In-Store articles from December 2004

In-Store archives from December 2004

Rohan turns on the style in retail design.(Brief Article)
December 10, 2004... Travel clothing brand Rohan has launched a new retail concept in its Harrogate store and plans to open between four and eight new stores per year for the next three years. The aim of the project is to establish the brand clearly in a...

JD Sports to launch Reebok clothing range.(Reebok International Ltd.)(Brief Article)
December 10, 2004... JD Sports is preparing to launch a new Reebok clothing range, to be promoted by award-winning R&B artist Jamelia. The singer has agreed to model and advise on Reebok's streetwear brand, called Rbk. From this month, she will appear in a...

Boots launches phone printing.(Boots Company PLC)(Brief Article)
December 10, 2004... Boots the Chemist is to be the first UK retailer to offer a direct-to- store printing service for camera phones. The high street retailer has joined forces with Nokia and Pixology to pilot the scheme in 10 stores, as part of its Pix2 Print...

Adidas flagship store.(Brief Article)
December 10, 2004... Adidas has launched its first three UK sports performance stores with retail design by Project X. A flagship store on London's Oxford Street and headline stores in Manchester and Birmingham highlight performance and are blueprints for future...

Coutts tops In-Store League Table 2004.(Coutts Group)(Brief Article)
December 10, 2004... Coutts Group has been named top UK P-O-P supplier by clients in the In- Store P-O-P League Table 2004. The company, which announced a reverse acquisition of marketing group Media Square in October, has climbed from fifth place last year....

Maxim Creative sponsors lounge at In-Store show.(Maxim Creative Group, In-Store Design and Marketing Show 2005 )(Brief Article)
December 10, 2004... The Exhibitor Lounge at the In-Store Design and Marketing Show 20005 will be sponsored by Manchester-based company Maxim Creative Group. "To be a key player in the P-O-P industry, design and manufacturing companies need to have a strong...

Vodafone Live! with 3G makes UK store debut.(Vodafone Group PLC)(Brief Article)
December 10, 2004... Vodafone Live! powered by 3G mobile technology has launched in Vodafone stores across the UK. Twenty-five freestanding replicas of Sony Ericsson V800 handsets have been designed and manufactured by IDa Creative Link to highlight the new...

Brand experience group launches.(Live Brand Experience Association)(Brief Article)
December 10, 2004... The Live Brand Experience Association (LBEA) held its official launch last month, with an audience of 120. LBEA chairman Matthew Bending told guests: "Traditionally, experiential marketing has been bought as a package with field...

M&S sees its moto rising.(Brief Article)
December 10, 2004... Marks & Spencer is to open six more Simply Food stores in Moto motorway services stations over the next 18 months, bringing the store count to nine. The move follows the successful 15-month trial of a Simply Food store at Toddington...

Apple Computer store.(Brief Article)
December 10, 2004... Apple Computer has launched its flagship European retail store on London's Regent Street. The two-floor building was opened on 20 November by Apple vice president of retail Ron Johnson. The store is designed by acclaimed US architects Bohlin...

Bureau introduces interactive windows.(Brief Article)
December 10, 2004... London stationery store Bureau is planning to introduce what is claimed to be the country's first interactive shop window this month. A system from Marketing Innovation Group, unveiled at the end of November at the ECMOD show at Earls...

Virtual holiday kick-starts Thomson rebranding move.(Brief Article)
December 10, 2004... Holiday specialist Thomson is piloting a virtual holiday experience. A headset from Remote Media gives a guided 3D tour of some of Egypt's biggest attractions, with surround vision, sounds and smells. Scents, including herbs, spices...

Waitrose restyles deli area.(Brief Article)
December 10, 2004... Waitrose has redesigned its delicatessen counters across its 166-store network, introducing new equipment and a revamped product range. "No designers have been brought in for this project as our prime objective was to standardise the...

Dixons dumps its VCRs.(Dixons Group PLC, videocassette recorders)(Brief Article)
December 10, 2004... Dixons has announced that its store group will no longer stock VCRs. The high street electrical retailer believes the popularity of VHS recorders has been waning rapidly since digital recording technology became affordable to the public....

San Andreas smashes UK records.(Brief Article)
December 10, 2004... UK gaming industry sales statistics agency Chart-Track has confirmed that in its first weekend, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas broke all previous records to shift 677,000 copies in the UK alone. The game, from Edinburgh company Rockstar...

Waitrose designs trolley for disabilities.(Brief Article)
December 10, 2004... Waitrose is to introduce a shopping trolley designed to cater for children with physical disabilities. Developed by trolley designer Clares, in consultation with disabled seating specialist Clinical Engineering Consultants, the trolley's unique...

