shop-ping

adidas chairs

2011-07-01T12:25:00.000+02:00

http://www.behance.net/gallery/ADIDAS-Library-chairsa-painting/375860

Industry Report: The Mobile Retail Experience

2011-02-11T11:57:00.001+01:00

http://www.wds.co/enlighten/mobile_retail/mobile_retail_experience.pdf

Article: How Luxury Brands Can Use Mobile to Enhance the In-store Experience

2011-02-11T11:48:00.002+01:00

… brands can ensure that relevant campaigns have several touch points, all working in conjunction to convey a singular message. Interactive in-store elements, like Diesel’s fitting room kiosk that allowed customers to try on clothes and immediately post pictures of themselves to Facebook, getting instant feedback from their friends that potentially influenced purchase, or MaxMara stores recent in-store contest surrounding their iPhone Cube application, all help to connect online with offline … It all comes down to structuring internal communications to ensure brand initiatives are executed on various levels and that teams, from the in-store staff to the corporate marketers, are involved in brand activations.

http://luxurysociety.com/articles/2011/01/how-luxury-brands-can-use-mobile-to-enhance-the-in-store-experience

Showcase of Beautiful (or Creative) E-Commerce Websites

2011-02-11T11:44:00.002+01:00

http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2011/01/25/showcase-of-beautiful-and-fresh-ecommerce-websites/

PSFK's Future of Retail Report

2010-06-02T23:47:00.002+02:00

PSFK has released its forecast for the retail industry called PSFK presents Future of Retail. The free 80-page report features 10 key trends that will impact the retail sector in the next 3 to 5 years.

Key trends outlined are:

World As Retail Experience
Pre-view Shopping
Tablet Enabled Service
Selling The Ideal
Every Store As Flagship
Complementary Curation
Revolving Decors
Taking The store The Customer
Instant Show & Tell
Group Clout

You can request a free dowload here http://www.psfk.com/future-of-retail

thx wb

Sweat Shop store concept in Paris

2010-06-02T19:49:00.002+02:00

http://www.sweatshopparis.com/

Like an internet cafe but for sewers and DIY enthusiasts. Set up with sewing machines, materials and with expert advisers, the Sweat Shop in Paris enables you to come along and pay by the day or hour and make stuff with others.

Brilliant, brilliant idea.

The People's Supermarket

2010-06-02T19:45:00.002+02:00

http://www.peoplessupermarket.org/

An empty supermarket in central London has been reopened as a cooperative food store by two entrepreneurs seeking to bring quality food to deprived communities.

The People's Supermarket in Holborn will sell a mix of brand-named, artisan and organic products to cooperative members and the general public.

It will keep prices affordable by requiring its members to volunteer to keep staffing costs down.

More than 100 people have joined the People's Supermarket, raising £2,500 for the project. Members pay £25 per year and give up four hours a week in return for 10% discounts on stock. The shop stocks 2,000 different lines, with products sold chosen by members.

Darkroom -- a lovely new store in London I wish I could visit

2010-03-26T16:13:00.003+01:00

http://www.darkroomlondon.com/

Shoppers are doing more research, and starting earlier.

2010-03-17T12:31:00.005+01:00

This Google research shows that by the end of Aug 2009, almost half of Christmas shoppers had begun shopping and over a third had started purchasing. That's 4 months prior to the holidays. On the other end of the spectrum, just 5 days prior to Christmas, many had yet to begin shopping or purchasing.

This data reveals that the shopping cycle is longer than expected with a large portion of shoppers researching far in advance but remaining more comfortable waiting until the last minute to finish up.

And how much are they researching? on average of 16 days for top researched items Electronics and Home Appliances categories.

