What: Decathlon renamed its e-shop, social media handles, and the front of three stores in Belgium to ‘Nolhtaced’ to bring awareness to the idea of ‘reverse shopping’.

Why it is important: The retailer has taken a loud approach to alert customers of its shift into reselling and second-hand by changing its name for October.

Customers can now bring back articles to give them a second life through repair or recycling. The initiative also opens the possibility of targeting clients with a smaller budget by selling used equipment at a lower price. Customers who participate by bringing back sporting goods from all brands will be rewarded with vouchers valid for two years.

In Belgium alone, they have already collected 26,000 products.

In Belgium, Decathlon renames itself for second-hand awareness 

What: Klarna is launching an app that integrates e-commerce functions, shoppable content and improved consumer-to-retailer connections through digital optimization.

Why it is important: Social commerce appears to be a continued focus as Klarna announces the launch of Klarna Spotlight and its creator platform that connects content creators and merchants to scale and optimize campaigns.

The smart search functionality of the app is aimed at consumers, to cut time on searching for the lowest deals. Features also include shoppable video content, delivery tracking, digital receipts and “seamless” returns to establish the BNPL company as a leader in e-commerce and a ubiquitous connection between brands and shoppers.

Klarna's enhanced app for consumers, retailers and content creators

What: John Lewis partners with Hurr to launch a ‘dress for hire’ rental service as part of the department store’s continued efforts to cater to shoppers suffering from the cost-of-living crisis.

Why it is important: The partnership also acts to offset the environmental impact of John Lewis while hopefully securing a slice of the rental clothing market set to reach 2.3 billion pounds by 2029.

In 2020, the retailer launched a furniture rental service and earlier this year in May the retailer announced its subscription service for rented children’s clothes in partnership with the kidswear rental platform, Thelittleloop.

John Lewis partners with Hurr

What: Stockmann has reported its results for Q3 and the nine months to the end of September with the company hailing its revenue growth and the Stockmann division reaching break-even.

Why it is important: Despite these results, margins and profits fell but the company kept its guidance unchanged, still expecting an increase in revenue and a better operating result compared to the previous year. This is based on the assumption that there’s no major change in consumer spending during the latter part of the year, as well as assuming that higher inflation and supply chain challenges will continue.

In the latest quarter, revenue rose from €237.8 million to €244 million, which was an increase of 4.2% in local currencies. That said, the gross margin fell to 56.8% from 59.5% and adjusted operating profits dropped to €22 million from €32.9 million. The overall operating result was €6 million, down from €32.7 million a year ago, and net profit fell to €0.6 million from €22.9 million.

In the nine months, revenue rose to €709.1 million, an increase of 15.4% in local currencies. The gross margin was down in this period as well, although less sharply with a drop to 58.1% from 59.1%. Adjusted operating profit rose to €53.7 million from €38.6 million and reported operating profit was up to €130.3 million from €31.5 million. Net profit rose to €84.1 million from €12.6 million.

Stockmann revenue rises but profit is dented in Q3

What: Sebastian Manes is moving to Chrome Hearts after having worked at Selfridges since 2004.

Why it is important: Following the ownership change this year, more changes are happening at Selfridges as Sebastian Manes, buying and merchandising director for women’s, kids and accessories, steps down and new executives come on board.

Andrew Keith, managing director of Selfridges & Co., will replace Manes until a replacement is found.

As well, Laura Weir will be joining Selfridges as creative director to fill the role that had been temporarily filled by Linda Hewson, group director.

More changes at Selfridges: Sebastian Manes departs

What: Nike Korea is looking to depose resellers by cancelling orders if there are indications of intent to resale, along with new terms and conditions.

Why it is important: Nike is pushing for greater direct-to-consumer operations, having cut ties with several retailers while warning that greater restrictions would follow should resellers continue to acquire limited edition sneakers only to sell them for huge profits on platforms such as StockX.

The issue at hand appears to be the way resellers purchase the shoes; frequently using bots to speed through e-commerce transactions faster than manual check-outs. Ultimately, Nike customers miss out on purchasing while resellers profit.

Econotimes reports that the adjustment of terms and conditions is likely to have a greater influence on traders rather than resale between individuals. For now, it is unclear if other countries will follow Nike Korea's path.

Nike looks to ban resellers

What: Peek & Cloppenburg celebrated the opening of its renovated sales outlet in Zurich’s Sihlcity shopping centre.

Why it is important: The reopening of the renovated 4,100 square metre shopping centre included live music, textile customization, drinks and promotions.

The fashion retailer takes up three floors with the ground floor housing casual styles for men, women’s wear on the first floor and formal and business attire on the second floor alongside a 400 square metre cocktail department.

Peek & Cloppenburg opens in Zurich

What: Perspectives on the type of Chinese customers coming back to international cities.

Why it is important: They will have changed by nature, and the retailers who anticipated that change will be the best placed to reap the benefits of their return.

