The Resilient Retail Game Plan - retail insights, retail trends and best practices

The internet, and by extension retail, has come a long way since 1983. From the first tentative purchases made over dial-up to today's lightning-fast one-click purchases made on the go, the speed at which e-commerce has grown has not only been exceptionally fast but the retail industry’s successful harnessing of technological trends has completely changed the way business is done. Whether you’re a...

Writing a book has been on my to-do list for quite a while now, and nothing lights a fire under your feet and gets a project moving than telling people you’re working on something - so here I am, sharing an excerpt from the unedited first draft of my yet to be released book!  My goal has been to make a practical book that covers three main objectives:  To allow readers to self-diagnose their busin...

In today’s episode of The Resilient Retail Game Plan, I speak to Taymoor Atighetchi, CEO and Founder of Papier, an online e-commerce stationery brand that flips traditional supply chain methods on their head.  Alongside their own in-house collections, Papier collaborates with bright, upcoming artists, iconic brands and exciting fashion labels to produce personalised journals, notebooks (and more)...

If you’re not already feeling the pinch yourself, you’re no doubt aware from the news that the cost of living is increasing across the board. From household energy through to groceries, as well as the seemingly exponential rise of fuel costs, the hike in national insurance contributions and the shift in variable-rate mortgages it’s no wonder that people are looking more closely at their outgoings...

In episode 81 of The Resilient Retail Game Plan, I speak to Thalia Caddy. As a theatre manager hit hard by the pandemic, Thalia wanted to create opportunities for the moments of escapism that were all but stripped from the national playhouses by numerous lockdowns. Enter Wild Books, a business with circularity and community writ large from page one, where Thalia bundles pre-loved literature with h...

Between the ongoing climate crisis, a global pandemic and waves of continent-wide lockdowns, the last few years have seen marked shifts in consumer behaviours and attitudes, with more people considering the sustainability of their shopping habits and the ethics of production and manufacturing, than ever before. Things are moving in the right direction but it’s often the case that we don’t respect...

In today's episode of The Resilient Retail Game Plan, I speak to the founder of jewellery brand Astrid & Miyu, Connie Nam. Dissatisfied with a market of impersonal jewellery brands sold by uninspiring stores Connie made it her mission to create her own range of innovative jewellery products, delivered via a personal, engaging and empowering experience. From being stocked in Selfridges to counting...

Charity shops and thrift stores have been firm fixtures of the modern retail space since at least the 1950’s and primarily second-hand product websites like eBay and Craigslist are now both running into their mid-twenties - resale is certainly not a new phenomenon, but it’s in recent years that advances in technology and shifts in consumer habits have allowed the second, and even third-hand market...

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again - there’s no silver bullet when it comes to creating a successful product business, but we can look at industry stories, review the data and trace trends to help us sketch out a bit of a roadmap for each coming year. In episode 77 of The Resilient Retail Game Plan, there are some key themes that I want to run through that I think are less the “secrets to s...

One question I get a lot, and one that's certainly become much more pertinent in the last few years, is "Why bother making plans when things are so uncertain?" Even without the wildcard of a global pandemic, the retail landscape is constantly changing and does so at a dramatic pace - it's no surprise then that business owners are frustrated and fatigued by making plans that might be redundant by t...

In the age of Coronavirus, we’re fortunate enough to be better connected than ever. Social media platforms, online forums and community-centric apps have given us the tools to enjoy, learn and share our interests and passions with like-minded people from all around the world - but when it comes to product businesses, it's a surprisingly under-utilised engagement tool. Online communities can not on...

Merry Christmas to all you small businesses owners out there - I hope you had a good season of sales and that you’re having a well-earned rest before we all hit the ground running for 2022. As this is the last podcast episode of 2021 I thought it would be a good opportunity to take a look at the last year in retail - from what trends have developed over the last 12 months, to how the industry has...