Muttropolis.com

2010-03-12T18:10:00.003+01:00

http://www.muttropolis.com/products2.cfm/id/9275/name/Humunga-Stache-Durable-Dog-Toy

Great Blog: London Store Fronts

2010-03-12T18:01:00.004+01:00

http://www.londonshopfronts.com

Nice 'tagline' on this example - BARGAINS GALORE IN THIS WALK AROUND STORE COME IN AND LOOK AROUND EVERY THINGS A POUND

Another great store sign

2010-03-12T17:54:00.002+01:00

Sizing Profiles Help With Online Clothes Shopping

2010-03-10T14:22:00.004+01:00

www.orgasizer.com

The best-laid plans to give clothing as a gift can be foiled in an instant for lack of the recipient's correct size. Aiming to banish such disappointments once and for all, Belgian OrgaSizer offers an online place to check the sizes and preferences of loved ones and friends.

Users of OrgaSizer begin by registering with their age, location and gender, among other information. They can then enter all their sizes and preferences for a variety of different types of clothing. Along the way, users can decide what information they'd like to share with others, and exactly whom they'd like to share it with. Nothing is ever publicly shared, OrgaSizer stresses. Users can also create wish lists and request reminders about important gift-giving dates. Ultimately, the idea is that shoppers hoping to purchase a gift can then check the site from wherever they happen to be to see what the recipient wants, and in what sizes or variations.

OrgaSizer is still smoothing out the edges on its site, which at present is available only in English. More languages are coming soon, along with advertising support, it's hoped. Clothing brands and retailers around the globe: one to sponsor, partner with or otherwise get involved in?

from http://springwise.com/weekly/2010-03-10.htm#orgasizer

Urban Outfitters Targets Brides

2010-03-10T11:11:00.004+01:00

Urban Outfitters is planning to launch a wedding brand after posting a record profit in 2009.

U.O. officials said the company will open a new bridal business in time for Valentine’s Day 2011.

Chief Executive Officer Glen Senk says the Philadelphia-based company’s Urban Outfitters and Anthropologie stores frequently sell to brides and bridal parties, so a foray into the wedding industry makes sense. The new brand is yet to be named.

Company research indicates the average wedding costs about $45,000 and brides spend $4,500 on clothing and accessories.

eBay Goes Green

2010-03-10T10:29:00.005+01:00

http://green.ebay.com/

eBay is launching a green shopping site and ad campaign. For the first 250,000 users who pledge to reuse on eBay, the company will preserve one acre of rainforest.

The mantra of the campaign's site says that purchasing used is as beneficial to the environment – and as helpful – as recycling or conservation. Director of eBays 'Green Team' Amy Skoczlas Cole, comments, “Most people think you have to make a product in a certain way with a certain set of ingredients for it to be green. What we’re saying is you don’t have to make this new product at all."

Environmental experts agree that reusing products does have benefits. Not entirely altruistic, eBay has suffered from shrinking market share and a push for ecologically minded shoppers is a strategic move.

Items qualified as green by eBay might be pre-owned or recylced in some manner. The ad campaign will feature a five-page insert appearing in 15 Hearts magazines starting in April – to coincide with Earth Day. It showcases sustainable products in room displays. A sample tag: “Choosing a previously owned espresso machine saves 90% of the CO2 needed to produce a new one. So you get the jolt you need without compromising mankind."

Gap Upside Down Store

2010-03-08T16:52:00.001+01:00

http://design-fetish.blogspot.com/2010/03/gap-upside-down-store.html

"Shopping turned on its head" isn't just a meaningless tagline for GAP. They literally mean it. To promote their new loyalty program, Sprize, the GAP in Vancouver, BC turned its entire store upside-down. All of the mannequins, displays and even the sign were flipped, as well as some cars and a hotdog stand outside of the store.

Escape from New York Pizza

2009-08-24T14:30:00.001+02:00

Thx -wb

87% online shoppers abandon their basket

2009-08-20T14:55:00.004+02:00

Research conducted by Amaze, in conjunction with the University of Glasgow revealed that almost nine out of ten shoppers abandon their shopping basket while 75% of customers claimed they would return at a later date to complete the purchase, effectively using the basket as a wish list.

The research looks into the psychology of online shoppers and provide insights into why customers continue to abandon their shopping basket despite improvements in ecommerce site usability and introduction of behavioural targeting technology. It was found that the pleasure of browsing without the pain of buying is a real phenomenon that online retailers have to take into consideration when developing the e-commerce side of websites.

