Momentum in the retail industry has continued to rise since last year, but the British weather continues to dampen sales. Can a new approach offer retail a way forward?
The Office for National Statistics has released a report showing that March 2013 was the second coldest on record. Feedback from department stores, clothing stores and household goods stores highlighted the notion that the cold snap had a negative effect on sales in the non-food sector.
However, Chris Williamson, chief economist at Markit, the financial data provider, has said that the economy had regained some of its momentum in 2013, adding “The upward trend in sales has followed a steady improvement in consumer confidence since late last year.”
The latest trend in retail sales is to offer customers a service across different retail channels such as shops, the internet and mobile apps. A move towards internet and mobile retails channels would certainly avoid the weather issue.
This “Multichannel” retailing is beginning to appear at the core of many sales strategies, offering customers a more rounded experience. But with multichannel retailing dictated more by the customer, than processes, how much can Sales Managers effectively forecast and plan?
Do manage retail sales? What are your biggest challenges?
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