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Shoppers 'look to high street for good service'
The majority of shoppers believe that they will get far better customer service in a high street store than they would online, new research shows.
CBI issues latest gloomy Christmas warning
The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has become the latest professional body to issue a damning forecast for British retail this Christmas.
'Lessons to be learned' from Italian retail
The relative success of independent retailers in Italy could be translated into stronger growth in the faltering UK sector, it has been claimed.
Wholesale cosmetics warning for small retailers
Small retailers and consumers in the West Midlands have been urged to be on the lookout for a recent influx of imported cosmetic products, the Hereford Times reports.
Retailers facing 'toughest Christmas ever'
High street retailers will have to contend with the "toughest trading environment ever" during the Christmas period, one new study has suggested.
BRC worried by new MasterCard charges
Small firms could be "pushed over the edge" by MasterCard's increased membership charges.
The changing face of the retail landscape
The shape of the retail market could change quite extensively over the next few years.
Success for Dragon's Den failure
A company boss whose invention was rejected by the stars of Dragon's Den is set to prove the entrepreneurs wrong after securing contracts for his product worth millions of pounds.
Independent shopkeepers prepare to cope with recession
A couple from Hampshire are bracing themselves for a potential recession – but are hoping that some elements of the economic downturn will help boost their business.
Irish consumers desert high street for e-tail
Burgeoning economic woes will prompt large numbers of shoppers in Ireland to curb their spending on the high street and seek out better deals online.
Pre-Xmas retail conditions set to worsen
Conditions in the retail and wholesaler sector are likely to become more challenging in the run up to Christmas, new figures from the Office for National Statistics suggest.
Small retailers reminded about skills funding
Independent retailers are being urged to cash in on £350 million of extra skills funding being offered by the government.
Review for magazine wholesaler competition
Laws restricting competition among magazine wholesalers should be open to review, the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has said.
London retail sales ‘worst since summer 2005’
The latest British Retail Consortium (BRC) sales monitor for London shows that retail sales in the capital have slumped to their lowest level since summer 2005.
Online retail spending gradually weakening
Growth in online retail spending slowed last month as consumers responded to the worsening economic climate.
Retailers fear downturn will drive up crime
Retailers are growing increasingly concerned that the economic downturn will lead to heightened levels of shop crime, new research by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) shows.
David Cameron tours wholesale clothing store
David Cameron has visited a clothing and fashions wholesaler in north London, according to a report in the Tottenham Journal.
Philip Green high street take over 'unlikely'
Retail magnate Sir Philip Green has said that it is unlikely his Arcadia fashion group will go ahead with the purchase of UK shops owned by Iceland's Baugur.
West London shops 'fearful of Westfield'
Independent retailers in Hammersmith, Kensington and other areas in west London face dwindling business due to the pending launch of the Westfield shopping centre.
Major retail chains report falling profits
Retail takings have fallen dramatically as a consequence of the worsening banking crisis, the Evening Standard reports.
Cross-border Irish trade 'defies downturn'
Retailers and wholesalers engaged in cross-border trade between Ireland and Northern Ireland are enjoying robust business, despite the worsening credit crunch.
New e-venture for small retailers in Wales
A number of independent retailers in north-eastern Wales have teamed up to provide a unique internet-based shopping venture.
Smaller retailers 'coping well' with credit crunch
Many independent retailers in the north-west are succeeding in their efforts to weather the current financial downturn, it has been claimed.
Lib Dem MP backs Think Smallest First pledge
A Liberal Democrat MP has backed a campaign which is aimed at placing small businesses at the very core of Whitehall policy.
Wholesale electrical goods supplier bucks trend
A wholesaler of electrical goods has taken advantage of current uncertainty in the economy by taking over one of its main rivals, the Argus reports.
List of top 12 Christmas toys unveiled
The Toy Retailers Association (TRA) has unveiled a list of the 12 toys that it expects to fly off the shelves this Christmas.
Shoppers prepare for belt tightening this Xmas
A new survey by Gfk Research Panels has confirmed the widely held belief that UK retailers will struggle to drum up demand among shoppers this Christmas.
eBay sets maximum P&P in several categories
eBay has revised its policies for postage & packaging charges, restricting sellers to a maximum fee for several different kinds of items.
Philip Green set to shake up UK high street
Retail tycoon Sir Philip Green is waiting to hear back about a bid that would secure him a ten per cent stake in the UK retail market, the Independent reports.
Entrepreneur sells record-breaking Xmas tree business
An entrepreneur from Shropshire who became Britain's largest independent retailer of Christmas trees has sold his business for an undisclosed sum.
Small traders in Manchester face up to crunch
Independent retailers in the north-west are confronting the credit crunch head-on, the Manchester Evening News reports.
Wholesalers sound alarm bells over Nokia rip-offs
UK wholesalers have voiced concern about a recent influx of highly convincing counterfeit Nokia handsets.
Resilient independent retailer enters top 100 list
A shopkeeper in the small Welsh town of Penrhyn Bay has welcomed the news that his store is listed as one of the top 100 independent retailers in Britain.
Shoppers urged to back local retailers in Sheffield
The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has renewed its call for shoppers to support struggling independent retailers.
Jersey retailers turn to Sunday trading
Retailers in the channel island of Jersey are to tackle the credit crunch by extending Christmas shopping hours, the Jersey Evening Post reports.
More retailers face insolvency in 2009
A rising number of retailers face the prospect of insolvency in early 2009, one industry expert has warned.
Nintendo DSi games to be region-specific
Nintendo has revealed that games for the next generation of its popular handheld DS system will be locked to specific regions.
BSSA invites input from small retailers
The British Shops and Stores Association (BSSA) has issued a call to independent non-food retailers for them to contribute to its quarterly sales monitor.
Seller group slams eBay for 'harmful' changes
The Professional eBay Sellers Alliance (Pesa) has strongly criticised a raft of amendments rolled out by the online auction house.
Kitchenware wholesaler sells York premises
Wholesale kitchen supplier Wards has sold its York city centre warehouse and moved into new out-of-town premises.
Sales tipped to fall in run-up to Christmas
Industry leaders are predicting that retail sales will continue their downward trend ahead of the Christmas rush, as turmoil in the economy gathers momentum.
Downturn prompts employment cutbacks
Many small businesses are responding to the economic downturn by cutting working hours and increasing layoffs.
Online shoppers 'look beyond price'
A new study has revealed that the vast majority of online retailers believe consumers are concerned about far more than just price.
Global financial crisis sinks teeth into retail
Retail sales plummeted to record lows last week as the crisis affecting the global banking system caught up with highstreet shop-owners, Retail-Week.com reports.
Tesco profits 'threaten Suffolk high streets'
Lobbyists in Suffolk and Essex have warned that Tesco's dominance in the region poses a direct threat to local shops.
FSB: New business regulations too burdensome
The volume of work necessitated by new business regulations is unreasonably high, one industry group has claimed.
Consumers prefer to shop in store than online
Browsing for items online and then buying then in shops is the preferred shopping method of multi-channel consumers.
UK wholesalers fairing well, research reveals
Only a small number of wholesalers experienced a drop in sales volumes in September, new research has found.
Retailers 'losing out to charity shops'
Small retailers in the Suffolkshire market town of Beccles are coming under increasing strain due to the rising number of local charity shops, it has been claimed.
Consumers warm to card security systems
Around half of all people who shop online have registered their cards for the security systems Mastercard SecureCode and Verified by Visa, according to Apacs.
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