The report identifies the personalities of three types of online shopper - vague, cost conscious and window shoppers.

42% of shoppers were labelled as 'vague' because they seek more information from other people before completing the purchase and stated that they 'wanted to think about it' or 'consult with someone first'. Cost conscious shoppers accounted for 42% of customers and often cited 'high postage' costs or 'found the item cheaper elsewhere' as reasons why they didn't complete the sale.

The research found 16% of people surveyed could be labelled as window shoppers with no intention to purchase and claims that these customers should be discounted from online retailers' abandonment rates.

Insound music store commissions new artwork for past artists

2009-08-20T14:31:00.003+02:00

Online indie rock superstore Insound has announced a new design project- an extension of last year’s Insound 20- which saw one artist design t-shirts and hoodies for 20 contemporary bands.

This year’s version is called the “Insound 10 Classic“- which pairs designer Mike Perry with 10 seminal punk, new-wave and indie rock artists (shown above) from 1977 to 1997. The new designs are featured on limited-edition t-shirts, posters and bags. The purpose of this project was to inject a fresh visual life into influential bands of the past- who have not had any new merchandise created for them in years- creating a narrative spanning different genres and decades.

London / NYC Boutique Swap

2009-08-20T13:02:00.004+02:00

A lovely lovely idea - from today to September 13th a slice of London will descend on New York’s Lower East Side, followed in October by a reciprocal visit to the Newburgh Quarter featuring Big Apple’s best.
This 'exchange programme' involves 30 independent boutiques reflecting signature trends in the form of fashion, accessories and lifestyle elements set within exciting ‘popup’ shops.
All designers taking part in the project will be completely new to each city, bringing an element of welcome surprise emphasizing each other’s desirable design diversity.
The Newburgh Quarter and Lower East Side have, for several decades, been renowned for their individual styles – edgy, vibrant, fun and punchy, also in their own way, iconically metropolitan.
More detail see:
http://www.wishyouwerehereswap.com/

Japan Goes Post-Luxury

2009-08-20T12:43:00.002+02:00

With sales of luxury goods declining in Japan, an article in the Financial Times argues that we might be witnessing an evolution, or at least permanent change, in consumer behavior there. In the article, Michiyo Nakamoto says that Japan became a mass-luxury market in the 80s and 90s where owning a Louis Vuitton bag or Hermes scarf was a middle-class rite of passage - but mow consumers have grown confident in mixing and matching luxury items with cheaper ones:

“This is not a blip. This is a long-term shift in the market,” said Brian Salsberg, the author of a McKinsey report on the Japanese luxury goods market, the world’s second largest… While luxury sales throughout the world are being hit by the recession, Mr Salsberg said that the implications of the latest slump for Japan were likely to be more serious and long-lasting.

… The growing confidence of shoppers in mixing and matching cheap and expensive products, coupled with competition from a growing array of luxury services such as spas and expensive restaurants, have robbed the brands of their hold on such spending.

Mr Salsberg said the brand makers, which created “a luxury bubble” with “a ridiculous number of store build-outs”, bore some blame for their predicament. He warned that they risked repeating the mistake in China.

China was the “growth story” for luxury but if makers flooded the market with stores as in Japan and people were able to buy such goods on every street corner, “the industry is going to destroy itself” there, he said.
http://www.psfk.com/2009/08/japan-goes-post-luxury.html
thx -wb

Top 10 Retail Trend List

2009-08-17T16:24:00.004+02:00

Michael Baker (global retail and property analyst and consultant) sees these as the top 10 retail trends for the second half of '09. More info on http://www.theage.com.au/small-business/trends/top-10-global-retail-trends-20090805-e9a2.html?page=-1

1. Mobile marketing.
2. Mobile commerce.
3. Green products and performance stats.
4. Popup shops.
5. Corporate responsibility.
6. Customisation.
7. Advancing technology ahead of the point-of-sale.
8. Social media.
9. Using vacant shop windows as advertising signs.
10. Discounting and giveaways.

