Retail sales boost as we enter a new decade
Here we are with the first ONS report looking at 2020 and finally, we can report a slightly more positive outlook. Retail sales boost as we enter a new decade According to data released today by the ONS, retail sales in January grew by 1.2% (value) and 0.9% (volume) when compared to December. The rise […]
Retail trends in 2020
It’s been another tough old year for the retail sector. Store closures and rationalisation have hit the headlines on a monthly basis, while the ONS has reported one of the most troubling years on record. To put this into perspective, over 140,000 jobs were lost and over 9,000 stores closed their doors. Online and ecommerce […]
The Christmas Grinch takes over any glimmer of retail cheer
Overview In an ongoing escalation of the high-street crisis, ONS reports that retail sales volumes fell by 0.6% in December which represents a five-month ongoing decline. Looking at it from a three-month perspective, sales (quantity bought) are down 1% overall and amount spent down 0.9% for the October – December period when compared year on […]
What does the Future Highstreet Fund mean for retailers?
It’s increasingly difficult to know just what intervention is needed to rescue the British high street and to re-invent the thriving, bustling community-focused centres of decades gone by. Government funding boost The government believes the answer, or at least part of it, could lie in a significant funding boost and so in the autumn of […]
Womenswear & Activewear rollout 2018
Maintaining leadership in a such a competitive market requires a constant reinvention of product, format and merchandising. With their proven blueprint landed in every store, Kmart are now delivering department transformations to ensure they continue as market leaders. Sigma are experts at transforming commercial space; our role is to optimise projects from concept to completion. […]
Retail Sector Struggles To Bring Christmas Cheer
Retail sector struggles to bring Christmas cheer with morereports of declining sales It’s been another tough month for retailers in the UK, highlighted by the November ONS report. Somewhat unhelpfully, the ONS reporting period means that Black Friday hasn’t been captured in the November report, though seasonal adjustments have been applied, so we can remain […]
Bringing in the Fit-Out Project Professionals
Bringing in the project professionals However, as well as having a strong vision, a commercial transformation project also requires a complex matrix of skills to make it a success and so shouldn’t be embarked upon lightly. One of the most critical, yet most often overlooked success factors is that of a good project management team. […]
Revitalising space with an expert perspective
Whether it’s embarking on a bit of a facelift, revamping the interior of an entire space or undergoing a wholesale refurbishment, one of the biggest factors in the successful delivery of a hotel transformation is treating it as defined project. This means considering factors including scope, specification, budget, timeline and critical success factors. Treating it […]
Retailers continue to struggle amidst a raft of challenges
Sales in the UK retail sector fell 0.1% last month (October) according to data released on Friday by the ONS, challenging the view that the retail landscape is finally settling after a few tumultuous months. Overview In the last quarter, growth slowed to just 0.2% and is down 0.6% from the prior three months. This […]
Can 5G really revolutionise bricks and mortar stores?
So why does this matter in retail? According to the latest data released by the ONS, online transactions are accounting for roughly one-fifth of all transactions and this has been consistent certainly throughout most of 2019. Add in the fact that of this, 64% of transactions are carried out on a mobile device and suddenly […]