Verdict Research on the G20: boosting consumer and retailer confidence

When future generations look back on the G20 summit, it will hopefully be regarded as the first defining step in the direction of recovery. The summit may even herald the start of a new chapter in the history of capitalism, with its focus on the regulation of all systemically relevant financial institutions, including hedge funds and tax havens, and the creation of new supervisory bodies.

Published By Datamonitor

The future of online

The role of online technologies has evolved from supporting primarily the sales process to supporting all phases of the customer lifecycle, from customer acquisition to fostering long-term customer loyalty. Understanding how online channels are evolving, and how customer expectations are changing in tandem is, therefore, essential.

Published By Datamonitor

Tesco: weaker UK performance offset by progress abroad

Against expectations that its interim results would be substantially weaker than a year ago, Tesco has delivered impressive growth of 9.2% to GBP24.7 billion in the six months to August. While performance in the UK has been less impressive, it is balanced by encouraging international results and should recover form as ongoing investment programs deliver returns.

Published By Datamonitor

Tesco: massive potential despite reduced UK like-for-like growth

Tesco's first quarter trading statement contained something that we have not seen for quite some time; UK like-for-like sales growth below 5%. Though not a disaster, this lower rate of growth raises a number of questions.

Published By Datamonitor

Tesco: losing share but riding high

Tesco is comfortably riding out the challenging trading conditions facing UK retailing, recording pre-tax profits of GBP2.95 billion for the 52 weeks to February 28. Although exposure to non-food and the impact of its Discounter brand have dented sales growth, the supermarket's international credentials and ability to diversify into new markets will see it continue to prove a formidable retailer.

Published By Datamonitor

Starbucks: aiming for big bucks

Starbucks looks set to take over McDonald's crown as the most omnipresent corporate brand, with the company planning an ambitious growth strategy in 2007. In some instances, this has prompted complaints that the company is being insensitive about where it locates its shops. However, with quarterly results on target, the investment community is more than happy to see the company thrive.

Published By Datamonitor

RFID: tagged for retail

Published By Datamonitor

Retailers turn to new technologies to retain market share

Faced with the threat of online retailing and other pressures, retailers globally are seeking to win back market share by making the customer shopping experience more theatrical. As a result, it is expected that retailers will seek to streamline the buying experience, bringing it more in line with internet shopping in terms of ease and speed of transaction, to ensure market share is retained.

Published By Datamonitor

Retail spend: bright future predicted for non-store channels

Published By Datamonitor

Retail facing difficult year as like-for-likes go negative

UK retailing is facing one of its toughest ever years as the sector attempts to come to terms with a dangerous cocktail of intense competition, space saturation, consumer apathy and slowing spend. The coincidence of these trends will mean that on a like-for-like basis, retail spend will contract in 2008, causing a significant number of retailer causalities.

Published By Datamonitor