Queue rage hits 65 per cent of shoppers.
December 10, 2004... Research from queue management system supplier QM Group has found that as many as 65 per cent of UK shoppers have suffered from 'queue rage'. Some 67 per cent of shoppers, quizzed in five major cities, revealed slow, chatting till staff as...

Benefit goes for silver-screen glamour.(Brief Article)
December 10, 2004... Benefit Cosmetics has launched Hollywood Glo in stores throughout the UK. Applied on top of makeup, the product features light-reflecting pigments to highlight facial features. "Hollywood Glo recreates the romance and glamour of the silver...

Blockbuster rolls out redesign format.(Brief Article)
December 10, 2004... Blockbuster is extending the trial of its new-look store to four further stores in Northhampton, Glenrothes, Chelmsford and Weybridge. Among other design initiatives, the group has introduced colour-coded zoning to make browsing easier. The...

Shark attack prompts Asda move.(Brief Article)
December 10, 2004... Asda has become the last major supermarket to remove shark from its fish counters, in response to a campaign by environmental organisation Bite Back. "Consumers believe sharks belong in the oceans, not on the dinner table," says a Bite Back...

Informational marketing shows growth.(Brief Article)
December 10, 2004... The use of informational marketing techniques as a means to boost brand presence has increased by 297 per cent in the FMCG and retail sector, according to recent research by ZCard. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

Ubisoft rolls out game displays in time for Christmas.(Brief Article)
December 10, 2004... Permanent Ubisoft display units, supplied by Coutts UK, will be installed in 70 Comet and Gamestation branches in time for Christmas. The units can display four game titles, with a plasma screen playing demonstrations. Graphic panels can be...

Consumer habits start at an early age.(Brief Article)
December 10, 2004... Children as young as 10 are becoming shopping addicts, according to research by the National Consumer Council (NCC). Some 78 per cent of 10 to 12-year-olds said they enjoyed shopping and 94 per cent of girls admitted to a 'passion' for it. And...

Interflora considers takeover proposal.(Brief Article)
December 10, 2004... Interflora members are to vote on a proposed #23.3m takeover by venture capitalist 3i in January. The controversial move, which has caused splits within the Interflora board, could see 3i take a 65 per cent share in the business. ...

Supermarket staff fail to impress.(Brief Article)
December 10, 2004... Supermarket staff in London and the South-East have the worst customer service skills in the country, according to a probe by research company ESA. A survey investigated whether staff greeted customers with a smile, gave a pleasant verbal...

Drinkers abandon domestic spirits.(Brief Article)
December 10, 2004... Traditional spirits are declining in popularity around Europe, according to research by Datamonitor. Whisky in the UK, pastis in France and even vodka in Russia are witnessing declining sales in home markets, as drinkers switch to "exotic and...

Peter Rabbit bounds into chemist chains.(Brief Article)
December 10, 2004... High street chemist chains Superdrug and Boots will stock Buxton Foods Peter Rabbit Organics fruit bar range from January. The children's bars are made with l00 per cent organic fruit and do not contain any fillers, starches, added sugar,...

Scottish retail group supports holiday.(Brief Article)
December 10, 2004... The Scottish Retail Consortium is supporting a bid by MSP Dennis Canavan to make St Andrew's Day a public holiday in Scotland. "Bank holidays are becoming increasingly popular for our national pastime of shopping," says a spokeswoman. ...

Cafedirect brews up Palenque sampling.(Brief Article)
December 10, 2004... Following the launch of new coffee line Palenque, coffee brand Cafedirect is partnering with cafetiere maker Bodum for its Take the Plunge sampling campaign. The product is on sale in Waitrose and Tesco stores as well as a number of Co-op...

Friends of the Earth pushes for supermarket crackdown.(Brief Article)
December 10, 2004... Friends of the Earth, in partnership with other groups, is calling for a government investigation into the four main supermarkets' domination of the grocery market. The move is in association with The Association of Convenience Stores,...

Food health label scheme gives rise to fears of 'demonisation'.(Brief Article)
December 10, 2004... Retailers have expressed concern that a Food Standards Agency (FSA) proposal to introduce front-of-pack health labels could "demonise" some food groups. While the British Retail Consortium (BRC) does not disapprove of an improved...

The cost of loyalty.
December 10, 2004... Retailers and loyalty card operators have struck back at Home Secretary David Blunkett's claim that loyalty cards are a bigger infringement on personal information than his own ID card scheme. Matthew Valentine reports Loyalty cards...

Letter: Live brand experience is not enough in isolation.(Letter to the Editor)
December 10, 2004... Your Special Report on live brand experience (In-Store, November) was highly topical: there is widespread and increasing interest in face-to- face interaction with consumers. But you were right to ask if experiential activity is enough to...

