in store, but have also reduced turnover in "difficult to fill and retain roles". They free up store workers time to "do what they enjoy" in their work #RWL19
— Grace Bowden (@GraceyBowden) March 27, 2019
“We are continuing to talk to the CMA and we will see where we get… I’ll come back next year and talk to you about it” Judith McKenna's coy response to @hwallop's question on whether Asda will still be part of Walmart in one year's time #RWL19
— RebeccaWaller-Davies (@RebeccaWDavies) March 27, 2019
Taking to the stage at #RWL19 to talk what’s next for Shop Direct, our CEO Henry Birch pic.twitter.com/UDr2A3p1sZ
— Shop Direct (@ShopDirect) March 27, 2019
Shop Direct to rename company The Very Group this year. Boss Henry Birch says Very is the powerhouse of the business but insists no plans to shut Littlewoods.#RWL19
— Gemma Goldfingle (@gemmagoldfingle) March 27, 2019
Really love @JamesTCobbler’s approach on empowering Timpsons staff and hiring people with great personalities. Says he was inspired by @RicherSounds Julian Richer’s staff-centric ethos for making a successful business #RWL19 pic.twitter.com/3woZZXywdz
— Kashfia Kabir (@kashfiakabir) March 28, 2019
He famously employs ex-offenders at Timpson. But I didn’t know there are 55 staff on day release. Serving customers/cutting keys today; in prison tonight.
— Harry Wallop (@hwallop) March 28, 2019
7 shops are currently being run by people on day release.
Timpson has ‘a culture of kindness’ says @JamesTCobbler - if only there were more of that in the UK right now! #RWL19
— Jennifer Creevy (@JenniferCreevy) March 28, 2019
Boots is rolling out rebranded shopping brands this year alongside 26 new beauty brands. Boss James says it’s an example of the retailer “using the recognisability of our brand without being precious about it” #RWL19 pic.twitter.com/Bx4K94wf5E
— Grace Bowden (@GraceyBowden) March 27, 2019
Boots’ Seb James says the retailer’s 170-year strong brand “gone from an asset to a straitjacket” in recent years. “We’ve been so terrified of diluting our brand we’ve become less relevant” to suppliers and customers he says #RWL19
— Grace Bowden (@GraceyBowden) March 27, 2019
Here’s the Queen applying what Boots boss Seb James says is her favourite lipstick shade (No 7’s Gay Geranium) #RWL19 pic.twitter.com/mf1gvW549z
— Grace Bowden (@GraceyBowden) March 27, 2019
Shifting channels of customer engagement prediction. Voice and messaging apps growing strongly #RWL19 pic.twitter.com/pzb0620ZxL
— Gemma Goldfingle (@gemmagoldfingle) March 27, 2019
People are now more willing to accept push notifications, says Tom McDonnell, CEO of app developer Monterosa, which created the Love Island app.
— Gemma Goldfingle (@gemmagoldfingle) March 27, 2019
This allowed them to push content to drive people to their app (He says TV scale audiences) and to brand partners. #RWL19
Meet the bright young things: the millennial CEOs from @izzy_wheels, @SkinnydipLondon and @depop are reinventing the way we shop. #RWL19 pic.twitter.com/TEbzRXvqO0
— Kashfia Kabir (@kashfiakabir) March 27, 2019
Retailers should be thinking of fashion rental options and supporting young designers @KimWinser says #RWL19
— Leanne Carr (@LeanneCarrRW) March 27, 2019
70% of Ge Z value multi-brand retailers, significantly higher than parents or generation that preceded them, says @OCC_Strategy's Matt Coode of marketplaces... shame that spike in interest is too late for legacy dept stores. #RWL19
— RebeccaWaller-Davies (@RebeccaWDavies) March 27, 2019
"If you’re selling stuff, you’re knackered, frankly," says @CEOPetsPlc on doing what Amazon can't. "Outwit Amazon by understanding your customer on the next level of detail. "Amazon know me in so far as they know I have a cat. Pets at Home send pets a birthday card." #RWL19
— RebeccaWaller-Davies (@RebeccaWDavies) March 27, 2019
Speaking on retail giant Amazon, Pets at Home boss Peter Pritchard said: "As a retailer I hate them but as a customer they’re great." #RWL19
— Leanne Carr (@LeanneCarrRW) March 27, 2019
Roger Whiteside if Greggs says profits being down and share prices falling in 2013 was ‘lucky’ as it gave him a reason to change the business #RWL19
— Hugh Radojev (@hradojev) March 27, 2019
.@GreggsOfficial boss Roger Whiteside on the cost of transforming your business: “One of the things you have to do is say no to customers” #RWL19
— Luke Tugby (@LukeTugby) March 27, 2019
Rapha's Sarah Clark echoes this: "We organise a huge number of rides, events & have people in store in the evening when the tills are closed. It’s about building a community that wants to engage and hang out, not trying to force a transactional relationship" #RWL19
— Grace Bowden (@GraceyBowden) March 27, 2019
Notonthehighstreet CMO Ella d’Amato says product trends including Christmas Eve box and chocolate brussel sprouts started on NOTHS. 60% of its products are personalised #RWL19 pic.twitter.com/f2r6zBdggv
— Grace Bowden (@GraceyBowden) March 27, 2019
