Retailers throughout the United Kingdom have had their fair share of difficulties over the past few years, as the global economic recession forced many merchants to cut back on staff, increase their prices and deal with lower sales. However, the tough times seem to be over, as the retail sector is currently seeing positive growth.

Retail Gazette reported that, according to the British Retail Consortium's (BRC) Bond Dickinson Retail Employment Monitor, the industry's employment situation significantly improved during this year's second quarter, as it grew 3.7 percent from the previous quarter. The source explained that this is the sixth consecutive quarter of employment growth for U.K. retailers, and analysts from the BRC stated that the increase is the best they've seen since 2009. This is indicative of further boosts in the coming months, the source detailed.

As for retail sales, British consumers seem to be visiting more stores and websites to purchase products. The Wall Street Journal reported that data from the Office of National Statistics showed that sales grew 0.9 percent during the second quarter from the first quarter. Economists anticipate these figures will keep increasing the rest of the year as economic recovery continues to occur.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Wednesday, July 31st, 2013 at 9:03 am .

When adopting a new strategy, retailers often take the time to think it through and decide if it is what is best for their operations in the long run. This can apply to a wide range of situations, from marketing methods, updating inventory, customer loyalty programs and many others. One aspect that many merchants are giving more thought to is mobile technology. Businesses are noticing that customers now prefer to use their smartphones and tablets to browse for and buy products, both in physical storefronts and online.

Because of this growing trend, retailers are focusing their attention on accommodating their shoppers by offering mobile options. By doing so, brands are able to boost loyalty, increase sales and even outperform their competitors. Mobile is no longer something that can be put on the backburner by merchants; instead, it is now a required aspect of operations if retailers want to succeed.

Mobile at the forefront of retail
There are many indications pointing to the growth of mobile within the retail industry, and one such sign is a recent study conducted by IMRG Capgemini. Internet Retailing reported that according to the research, the M-Commerce Index increased 136 percent between June 2013 and June 2012.

"The M-Commerce Index remains strong as consumer confidence in purchasing goods and services via smartphones and tablets continue to grow," stated Chris Webster, VP, head of retail consulting and technology at Capgemini. "The findings provide further evidence of the value mobile technologies have brought to the retail sector as consumers continue to shop via this channel."

What else can mobile do for retailers?
Perhaps one of the main reasons that merchants are increasingly implementing mobile technology into their operations is to increase retail sales and boost loyalty. However, there are many other benefits that companies can experience, some of which were highlighted in a recent article from Fierce Mobile Content.

Providing mobile point of sale and other options gives businesses the chance to empower and engage their employees, the source explained. Associates can have mobile devices right on the sales floor to effectively answer customer inquiries and look up information pertaining to various processes. In addition, the source noted that customer communications also get a boost from mobile technology, as employees are not tied down to cash registers and can complete transactions from anywhere within the storefront.

All of these advantages and more can be seen with mobile technology. All retailers need is the dedication, time and willingness to learn with the right POS solutions.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Wednesday, July 31st, 2013 at 8:45 am .

Overseeing retail operations is a vital, yet sometimes overwhelming task. Maintaining control over inventory processes, customer loyalty programs, online orders and many other elements is something that merchants must take care of on a daily basis. Fortunately, with the right retail management software solution, businesses can ensure their procedures are as effective as possible.

Retail Pro Prism is just the platform that can give merchants more control over their operations. And this Thursday, August 1, the Retail Pro Prism webinar will take place from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. PDT, giving companies the chance to learn how this technology can significantly enhance both their in-store and online processes. Registration information can be found at https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/175889714.

The many features, capabilities and benefits of Retail Pro Prism will be covered in full detail at Thursday's webinar. For example, businesses that have the software solution are able to streamline their point of sale processes and make transactions easier for both themselves and their customers. In addition, Retail Pro Prism gives merchants the ability to keep track of their inventory, customer management and employee productivity with the platform.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Wednesday, July 31st, 2013 at 7:04 am .

