Round-up | NEWS
Retra 80th anniversary conference tackles challenges ahead for retail
AT THE retailers association’s first event in three years, Retra’s 69th conference presented a packed programme on ‘The Challenge of Change’. In his
Howard Saycell on how
opening address, CEO reflected
retailers had coped well over the past two years, facing challenges that “no one could have imagined”. He recalled Retra’s “fury that electrical retailers were not classed as essential” and forced to close during the first lockdown and how it had “lobbied hard” for its members. Saycell summarised the challenges
ahead for retailers now, including the rising cost of living, increasing national insurance contributions and the prospect of ‘stagflation’ ahead. One of the “hot topics” he highlighted was manufacturers selling direct to consumers. He said: “Retra considers the best possible experience for a consumer is when they can view a product, engage with a specialist, have it delivered and installed and be looked after if anything goes wrong.” Another was the new “online sales
tax” which he said the Government intended to alleviate the burden of business rates and called on any retailers to submit their views through the government website.
Speakers invited to address the conference this year included Amdea CEO Paul Hide, Mark Pilkington from Fire Brand Consulting, GfK’s Nick Simon, BSH CEO Gunjan Srivastava and Google’s Richard Hartigan. Amdea’s Paul Hide addressed conference on the road to net zero. He said: “We’re not under any illusions that this will be an easy journey, to become a fully net zero industry. However, there is nothing impossible in what needs to be achieved, the technology already exists. It is feasible to accelerate the pace of change so that all appliances meet these requirements within the stated net zero target timescales.” Consultant Mark Pilkington spoke on how creative retailers are winning in the current market, and outlined how retailers needed to pay attention to the
May 2022 ·
correct use of channels – online and physical – and the advantages of both. The morning also included a retail panel discussion between several Retra retailers. One topic tackled was direct selling. The consensus was that “manufacturers should manufacture and retailers should retail”. Paul Giles, MD of Snellings near Norwich, said: “We are being used as the showroom for their online. That’s where I think we need to draw the line.”
Analyst GfK sent Nick Simon along to set out some market facts and figures and after conference host, journalist and broadcaster Declan Curry, presented his economic overview, BSH CEO Gunjan Srivastava took the stage for his presentation. Srivastava summarised the eco- nomic ups and downs of the past two years, emphasising that 2020 saw the economy grow 7.5% and retail sales rise by 5.1%, but that 2021 was different – furlough ending, consumer confidence declining, rising costs – while also touching on the fact that BSH is still “grappling with” supply- related challenges.
He then outlined what he saw as a “winning formula”. It is: “A combination of outstanding local service, combined with a highly efficient web presence and the shopfloor where the experience can some alive to complement the information we share on the web.” Goggle’s industry manager Richard Hartigan then spoke on how to understand the customer journey and use Google’s services to acquire new customers and improve profitability. The conference ended with questions submitted by members put to a panel comprising Robert Hughes, chairman of Hughes Electrical and Retra, Paul Hide of Amdea, Steve Jones, MD of Sirius Buying Group, and Paul Tyler, CEO of CIH, part of the Euronics buying group. The hottest topic was direct selling and are retailers still relevant? Hughes pointed out that retailers add value – they go into customers’ houses and install the products.
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