Letter: A rather dubious experience.(Letter to the Editor)
December 10, 2004... I agree that live brand experience is an interesting and expanding addition to the marketing sector. But am I alone in thinking that the 'personality' assigned to products is actually just a case of telling some lively recent drama...

Letter: Worthington in the picture.(Letter to the Editor)
December 10, 2004... Thank you for bringing the Charles Worthington Live Brand Experience to the attention of your readers - it was the lead photograph in your Special Report about live brand experience (In-Store, November). However, aside from the picture,...

Letter: Pre-digital nostalgia.(Letter to the Editor)
December 10, 2004... Your feature on the trend towards digital photo processing (In-Store, November) marks a sign of our consumer times. The technology gap is shrinking, with the latest innovations available to consumers at roughly the same speed as to...

Letter: Fears about the end of film processing.(Letter to the Editor)
December 10, 2004... The developments in providing in-store prints from digital cameras are interesting, but what about customers who want to stick with the technology they know and trust? I work in a processing store and many of my customers feel no urge to...

LEADER: Tesco triumphs in convenience battle.
December 10, 2004... My local convenience store displayed a rather odd reaction recently when a rival opened a store 100 yards along the road. It closed. In fact, as soon as the opening of the rival store - a Tesco Express - became common knowledge in the area, the...

SCREENS TAKE STAR BILLING AT HARMONY.
December 10, 2004... Harmony director Steven Elvins explains why the erotic retailer, which recently branched out of Soho onto London's Oxford Street, finds in- store screens such a useful tool in merchandising, brand promotion and pulling in new customers from...

White Wind plans Moscow storm.(Brief Article)
December 10, 2004... Russian computer and digital technology retailer White Wind has launched a new brand identity and retail concept with design by Fitch:London. White Wind has plans to take its 14-store estate to 40 stores in Moscow before expansion into the rest...

Burberry takes the weather to Rome.(Brief Article)
December 10, 2004... Fashion brand Burberry has launched an audio and visual merchandising system in its new Rome store, and the system is due to roll out to additional stores across Europe. Highlights of the design by DMX music include projections of images of...

B&Q expands enterprise in China.(Brief Article)
December 10, 2004... Kingfisher is enlarging its rollout of B&Q stores in China with the #6.95m acquisition of five hypermarket sites formerly owned by local retailer PriceSmart. With 20 stores throughout the country, B&Q is the market leader in China. ...

Amber's Panties launches in London.(Brief Article)
December 10, 2004... Luxury US lingerie label Amber's Panties has announced the opening of a flagship central London store in summer 2005. "A woman should feel elegant, feminine and sexy, or naughty or vampy or wild, as she chooses," says Amber Bishop, founder...

Carhartt changes image in Europe.(Brief Article)
December 10, 2004... US workwear brand Carhartt is launching new retail outlets in the UK, Germany and Holland in 2005, with design by Fitch:London. Carhartt is well-known in Europe as streetwear but the new work aims to position it as high-quality workwear. It...

Ahold reports third-quarter downturn.(Brief Article)
December 10, 2004... Dutch supermarket group Ahold has posted an increased loss for the third quarter of 2004. Net sales for the period were down 8.3 per cent to Ge1/412bn (#8.4bn). The downturn in sales is attributed mainly to the impact of the weaker dollar on...

Children's Place goes on Disney spree.(Brief Article)
December 10, 2004... US chain Children's Place has completed a $100m (#52.8m) takeover of the 313-strong chain Disney Store business in North America. Children's Place will operate the stores in the US and Canada under a long-term licence. Copyright:...

DISPLAY OF THE MONTH: Baubles of bling.(Brief Article)
December 10, 2004... Borders' Jo Birt loves the elegant simplicity of Paperchase's Christmas decorations display "Getting customers into the Christmas spirit is what all retailers are striving to achieve at this time of year," says Borders UK brand manager...

DIXONS: A BITE OF THE APPLE.
December 10, 2004... Lauren Mills, small business editor at the Sunday Express, is unsurprised by Dixons' slow shares growth and prescribes a good look at London's new Apple Store for post-Christmas inspiration Is it my imagination, or do many of the shoppers...

Proud Peacocks plans expansion.(Brief Article)
December 10, 2004... Discount retailer Peacocks has announced plans to open a further 100 stores this financial year. Sales were up 13 per cent to #261m for the six months ending 2 October and profits before tax rose by 24 per cent to #14.3m. Copyright:...

McMeiken makes Sainsbury's move.(Brief Article)
December 10, 2004... Sainsbury's has appointed Ken McMeiken as the supermarket group's new retail director. McMeiken will join the company's operating board in early 2005 after fulfilling his current duties as chief executive of Tesco Japan. Copyright:...

