In this issue...
Cover Story: Business rates winners & losers
Shops in two-thirds of villages, towns and cities will see property values for tax rise in April while online retailers like Amazon will see tax cuts. Mark Rigby calls this a ‘hammer blow’ for small shops.
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Customer Care – Click & Collect for independents
Founder of innovative Click & Collect service HubBox Sam Jarvis explains how Click & Collect is helping independents compete with retail giants.
Business Development – Better together: Business Improvement Districts
'Better Together’, a phrase that was used not so long ago by the campaign to keep Scotland in the United Kingdom, could also be appropriate as the mantra for the growing army of business owners and managers who are working together to revitalise their towns and city centres.
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Sales & Marketing – Generation Z shoppers
An industry report examining ‘Generation Z’ shoppers (aged 15 to 24) unveils a shop-happy and digitally savvy generation who are open to influence by retailers, but who also have high expectations of them.
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Planning Ahead – Natural & Organic Products Europe 2017 preview
ExCeL, London, hosts Europe’s biggest natural and organic trade event on April 2-3.
It’s looking good for a bumper Natural & Organic Products Europe 2017.
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Online & Social Media – Keep it social
As an independent retailer, one of the biggest advantages you have over your chain store rivals is the ability to let your personality shine through in your marketing.
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Sales & Marketing – Swansong!
Just days before they retire, Helen Spath and Dave Weston learn their store, Tullivers, has been named...THE BETTER RETAILING SECRET SHOPPER WINNER 2016
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Online & Social Media – Smell the coffee
A Hampshire health food shop gets social with its niche organic coffee pods
Local retailing performs best when it meets customer demand and then spreads the word.
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Quickfire marketing – Simple marketing steps you can take today
Steve Hasler fires bullets in his regular 'Try This' column
As an independent retailer, there’s a little bit of marketing in everything you do. You can always explore new ways to reach new customers and convince existing ones to return.
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Guest editorial – Brexit – a flood of unwanted US foods?
Much of the recent discussions between Theresa May and Donald Trump were centred around a trade deal. The US is very keen to get a new deal and why wouldn’t it, when it has a trade deficit of around £50bn with the UK? So on the food front, I wonder what products are likely to appear on our supermarket shelves.
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Read articles from the Winter 2016 issue here