Gap Pop-Up Stores

2009-08-17T15:11:00.001+02:00

The Gap has launched a pop-up store on Robertson Boulevard in Los Angeles to showcase its new premium denim collection.
The pop-up store, called the 1969 Jeans Shop, will carry the company's new 1969 Premium Jeans denim line, named to reference the year Gap was founded.
Company executives said they hope the jeans collection will help Gap break into the designer denim market, which has somewhat successfully curbed the effects of the recession.
1969 Jeans Shop will be open until Sept. 27.

New Microsoft stores with 'Guru Bars'

2009-08-17T14:13:00.003+02:00

Microsoft will open new retail stores specifically designed to compete with Apple stores later this year in the US.

The stores will sell laptops in addition to Microsoft and third-party software, Zunes, and Xbox 360 games and consoles.

The first will be in shopping centres in Mission Viejo, California and Scottsdale, Arizona. The Shops at Mission Viejo is already home to an Apple store. The other location, Scottsdale Fashion Square, does not have a competing Apple shop.

News of the store strategy was leaked on Gizmodo who obtained a detailed Powerpoint presentation showing a fit out bearing a striking resemblance to the Apple Store look."Essentially, Microsoft is taking the best elements from the Apple Store, Sony Style and other "flagship" stores," Gizmodo said.

The Microsoft stores will feature a "Guru Bar" where customers can ask for technical advice. Apple Stores feature a service area known as the Genius Bar.

Apple, however, is not the only source of inspiration. The leaked Powerpoint document also says that the Microsoft stores will be available to host birthday parties - a service with which McDonalds has a long association.

For slides from the leaked ppt showing design concepts for the new stores see http://gizmodo.com/5322328/leak-inside-the-microsoft-store-with-wall+sized-screens-and-the-answers-bar/gallery/?skyline=true&s=x

Retail research paper

2009-08-12T18:16:00.000+02:00

http://www.hubmagazine.com/archives/the_hub/2009/jul_aug/the_hub31_hoyt.pdf

2009-08-12T15:40:00.003+02:00

Use Your Local

2009-08-12T15:28:00.002+02:00

The UK's Royal Mail makes some 40 million unsuccessful first-time delivery attempts per year, causing no end of hassle for the consumers waiting to receive those packages. At the same time, Britain is losing about 52 of its pubs per week to recession-induced closures. Taken together, those two statistics underlie the creation of UseYourLocal, a new service backed by British brewer Scottish & Newcastle that facilitates package delivery to the local pub.

UseYourLocal aims to give consumers more reasons to visit their local pub, effectively helping to put the UK's 90,000 pubs and clubs back at the heart of the community. Participating pubs get their own website—including an easy way to email news and special offers to local customers—along with the ability to receive customers' package deliveries and a point-of-sale kit to help them register. Customers who sign up for the free service can then stay abreast of happenings in their favourite pubs as well as see who else has joined and send parcels to people at other registered outlets, with tracking along the way and email notification once their package has arrived. Perhaps best of all, of course, is that rather than waiting in line at the local postal sorting office to claim their undelivered packages, they can rediscover the charms of the local pub instead.

The company's website explains: "At UseYourLocal we truly believe that local pubs and clubs can be a real force for good in our local villages, towns and cities and hope that this is just the first in a series of great ideas aimed at finding creative solutions to help breathe life back into local communities."

More than 500 pubs across Britain have already signed up with UseYourLocal. www.useyourlocal.com

The Uniform Project

2009-08-06T12:55:00.004+02:00

Until recently, most fashionistas wouldn’t be caught dead in the same frock every day for a whole year. But that’s exactly what style-setter Sheena Matheiken is doing with the Uniform Project, her effort to showcase a sustainable wardrobe model and raise money for charity.
Every day, Matheiken dons 1 of her 7 identical little black dresses, but she switches up the look with accessories like hats, tights and shoes. Daily images are posted on her website.
She takes donations — and gives $1 per outfit of her own money — for the Akanksha Foundation, which helps educate underprivileged children in India.
http://www.theuniformproject.com/