With Christmas Day but a few sleeps away, I hope you and your business have not only survived but thrived this festive season, and hopefully, you can look forward to some well-deserved rest once those last few orders are picked, packed and shipped!  Never one to rest on my laurels I’m already looking ahead to 2022 to try and ascertain what trends we could expect to see, even whilst the shadow of O...

As business owners, and in a world that seems to be evolving at an ever-increasing pace, the convenience, reach and speed that today's marketing tools afford us is very appealing - but the bigger question is: are they effective? As customers, it can often feel like we're being pummeled by a barrage of marketing from every source of tech that we owe - we're snowed under by email subscriptions, soli...

With the big day but a few weeks away, we're truly bang-in-the-middle of Christmas crunch-time. You're no doubt juggling orders and shipments as well family commitments and making plans for the festive holidays. But, with so many different elements to manage and demands being made of your time, I'd be willing to bet that the one thing you're not prioritising is you. In today’s episode, I speak to...

Between the numerous learning curves, family commitments, marketing schedules, profit margins, post office runs and, well, the list goes on, I think we’d all agree that running your own business can be exhausting. Intense work schedules can lead to fatigue and we’re all likely to experience burn-out and brain fog at some point - but how do you manage running a business whilst suffering from chroni...

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Today marks one of the US’s biggest holidays, as well as the eve of one of the biggest retail events of the year: Black Friday. Historically a day for bagging unbelievable bargains, the consensus on this massive shopping event has shifted somewhat in recent years, with some people and companies pushing back against this festival of consumerism with a message to shop sm...

Whether this is your first festive sales season or you’re a Christmas retail veteran there’ll always be challenges to overcome and surprises you didn’t anticipate. Everyone's business is different and operates with its own set of rules and idiosyncrasies, which means even with the best direction from dependable sources it can feel like much of the advice available is a bit abstract when comes to t...

Social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram have completely revolutionised the way in which small independent businesses can reach potential customers. The democratisation of the online retail space paired with widely accessible, user-friendly marketing tools like Canva have helped elevate the profile of many small brands and start-ups. Increased visibility is great but the work you’re putt...

I think we can all agree that Christmas wouldn’t be much of a success if Santa Claus didn’t show up, and the same holds true for your business. If you don’t put the time and effort in to get yourself out there and make your brand and your products more visible you won’t be taking full advantage of one of the most lucrative sales seasons in the calendar.   Incredible products will sell themselves,...

Since originating in the United States, developed as a major sales stimulus event based around Thanksgiving, Black Friday has since migrated to many other economies around the globe where businesses offer a wide range of deals and discounts for a limited time, effectively marking the beginning of the festive shopping season. Small businesses often don’t have the resources to pull off the seemingly...

Managing finances can prove to be a major source of anxiety for many business owners. From trying to navigate the maze of bureaucracy that is self-employment to juggling multiple income streams, there’s a lot to keep track of, and the last thing you need is to get caught out come the end of the tax year. If you feel like you’re sinking in spreadsheets it might be time to enlist the services of an...

Consumers are thinking more about how they connect and relate to their purchases than ever before - from shopping small and local to seeking out products that align with their values. As a consequence, it is truly encouraging to see such a large rise in the number of purpose-driven businesses coming to market that cater for people who want their cash to contribute to something greater than a busin...

From AI chatbots to cloud computing, I hardly need to tell you, small business owners, that technology is constantly changing how the retail industry operates - we’ve all become very familiar with self-checkouts, targeted advertising and next or same-day delivery, but cutting-edge tech often comes at a steep price and requires robust infrastructure, and so is often outside the grasp of many fledgi...

If there’s one advantage of being a small business over mainstream retailers, it’s the personal touch and connection you can foster between you and your customers - when you’re the one making the products, fielding customer questions and organising deliveries, closer proximity to your buyers is baked into the very nature of your business-running role.  In today's episode of The Resilient Retail Ga...