The consumer has reached peak stuff, says @DixonsCarphone Alex Baldock, which is a challenge for those of us that sell ‘stuff’ #RWL19
— Jennifer Creevy (@JenniferCreevy) March 28, 2019
Alex Baldock says customers could not care less if any retailer vanished tomorrow if they are getting what they want #RWL19
— Chris Brook-Carter (@CBC90) March 28, 2019
Dixons Carphone CEO Alex Baldock says the likes of Netflix, Airbnb, Spotify etc are changing customer expectations of what retail should be in a way that the sector is struggling to respond to #RWL19
— Grace Bowden (@GraceyBowden) March 28, 2019
The secret speaker for day two of #RWL19 is @joshuaacoombes - thought-provoking and inspiring about ways retailers can help communities. https://t.co/9P3G4tg2VF
— Retail Week (@RetailWeek) March 28, 2019
Common thread from the panel on sustainability at #RWL19 - sustainable businesses find recruitment and retention easier: "not just consumers that want to buy this way, workers want to work this way"
— Rebecca Froley (@BexUK) March 27, 2019
Shareholders investing in unsustainable businesses is indefensible. “If I knew I was investing in an unsustainable business, one the contributed to the death of resources, how could I sleep at night?’ - Kresse Wesling #RWL19
— Hugh Radojev (@hradojev) March 27, 2019
"If I had a pound for every time someone misused the word ‘sustainability’, London would have another billionaire. I am not about getting undressed and hugging a tree…We are building commercial sustainable models that can be scaled," says Yellow Octopus' Jack Ostrowski #RWL19
— RebeccaWaller-Davies (@RebeccaWDavies) March 28, 2019
Bravura Foods MD Lisa Gawthorne, which supplies for Planet Organic and Holland & Barrett, says it is increasingly crucial to customers "to shop at a retailer that aligns with their beliefs, particularly their moral compass" #RWL19
— Grace Bowden (@GraceyBowden) March 28, 2019
“Apologies if you’ve been targeted with a marketing banner after visiting our site. I can’t stand them, I think they are cheap and dirty” says Made’s creative boss Jo Jackson. She says she wants a “smarter” alternative, but “annoyingly” retargeting has strong ROI #RWL19
— Grace Bowden (@GraceyBowden) March 28, 2019
Andy Higginson: ‘Diversity is often misunderstood. You can have a board that ticks all the boxes but actually they’re all the same and sit around vehemently agreeing with each other.’ #RWL19
— George MacDonald (@GeorgeMacD) March 28, 2019
Great anecdote from Debbie Hewitt. She received letter as chair from institutional investor threatening to vote against her reelection because board was not diverse enough. She replied that they'd be voting to remove the only woman on the board! #RWL19
— George MacDonald (@GeorgeMacD) March 28, 2019
AO founder and boss John Roberts says the business is spending “a lot of time testing and learning.” “You have to accept that you haven’t got a clue what you are doing” #RWL19
— Luke Tugby (@LukeTugby) March 28, 2019
John Roberts won’t rule out stores for A.O. Says retail will never go fully online but need a reason for stores. Says if it tries stores it would be on a ‘test and learn basis’ as it would online #RWL19
— Hugh Radojev (@hradojev) March 28, 2019
CEO of @ao @johnrobertsAO tells #RWL19 he’s abandoning TV advertising in the coming year. ROI much better through digital channels such as social media, he says.
— George MacDonald (@GeorgeMacD) March 28, 2019
Gen Alpha will backlash against perfection and Instagram perfect lives says @CarlaBuzasi. Thank god! #RWL19
— Jennifer Creevy (@JenniferCreevy) March 28, 2019
The scary way kids view money @wgsn #RWL19 pic.twitter.com/S92qhA8ZKG
— Jennifer Creevy (@JenniferCreevy) March 28, 2019
Final session of #RWL19 - and a cracking way to end. @CBC90 interviews @ASOS boss @ASOS_NickB pic.twitter.com/6AHa66IGun
— Luke Tugby (@LukeTugby) March 28, 2019
“You’ve been chosen for your passion, your talent, your enthusiasm. Please remember to bring that to work” - the simple message @ASOS_NickB gives to his staff #RWL19
— Luke Tugby (@LukeTugby) March 28, 2019
ASOS boss Nick Brighton on the rise of retail tech giants such as Amazon: ‘If you worry about what they’ll do to you, you’ve already lost the battle.’ #RWL19
— George MacDonald (@GeorgeMacD) March 28, 2019
And that's a wrap! What a fantastic two days at #RWL19, take a look at just some of the highlights https://t.co/TO7BQkc6OB. See you next year. pic.twitter.com/8ZPNubnl3r
— Retail Week (@RetailWeek) March 28, 2019
"For decades, sustainability has been associated with [...] the type of person who has a self-composting loo and would chain themselves to a tanker to protect the whales" - for this line alone @RebeccaWDavies #RWL19 roundup is VERY worth a read: https://t.co/KQnZdPJRdW
— Grace Bowden (@GraceyBowden) March 29, 2019
What were the key themes at #RWL19? The @RetailWeek team (@GraceyBowden, @LukeTugby & @JenniferCreevy) talk through their highlights and takeaways.https://t.co/QZM1hLoduZ
— Retail Week (@RetailWeek) March 28, 2019
