Retail Pulse - September 2018

 

Retail Burn

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This month, we've got a mix of names featuring for a number of different reasons.

The most talked about retailers, according to the Retail Burn, include: Amazon, H&M, ASOS, The Entertainer and Aulds all reporting positive news stories, and HEMA, House of Fraser, Evans Cycles, Aspire Style and Orla Kiely, where the news hasn't been so great. 

The Retailer Database shows plenty of good news about Amazon. Amazon has been busy launching its AmazonGo store format in New York together with a store selling only high-rated items. Additionally Amazon has expanded its clothing offer with the launch of its own active wear label and partnered with Snapchat for a new visual search and buy function.

At the other end of the scale is Orla Kiely. Orla Kiely ceased trading after its parent company, Kiely Rowan collapsed. All stores have been closed.

Hot 100

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Pragma analyses retailer accounts to understand their financial health and sustainability. Those with good scores in these areas feature in our Hot 100.

The Hot 100 in September 2018 included;

  • Lush; opening at Manchester’s Royal Exchange and upsizing at intu Chapelfield

  • Budgens; opening first farm shop partnership under its fascia

  • DFS; upping its online and mobile experience with the addition of AR

  • Dunelm; launching new brand campaign alongside a media partnership with ITV

  • McDonald’s; upsizing in Bracknell

  • Zara; launching a global online operation by 2020 together with all Inditex brands

  • Savers; opening at The Centre, Livingston

  • Subway; appoints UK & Ireland country manager to lead brand growth

Retail News Index

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  • The September RNI index for All Retailers, at 99, has remained steady.

  • Leisure, at 99, has decreased by 4.

  • Clothing & Footwear, at 92, has increased by 4.

  • Household, at 109, has increased by 9.

  • Personal, at 100, has increased by 2.

  • Grocery, at 102, has increased by 1.

  • Food & Beverage, at 98, has decreased by 2.

Pragma on average reviews over 350 unique items of retailer news. Each article is scored according to sentiment. RNI is the sum of these scores indexed against 2005 and averaged over a three month period. The RNI time series for all retailers starts from May 2002.

Retailer Births & Deaths

Births and Deaths

There were 2 administrations recorded in September: fashion and homeware retailer Orla Kiely; and womenswear independent mini-chain Aspire Style.

 There were 6 new additions to the Pragma Retailer Database in September, with 3 new retailers launching in the UK market: gourmet chip brand ChipNation; new discount chain One Below being launched by Poundworld founder Chris Edwards; and, Tesco’s discount grocery store Jack’s.

 
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