Although there is an entire ocean separating the two continents, the retail sectors in the United States and the European Union recently had one thing in common: both regions experienced solid retail growth during this year's second quarter. This is especially welcome news for European merchants, as retail sales throughout the continent have been sluggish over the past few months.

In the E.U., data from Eurostat revealed that retail sales rose 1.2 percent from April to May. The International Business Times reported that while this is not a significant increase, it is a step in the right direction for an economy that has been struggling with recovery. It may take some time before the E.U. can get back to it's pre-recession levels last seen in 2008, but boosts in retail sales are always a positive sign to improvement, the source explained.

As for the U.S. retail sector, sales have been increasing slightly over the past few months, and recent statistics show that retail vacancies are declining, signaling that more merchants are opening up new storefronts. The Wall Street Journal reported that research from Reis Inc. found that vacancies dropped to 10.5 percent in the second quarter, which is the lowest level seen in four years.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Wednesday, July 31st, 2013 at 5:31 am .

Millions of Americans were impacted by an extreme heat wave that swept across the country in the middle of July. There were many things that people did to keep cool, including taking beach vacations, staying at home and jumping in the swimming pool. Another thing that individuals did during the excessive warm temperatures was visit retail stores to not only shop, but to take advantage of the air conditioning.

Wall St. Cheat Sheet reported that a study by the International Council of Shopping Centers revealed that preliminary figures from the nation's retailers are showing strong growth in July. The industry organization believes this is due in large part to the incredibly hot weather that drove consumers inside to shopping malls and brick-and-mortar retailers. Also, for those who did not venture outside, ecommerce was the main way these individuals browsed for and purchases retail items, the source explained.

"Excessive heat in parts of the country and summer clearance sales helped to heat up a positive performance for retailers overall," noted the International Council of Shopping Centers' Vice President of Research and Chief Economist Michael Niemira.

Dow Jones reported that chain store sales throughout the country increased 0.9 percent during the first two weeks of July from the previous month, according to data from Redbook Research.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Monday, July 29th, 2013 at 4:55 am .

When running a brick-and-mortar location and online storefront, there are many parts that are necessary to keep operations running smoothly. One of the most common elements is employees, as these professionals help ensure that customers are satisfied, various strategies are working and systems are performing efficiently.

According to a recent Internet Retailer survey, while hiring sales staff is still a focus of many merchants, a significant amount of businesses are looking to bring on more marketing and analytics professionals. Throughout the next year, 34 percent of companies stated they plan to hire marketing employees, 25 percent said their attention will be on information technology professionals and 18 percent want to bring on individuals proficient in analytics and web design.

The source explained that the move toward hiring individuals for more technology-based positions is mainly due to the shift toward ecommerce by many retailers. As consumers increasingly go online to research and purchase products, merchants are now putting more time and effort into building solid and effective web platforms, Internet Retailer noted.

In addition to hiring tech-savvy workers, businesses can also implement retail management software to ensure their online processes are as streamlined as possible.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Monday, July 29th, 2013 at 4:55 am .

Retailers often put a lot of time, effort and money into drawing in new customers. But what do brands do when these shoppers are in their doors or on their websites, and have purchased items? This is when the focus needs to move to establishing loyalty, as without giving attention to retention, merchants risk losing out on repeat sales.

There are many strategies that retailers can follow when boosting their loyalty rates, but the best way to accomplish this is by determining what works for specific patrons and what they need in order to stay loyal. Forbes recommended that brands focus on developing a "satisfactory customer experience" which covers a few basic elements: innovative products, on-time delivery that meets expectations and an effective method for fixing problems. The source noted that these factors, along with others that are in line with shoppers' wants and needs, are the first steps toward creating a seamless foundation for building loyalty. All it takes is hard work and dedication, but the results will pay off.

Developing loyalty programs is another strategy that can help merchants retain patrons. Business 2 Community highlighted some best practices of effective loyalty incentives, and one aspect that brands should consider including is simplicity. Keeping initiatives easy to use will increase participation. Additionally, the source noted giving customers the ability to quickly redeem any prizes or discounts can create successful loyalty incentives.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Friday, July 26th, 2013 at 4:46 am .