SuperTalk by SuperFuture

2009-08-06T12:43:00.005+02:00

The wonderful SuperFuture has launched SuperTalk, a discussion board for global shopping experts. It's a great resource to figure out what's what in NYC, Tokyo and Sydney. www.superfuture.com/supertalk/

iPhone test new payment system

2009-08-06T12:36:00.004+02:00

A project codenamed "Square" is the brand new iPhone-based payment processing system that's currently being alpha tested at the also brand new Self Edge NYC. In addition to keeping the process paperless, Square makes check-out clean and easy. The innovation is in a small, plastic card reader that fits in to the headphone jack of an iPhone (or iPod Touch) and transfers the credit card's swipe data to the app (pictured, right). After the employee enters the amount to charge, the customer confirms by scrawling their signature with their finger and then either one enters the customer's email address to send the receipt to. The payment is processed by Square for a small percentage plus a fixed fee; the funds are transferred directly to the store's bank account, cutting both time and complexity on the processing side. The customer's receipt includes a map showing the location of the transaction which is handy for those who record, sort and file such things.

While allowing anyone from a hot dog vendor to a bike messenger to process credit cards on-the-go, consumer to business transactions must be just the beginning.

Banana Repulic launch nice 'footfall driver'

2009-08-06T12:31:00.000+02:00

thanks wb.

Luxury Charity Boutique in Paris

2009-08-03T17:58:00.002+02:00

A new concept store opened in Paris recently - the likes of which haven’t been seen since Colette's launch 12 years ago.
'Merci' is located Paris’ hip le Marais district. Housed in a former factory, the facade gives no idea of what lies within. It borrows the concept from department stores where people can easily spend a morning or afternoon having coffee in its library of second-hand books, and then move onto its retail floors that stock an eclectic mix of designer pieces (from Stella McCartney to Yves Saint Laurent) alongside vintage and bespoke creations, as well as perfume, discounted Annick Goutal fragrances, home décor, fabrics, buttons, beads, and a flower shop. One’s afternoon can include lunch in the Cantine and a gelato overlooking a beautiful courtyard. The prevailing aesthetic is simple and functional and nothing is terribly pricey.
However, the twist of this concept store is that the profits go to a children’s charity in Madagascar. And the owner and consumers aren’t the only ones contributing: numerous designers donate their product and are acknowledged in a clever way: the word 'Merci' is painted on the wall next to their contributions. Merci is definitely a store for the times, linking fashion with philanthropic ideals - feel good shopping.

New Starbucks concept: 15th Avenue Coffee & Tea

2009-08-03T17:13:00.006+02:00

Starbucks have just launched this new concept store in Seattle. It's called 15th Avenue Coffee & Tea and is designed in the spirit of a traditional, local coffeehouse, serving wine and beer, hosting live music and poetry readings and selling espresso from a manual machine rather than the automated type found in most Starbucks stores. Most notably though the Starbucks name is not used.

V Store Copenhagen

2009-08-03T14:10:00.003+02:00

A delicious boutique and online store selling my faves Bernhard Willhelm and Henrik Vibskov with delivery through farfetch.com.

Festival boutique in London

2009-08-03T12:35:00.003+02:00

Summer music festivals, with their huge and more or less captive audiences, have proven to be fertile ground for business and marketing ideas, from sponsored showers to recyclable tents.
The latest to join the flock is a retailer that offers just about everything a festival-goer might need or want.
Based in London's Spitalfields market, the Marsh Mellow Festival Boutique sells rubber boots, water bottles, hats, tents, sleeping bags and other stylish and useful camping and outdoor gear.
Targeting consumers nationwide, Marsh Mellow also sells many of its products through an online store, as well as tickets to most music festivals.

Research: Social media key driver of online retail

2009-08-03T12:27:00.008+02:00

The future of e-commerce is "social commerce" as online shoppers, particularly younger generations, are heavily influenced by social media and Web 2.0 technologies, according to Hill & Knowlton's Future of Commerce report.
The report, which surveyed 600 US adults, found social media is "Word of Mouth 2.0" for younger generations, with youths predominately influenced by social media channels.
Twenty seven per cent of Gen Y said they were influenced by online or community blogs, compared to 19 per cent of Gen X participants and nine per cent of Baby Boomers.
Joshua Reynolds, worldwide technology practice director at Hill & Knowlton (H&K) and co-author of the report, said online retailing was being profoundly impacted by the integration of social media into what historically has been a transactional experience.
When asked of the impart of the economy on their shopping habits, around 46 per cent said they shopped less overall, both online and offline, however 50 per cent said they were shopping online more to look for better bargains.

