04
EDITOR’SCOMMENT
RETAILTECHNOLOGY
It’s time for technology to pay up
Editor
based operational systems, as she added: “The
Miya Knights
consumer will be more multi-faceted – and
e: mknights@bpl-business.com
t: 07810 648 706
W
elcome to the January/February
2010 edition of Retail Technology
magazine. hence diffi cult to understand – trading down
Publisher
Although it must seem an age ago to to outlets that offer better value and up to
Clare Sturzaker embattled retailers, but I hope you all had a other brands that truly deliver premium quality,
e: csturzaker@bpl-business.com
good festive season, positioning you all for a regularly crossing channels (which are no longer
t: 01342 717459
prosperous New Year. seen as separate), making fewer shopping trips
Consultant Editor
Those left feeling most embattled are likely and sharing experiences with others as the
Chris Field
e: cfi eld@retailtechnology.co.uk
to have had a tough Christmas trading season, power of social networking increases.”
t: 01435 873 377 despite the fact that the general consensus from To fi nd out more about the outlook for
Sales
recent retail sales fi gures and analysis suggests retail IT and some of its core infrastructure
Lynn Neil
the economic climate and consumer confi dence components, take a look at our second, annual
e: lneil@bpl-business.com
has improved. One wonders how many of those Horizons supplement, starting on page 15. In
t: 0208 123 5040
retailers, who just survived 2009, are licking their addition, our annual workforce management
Chairman
Chris Boeree
wounds because of technology related issues? feature (pages 27 to 32) could not have come
e: cboeree@bpl-business.com
By contrast, those retailers like John Lewis, at a better time to echo the sentiments of RTT
Design
who reported a record-breaking £500 million member, Mark Teale of CB Richard Ellis: “Strong
Whitewater GFX in sales during the fi ve weeks to 2 January, saw sales in the fourth quarter provided a benefi t
e: admin@whitewatergfx.co.uk
technology as a key competitive differentiator. In of higher productivity and many retailers are
t: 08452 998596
fact just before Christmas, Jonathon Brown, John continuing cost reduction programmes into
Circulation & Subscriptions
e: circ@wdis.co.uk
Lewis Direct head of online selling commented 2010 including an ongoing shift to part-time
t: 0208 606 7300
on the contribution its e-commerce arm had with people leaving not being replaced.”
Subscriptions
made: “November was a very strong month for Just as predicted in the Retail Technology
Subscription prices for one year are: johnlewis.com. Overall the site was over 50% up 2009 survey, (June/July 2009, retailers know that
£75 (UK), £85 (Europe),
year-on-year, with some stunning performances, technology will continue play an increasingly
£110 (Overseas)
especially in fashion (over 90% up on the year important role, driven by the ongoing need to
Retail Technology
before), which is a testament to the focus improve effi ciency, reduce costs and improve
3rd Floor, Armstrong House,
38 Market Square, Uxbridge,
we have given to this area over the past few customer loyalty. Retailers will have to become
Middlesex, UB8 1LH, UK months.” more strategic in the use of all their resources,
t: 01895 454411
Figures released by Capgemini and the including people and technology, if they are to
f: 01895 454413
Interactive Media in Retail Group (IMRG) avoid becoming this next decade’s fi rst market
www.retailtechnology.co.uk
backed up John Lewis’ online success, which casualties, lest we forget the Zavvis, Woolworths
Reasonable care is taken to
showed that UK shoppers spent £5.5 billion and Principles that went before them.
avoid errors in this magazine
online in December 2009, up 17% on
but no liability is accepted for
any errors which may occur.
December 2008. So, while times may still
No material in this publication be uncertain, it would seem the additional
Miya Knights
may be reproduced in anyway
sales opportunities are still out there. It’s also
Editor
without the consent of the
fi tting then that this issue comes just after the
mknights@bpl-business.com
publishers. The publishers will
not accept any responsibility for
launch of our own revamped website,
the safe return of unsolicited www.retailtechnnology.co.uk, and includes our
manuscripts, software or
annual look at integrated, multichannel retail
equipment. Please keep a
best practice.
copy of all work submitted
for publication and do not
But even those retailers buoyed by
send original artwork. We will e-commerce or multichannel success can’t afford
assume permission to publish
to rest on their laurels. The KPMG/Synovate
any unsolicited material unless
otherwise stated.
Retail Think Tank (RTT) recently forecast the
retailers weren’t out of the economic woods
©BPL Business Media Ltd
yet, suggesting they must still fi nd ways to drive
further cost and value out of IT investments in
the face of a looming general election during
a fragile economic recovery and the fallout of
consumer reaction to the recent VAT increase.
RTT member, Helen Dickinson of KPMG said:
“The market scraped marginal growth in 2009
Member of the Audit Bureau of
and I see a low-growth environment as here to
Circulations 7,760 Jan 08 – Dec 08 stay.”
ISSN No 1359-0146
The affects of low growth are likely to have
far-reaching implications on retailer’s technology
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