Sears and Kmart combine forces.(Brief Article)
December 10, 2004... US retail giants Sears and Kmart are to merge in a $11bn (#5.9bn) deal. The new company, to be known as Sears Holdings, will have annual revenues in excess of $55bn (#29.1bn), creating the third largest US retailer. Copyright: Centaur...

Halfords profits shift up a gear.(Brief Article)
December 10, 2004... Halfords Group has announced pre-tax profits of #26.5m - a rise of 170 per cent since the company's flotation in June. The maiden results also reveal that turnover is up 12.7 per cent to #322.7m, while like-for- like sales have risen by 10.6...

Majestic drinks to extra spending.(Brief Article)
December 10, 2004... Majestic Wines has announced its half-year results, with pre-tax profit rising 16 per cent to #4.83m. Sales are up 8 per cent to #74.6m. The average spend per transaction in the past year has increased from #104 to #110. Copyright:...

GUS turns in profitable half-year report.(Brief Article)
December 10, 2004... GUS, owner of Argos and Homebase, has posted half-year profits for the six months ending September 2004. Sales for the six-month period are up 8 per cent to #3.7bn. Argos claims to be confident despite anticipating competitive Christmas...

Wal-Mart adjusts November forecast.(Brief Article)
December 10, 2004... Wal-Mart has reduced its November growth forecast to 0.7 per cent - down from an estimated growth of 2 to 4 per cent at the beginning of the month. However, the US retail giant believes the low figure - reflecting current economic concerns...

PROFILE - JEREMY GERKEN, GAMESTATION: Game on.
December 10, 2004... Gamestation operations director Jeremy Gerken is the mastermind behind the group's latest flagship in Birmingham. He shows Maeve Hosea around The glossy black vinyl threshold to Gamestation's new concept store in Birmingham drives home a...

MARKET REPORT: Labels and liability.
December 10, 2004... Making health claims on food products is already a legal minefield and upcoming EU legislation will be even more restrictive. Maeve Hosea examines the effect on retailers Food is increasingly being marketed around functionality and health...

CATEGORY FOCUS: Royal mail rock.
December 10, 2004... The Post Office's unexpected entry into the music download market reflects the changing face of the music industry. Will Cooper looks at opportunities for non-music retailers and the effect on existing outlets "A book of first class...

The P-O-P League Table.
December 10, 2004... The annual In-Store P-O-P League Table usually holds a few surprises, and this year is no different. Read on to find out which suppliers made their mark in 2004 There are movers, shakers and new entrants in this year's annual In- Store...

Temporary position.
December 10, 2004... Eye-catching temporary P-O-P needn't cost the earth, writes Maeve Hosea In its temporary, mass-produced form, P-O-P is a cheap, practical marketing tool. But being cheap needn't be a stumbling block to innovation. As competition forces...

POPAI keeps research focus.(Point Of Purchase Advertising Institute, Inc.)(Brief Article)
December 10, 2004... POPAI used its recent conference in Dublin to announce its first research programme in Ireland, which examines the effectiveness of secondary chiller sitings in Tesco stores on behalf of Unilever's Pro- Activ brand. The results will be...

A handle on security for specialist units.(Brief Article)
December 10, 2004... Emka UK is offering retailers that use specialist electrical or electronic cabinets a new range of handle rod systems designed to provide extra security. Increased popularity of the swing handle style of locking has led to increased...

Multi-function reader kit allows RFID development.(Brief Article)
December 10, 2004... Texas Instruments has launched the RFID S4100 multi-function, multi- standard reader evaluation kit, which allows users to develop RFID systems for use in logistics, retail, payment, ticketing and security applications. The system, which...

Toshiba introduces printer in Europe.(Brief Article)
December 10, 2004... Point-of-sale hardware manufacturer Toshiba Tec Europe has introduced its ST-7000 printer in Europe before it goes on sale in its Japanese home market. The ST-7000 terminal has four USB ports to allow easy connection of peripherals, plus...

Dividers make for chilly work.(Brief Article)
December 10, 2004... Swedish company HL Display has introduced a range of products to be used with open chest freezers. The range includes overhead pricing and information holders, and units to hold brand-specific promotional advice. A choice of divider...

Barrier system is on full beam.(Brief Article)
December 10, 2004... Albion Design & Fabrication is launching its Sentinel fixed beam barrier system in Europe at Euroshop 2005. The queue guidance product uses modular beams and panels, allowing barriers to be used for messages, merchandising, ticketing or a...

EYE ON DESIGN.
December 10, 2004... Pemberton & Whitefoord partner Adrian Whitefoord gets to grips with power tools Homebase Arguably the friendliest of the major DIY stores, Homebase tends toward the softer end of DIY. It offers a wide range of decorating products,...