New convenience concept: Chez Jean, Paris

2009-07-10T13:52:00.003+02:00

A prototype convenience concept in Paris, Chez Jean is a partnership between Casino, the French supermarket retailer, and Relay, the newspaper chain.
Chez Jean offers eat in food and drink, free wi fi, meal solutions and fresh food, as well as news and magazines.
The design is deliberately contemporary, friendly and welcoming, designed to replicate the home with a big communal table and a help yourself area with microwave and condiments that is dressed like a kitchen.
The old model of quick in out convenience - selling limited ranges, has morphed into an offer that slows customers down, giving them somewhere to sit and relax, as well as better fresh food options.
The aim is to create a place that customers can visit several times throughout the day.

Win your own shop

2009-07-10T13:21:00.004+02:00

Grand Avenue; a mall in Milwaukee is holding a competition in which the winner is awarded free rent on a store for a year including free interior design to their specification, an advertising package, logo design, launch kit etc. Entrants have to submit a business plan for a ground-breaking retail idea to the mall directors. A really interesting way to get some excitement into the retail sector; targeting potential retailers rather than the usual consumer competitions.

http://www.grandavenueshops.com/retailTherapy.php

Skipping the sale and outlet part of the business

2009-07-10T13:15:00.002+02:00

Wunderkind Vintage overturns a widespread convention in retail and removes the inconvenience of old, surplus stock — in their Berlin Mitte shop, they eliminate musky closets common in other vintage outlets, they rather bring in the best of last season directly from Wunderkind boutiques around the world. Skipping the sale and outlet part of retail. Last season’s gowns and costumes are celebrated under the vintage crown.

The spacious, light-filled space on Auguststrasse has just the right amount of high-end interior to make shopping there a pleasurable experience.

Energy Dictator (Part 2)

2009-07-09T21:14:00.004+02:00

Grabbed one of their new leaflets today. Had to share as it's even better than I could have hoped.
The eye-catching front has a picture of the owner... on first glance i thought he was holding a huge bottle of coke but alas no. It's still a great stance he's got though. On the back it gives a list of things the Energy Dictator gives you. It's nice how ... for Amsterdammers is their USP... but that's not the best of it... its the promise of 'exclusive membership of his Energy Dictator Party' that does it for me with a list of supporting brands' including that well known brand 'And of course all kinds of alcohol and soft drinks'.... but no, that's not the end of my amusement; the website that doesn't even exist is a special treat. Just looking like you have a website is enough for them. Who ever really looks at that stuff anyway? It's all about image. I like that Energy Dictator know that.
Here's the link though... just for professionalism.
www.energydictator.com

Research: In-Store Triggers

2009-07-08T11:53:00.005+02:00

According to a new research report from US retail consultancy Miller Zell, shoppers are finding in store communications more effective than out of store, 2/3rds are now likely to make shopping lists before convenience shopping and Gen X and Y want more product comparison information in store. For more stats and information on the study see this quick 2 page pdf.

http://insidetheaisle.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/hand-out-shopper-media-final.pdf

And here's an in depth report on US shopper behaviour from the same company. It also highlights the interesting rise in pre-planning and research across shopper categories.

http://insidetheaisle.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/shopper-behavior-study-2009-full-report.pdf

Energy Dictator

2009-07-08T11:15:00.002+02:00

My most frequented store a few doors down the canal has a name you can't fail to notice. Sitting above the rows of not-so-fresh food, wine and other daily 'necessities' are graphic interpretations of great dictators from history painted on black and yellow on the walls.... it's an errrm interesting concept. Taking the idea one step further i noticed yesterday they've made little flyers that launch a new tag line 'Vitamins for the mind and body'... a nice way to wrap up an offering that includes porn, cigarettes, condoms, crisps, Haribo mixes, redbull, fireworks, and sink plungers.
I just found this little clip thanking the artist for their work on a store in Amsterdam West... wow, i never knew Energy Dictator was a chain!! Where next?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1S81i2nx86Q

A Salt & Battery

2009-07-08T10:57:00.004+02:00

British Fish and Chip shop in Greenwich Village, New York.
Thanks Dan.

