All General merchandise articles – Page 216
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Analysis
Northern Ireland retailers benefit as Republic's consumers stream north
Amid the gloom of retailing in the UK one area is bucking the trend. But Northern Ireland’s gain is the Republic’s loss. Charlotte Hardie reports from Belfast on why Northern Irish eyes are smiling.
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News
Octopus wades into e-tail arena
Quirky gift retailer Octopus is to launch its first transactional website this summer in response to customer demand.
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AnalysisCraftwork: HobbyCraft chief executive Chris Crombie
The US arts and crafts market is worth US$32bn (£21.89bn) – almost the same size as the American film industry. It’s a fact that has HobbyCraft’s chief executive Chris Crombie licking his lips.
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News
Theo Paphitis: retail needs to go “back to basics”
Rymans and La Senza owner Theo Paphitis has hit out at the culture of profit-led private equity retail ownership which he says has “damaged” the sector.
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News
House of Fraser consults on jobs
Department store group House of Fraser has begun consultation with some staff as part of an efficiency drive.
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News
Borders sheds staff and freezes pay
Bookseller Borders UK is restructuring its head office and implementing a pay freeze as the recession takes its toll on the business.
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News
HobbyCraft appoints head of marketing
Arts and craft retailer HobbyCraft has appointed Lisa Looker as head of marketing.
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NewsBlooming Marvellous bought out of administration
A group of investors including Ethel Austin owner Elaine McPherson has bought Blooming Marvelous from administrators MCR.
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News
White Stuff brings reporting to stores
Lifestyle retailer White Stuff is building a data warehouse to improve its reporting capabilities at head office level and provide reports to its stores.
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News
EDS snaps up Woolworths IT staff
Outsourcer EDS has taken on the entire team of SAP specialists who previously worked for Woolworths.
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News
Marks & Spencer staff in Ireland win up to 6.7 per cent pay rise
Marks & Spencer staff in the Republic of Ireland are to receive pay rises of up to 6.7 per cent according to the Irish Times.
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News
Online retailers lead the way in customer service
Play.com and Amazon have topped a customer satisfaction poll to find which retailers hit the mark when it comes to customer service.
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News
Pawnbroker Albemarle & Bond's profits soar
Pawnbroker Albemarle & Bond’s profits jumped 19 per cent in the six months to December 31 as consumers sought alternative credit sources because of banks' 'inflexible' lending practices.
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News
Retailers renege on VAT cuts
Some retailers are not passing VAT cuts on to their customers, a Sunday Times investigation has found.
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News
John Lewis sales continue to suffer with poor weather
John Lewis sales fell for the fourth consecutive week, down 3.2 per cent in the week to February 14, as poor weather continued to hit trade.
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News
Parchment faces wind-up call over rents
Gifts and stationery retailer Parchment has had a petition brought against it to wind up the company. Mourant & Co Trustees filed the document at the High Court on January 25.
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News
Topps Tiles ‘not shaken’ by insurer
The withdrawal of credit insurance from suppliers to Topps Tiles will not affect trading performance, the retailer’s management insisted.
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News
Discounter Dollar General lifted by downturn in US
US discount retailer Dollar General has defied the retail gloom and unveiled plans to open more than twice as many stores in 2009 than in 2008.
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News
Laura Ashley founder Bernard Ashley dies
Tributes have flooded in following the death of Sir Bernard Ashley, the colourful business mastermind who co-founded fashion-to-furnishings retailer Laura Ashley.
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News
Majority of store chiefs gloomy about 2009 outlook
Two thirds of retailers do not expect trading conditions to improve before the end of this year.