Retail footfall down 0.8%, shopping centres continue to suffer

Retail footfall fell by 0.8% in July when compared to the same time last year, despite the high street again seeing a slight rise. The figures from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and Springboard show that high street footfall increased by 0.3% which was the third consecutive month of growth.…

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Monitoring employees’ private communications in the workplace

An employer who monitored an employee’s private communications at work has been found guilty of breaching his human rights. The facts Bogdan Bărbulescu was employed in the Bucharest office of a Romanian private company as a sales engineer. He created an instant messaging account using Yahoo Messenger in order to…

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Are online-only auctions the future?

The internet puts the world at our fingertips and e-commerce means we no longer have to leave the house for required goods. As trust in trading on the internet grows, higher quality, luxury goods are becoming more readily available and people are less worried when it comes to making high…

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Cooksongold launches revamped store to mark 100 year anniversary

Jewellery supplier Cooksongold has launched a revamped store in celebration of 100 years in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter. According to the group the complete refurbishment will allow for “a greater experience with thousands more products on display in what will be the UK’s largest jewellery making store”. The company has also…

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Why business rates are not fit for purpose

Has anyone in the government worked out that we are living in the 21st Century? Yes – Why is it then that they continue to base the assessment of “business” rates on a framework and structure that is no longer relevant, appropriate and more importantly equitable in today’s modern Britain?…

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Three-Minute Interview: Q Branch Bespoke Casting

Describe yourself in three words? Geeky, organised and logical When you were at school, what did you want to be and why? I wanted to be in a band, playing guitar or keyboards. Why? Having a ridiculous ‘flock of seagulls’ hair cut, Going on tour. The cool synths and samplers,…

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Pandora CEO steps down following profit warning

Pandora has announced Anders Colding Friis is stepping down as president and CEO of the company effective 31 August 2018. The company saw its shares slump nearly a quarter on Tuesday 7 August when it announced it was reducing its sales and profit growth forecast, and after a follow-up announcement…

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Why technology is fallible

I have previously raised the issue of poor technical/structural design consideration, but this time I want to raise the issue of failings in the technology systems themselves, or is it the operatives? Bear with me here this might be a bit boring for some of you. I am referring to…

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How to connect to your customers’ emotions

When a customer enters your store, or if a customer has been in your store, how soon should you greet them? Wait a few seconds As soon as you see them Whatever feels comfortable The answer is B – as soon as you see them. This is critical because the…

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Study finds diamonds are still the favoured gem among female Brits

Research shows diamonds are still the favoured gem for female Brits with tanzanite coming in second according to UK online jewellers Gemporia. The research was conducted amongst 1,866 women across the UK, aged between 18-80, and revealed that nearly a quarter (22%) of respondents chose diamond as their top gem,…

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