DDI Magazine's 'visual moments' in retail

2009-07-07T19:40:00.001+02:00

DDI Magazine collate their list of the best visual moments in retail in this months issue - highlights include adidas Impossible Wall at the Flora Marathon Expo and the red carpet staircase making shoppers feel special in Christian Lacroix's NYC store.
To see the full article...
http://www.ddimagazine.com/displayanddesignideas/photos/stylus/95718-VisualMoments.pdf

Second hand opportunity

2009-07-07T19:15:00.000+02:00

It's no suprise that charity shops and second hand stores are doing well in the recession. Stockholm's fashion store Filippa K opened a second hand outlet last year, selling past season pre-owned items on commission. It's apparently going down a storm so perhaps the suprising thing here is that more brands haven't tried to cash in on the action by keeping second hand sales of their brand in house. There seem to be so many benefits to doing it - from sustaining customer relationships, protecting the brand image (i.e. stopping everyone selling your brand on eBay), building your 'green' image and of course making some extra cash.
http://www.filippa-k.com/stores/press-second-hand.html

Buy household goods direct from the manufacturer

2009-07-07T19:02:00.000+02:00

Launched last week, Wisconsin-based Alice offers more than 6,000 unique products from hundreds of different manufacturers in the US. Its prices are 20 percent to 30 percent lower than those at other online stores, and shipping is free. Consumers begin by creating a free account and then selecting a list of all their favourite products, ordering only the items they need right then. Each shipment is bundled together in a single "Alice" box and delivered directly to the consumer’s door. Meanwhile, Alice organizes all the products on the member's list, finds coupons and deals for them, and reminds them to reorder when they are likely to be running low.

Although Alice works much like any other online retailer from the consumer's perspective, behind the scenes it is more like a marketplace, allowing manufacturers to sell directly to US consumers. Because no retail middleman is involved, significant cost savings can be passed on to shoppers, the company says. In addition, Alice's model allows brands to form a direct relationship with consumers, enabling personalized coupons, sampling and loyalty programs.

www.alice.com

Condoms and donuts

2009-07-07T18:38:00.000+02:00

According to Time Magazine's 'cheapskate blog' people are going out less for splashy nights on the town and spending less on 'luxuries' like organic food due to the recession.. Instead they're staying in for romantic nights at home instead. Hence, condom sales are up.
And so are donuts apparently... makes you wonder if they're connected. mm hmm.
Read more here...
http://cheapskate.blogs.time.com/2009/07/01/what-we-buy-more-of-during-a-recession/

Curl Up & Dye

2009-07-07T18:35:00.001+02:00

Research: Store of the Future

2009-07-07T12:09:00.000+02:00

The Centre for Retail Research has been commissioned by Visa Europe to investigate the Store of the Future 2012-15 by interviewing 300 retailers (27,000 stores and €308bn sales) in seven European countries and 1,000 shoppers.

The Report itself has not been published and is confidential to Visa. It deals with the use of technology by customers, shopping by mobile/cellphone, virtual shopping for fashion, changes in payment systems, green retailing, the use of physical stores for Internet shopping and many other topics of customer and retail interest.

There are two briefing papers, which can be downloaded here www.retailresearch.org/latest_research/index.php

Doshaburi Barcelona

2009-07-07T12:08:00.001+02:00

http://www.doshaburi.com/

Style Server

2009-07-07T12:06:00.000+02:00

http://www.styleserver.de/

Directors Cut

2009-07-07T11:19:00.000+02:00

2009-07-07T11:17:00.000+02:00

BLACK Comme des Garcons concept store located in Aoyama, Japan.