It can be by accessing a mobile-optimized website or downloading an application to get the information they need, but whatever the method, smartphones and tablets have made their mark on consumers' daily lives. People are increasingly using these gadgets to complete a wide range of tasks, from checking their bank accounts, playing games or catching up on the latest news, among other things.

And now, these devices are being used to research, compare and purchase merchandise from retailers. This has been a mostly welcome trend, as it has given merchants more opportunities for boosting their customer satisfaction and capturing new business. However, there are some companies that may have thought mobile commerce would be a fleeting idea. But they might want to think again, as several recent reports have shown that mobile won't be leaving the retail industry anytime soon.

IPhone sales on the rise
Consumers are catching on to the smart device trend. CNet reported that Morgan Stanley Analyst Katy Huberty predicted Apple's sales of its iPhone gadget for this year's second quarter, and she estimated that there will be a total of 29 million devices sold throughout the last three months once the final numbers come in. This is above other forecasts of 26.5 million, the source explained, and it could bring in $36 billion in revenue for the tech giant. The news provider noted that Huberty garnered her estimates after studying demand data and other expectations.

Leveraging the mobile influx
These findings may not come as a shock for many, but for retailers, the information should be enough for them to get a jumpstart on their mobile strategies or improve upon their existing methods. There are many ways to do this, and Goshen News offered some suggestions for merchants that want to ensure they are fully leveraging mobile technology to boost their operations.

Because mobile commerce is and will become more of a "common consumer practice," the news provider recommended that merchants first determine which features and capabilities their mobile-optimized sites should have. This can be done by asking patrons what they want to access from their mobile phones to make the shopping experience more streamlined and enjoyable. Getting the word out about mobile offerings can be done by word of mouth in stores, through emails and even advertisements if retailers choose to go that route, the source noted.

And of course, implementing mobile point of sale solutions is perhaps one of the best ways to make sure that customers can use their devices to shop as they want, helping to increase loyalty.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Thursday, July 25th, 2013 at 6:20 am .

Computers, smartphones, tablets and social media are all tools that retailers use to reach new customers and retain their existing patrons. Mostly, these digital channels are used for boosting ecommerce initiatives, but for merchants that also run brick-and-mortar locations, this technology can also serve to draw in consumers to their physical storefronts.

So how exactly can retailers implement these kinds of solutions to improve their operations? TabTimes recommended that brands use tablets in their stores to develop more customer engagement. These devices can be used by patrons to look up information, watch videos pertaining to products or services and log in to social media sites to take advantage of deals and discounts.

When it comes to social media in brick-and-mortar locations, shoppers can access sites such as Facebook and Twitter to like brands' pages and check-in at physical storefronts, the source suggested. Giving patrons the ability to do this through their own mobile devices can also lead to higher satisfaction.

Another strategy that can be significantly beneficial for merchants is to adopt mobile point of sale solutions, as these platforms allow customers to pay with their gadgets, providing fast and easy transactions.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Thursday, July 25th, 2013 at 6:20 am .

While big-name retail brands such as Wal-Mart, Macy's and Target are known throughout the world, smaller merchants shouldn't worry about how they can compete with their larger counterparts. Lesser-known retailers contribute their fair share to their local economies, and now thanks to a push to shop local, more developing brands are bringing in new business.

There are a few strategies that small merchants can keep in mind when promoting their products and services, and these methods can go a long way in remaining competitive not only with regional companies but more established brands well. The Financial Post recommended that retailers take a look at their rival businesses and then determine how they can do things differently. Keeping an eye out for details that can make smaller merchants stand out is one way to attract new patrons.

When it comes to selling products, the source suggested that retailers keep in mind that training employees and giving them knowledge about products and services is the best way to close a sale. In addition, letting customers know about a brand's return policy is effective at boosting customer satisfaction and can even lead to repeat sales, the source stated.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Wednesday, July 24th, 2013 at 12:06 pm .