It has been two years now that Chinese tourists have refrained from travelling internationally, due to the Covid-19 pandemic and its associated travel restrictions. According to Jing Daily this has translated into shifts in consumption, and it seems that for now, affluent customers favor online and domestic purchases over far-flung travels:

-    They are more likely to travel domestically, having formed that habit for the past 2 years and encouraged by new infrastructures (Hainan for instance),

-    They are looking for health and self-care rather than for pure retail experience,

-    They favor sustainable initiatives, and prefer extra time over money.

However, the study also mentions that, provided all boxes are ticked, they will not be averse to lavish spending.

When will Chinese tourists be back?

What: Customers can bring any Zara garment into one of its 60 UK locations or send it online to be repaired for a fee that covers the service and shipping.

Why it is important: Zara is also entering into the resale market by offering customers the ability to sell their pre-owned Zara garments through their own platform.

Customers can scan the barcode on either the hangtag or interior tag to have the photos and product information automatically uploaded. Sellers do not have to pay, but buyers will be charged a 5% service charge and a 1-pound fee.

In addition to the platform and repair services, Zara is extending its clothing collection and donation program.

Zara UK launches repair and resale services

What: Selfridges has backed M&S in their plans to demolish the Oxford Street store as part of a plan to redevelop the location.

Why it is important: M&S and its neighbour Selfridges will be required to defend the controversial redevelopment plan against environmental campaigners and historic building fans.

Arguments from the opposition are likely to focus on the 90-year-old building being refurbished rather than demolished. In terms of environmental impact, opponents say the redevelopment would release almost 40,000 tonnes of carbon into the atmosphere.

M&S has addressed the opposition by stating that the new building will use a quarter of the current building’s energy as well as be built using 95% of existing materials. In addition, the retailer has argued that a refurbishment would not deliver the kind of experience modern shoppers want which it believes could potentially influence customers to move away from Oxford Street.

Marks & Spencer to demolish Oxford Street store

What: Frasers Group made a mandatory cash offer to acquire Mysale after becoming its biggest stakeholder in June.

Why it is important: Directors originally urged shareholders to refuse the offer but are now willing to accept what is still believed to be an undervalued offer at 2 pence per share.

The decision to back the offer comes after Frasers Group again upped its stake in the group at the beginning of October and warned it could delist the company from the stock exchange even if the takeover wasn’t accepted. Frasers Group continues to purchase partial or entire stakes in various companies and rivals throughout this and the past few years.

Mysale directors urge shareholders to support Frasers takeover

What: Boston Consulting Group and Vestiaire Collective report the impact of the secondhand fashion and luxury market.

Why it is important: BCG and Vestiaire Collective estimate the value of the apparel, footwear and accessories resale market is between 100 and 120 billion dollars worldwide which is triple the size it was in 2020.

The report further states that the secondhand market is already worth 3 to 5% of the overall apparel sector which could grow to as much as 40%.

Resale market tripled in two years

What: Flipkart is experimenting with Web3 to supercharge its customer experience by launching a metaverse offering for consumers to discover and shop new products more interactively.

Why it is important: The offering is called Flipverse and is a gamified, interactive and immersive experience for its consumers. They will be able to collect the company’s loyalty points — Supercoins — as well as digital collectables from partner brands as they make purchases. Flipverse also features several casual games.

Flipkart is increasingly broadening its offerings to reach new customers in the South Asian market and retain loyal base, Flipverse is part of this initiative.

The launch of Flipverse will continue to have an impact on innovative industries like e-commerce and enhance the customer experience while delivering a gamified and immersive shopping experience, especially in light of the adoption of the metaverse and web3 platforms by multiple brands in India.

Flipverse is still in the pilot stage and aimed to garner interest during the festive season this month.

Walmart-backed firm launches metaverse shopping experience

What: US tourists splurge in Europe causing Kering sales to rise 23% for the third quarter.

Why it is important: Due to the weakness of the euro in comparison to the US dollar, American tourists have been spending more on luxury in Europe which has helped keep Kering’s performance high despite inflation and uncertainty.

The strength of Western Europe has been demonstrated as this region posted a 74% jump for the group. North America was up just 1%, while Japan saw a 31% increase. Overall Asia-Pacific remains subdued with 7% growth due to ongoing restrictions to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

Since the beginning of 2021, Kering’s share price has fallen 35% in light of the looming recession, inflation, supply chain disruptions, lockdowns in China and war in Ukraine.

Tourism raises Kering’s sales in Europe for Q3

What: Despite growing concerns regarding a global recession, LVMH remains bullish on the future due to a 19% increase in revenues.

Why it is important: After the close of the Paris Bourse, LVMH reports a 28% increase year-over-year for the first nine months of 2022 which was driven by the fashion and leather goods division. The outlook for the final quarter of 2022 remains positive as the luxury conglomerate expected continued growth.

Europe, the US and Japan benefitted from strong local demand and an upturn in tourism leading to positive performance in the third quarter. Asia is also improving as COVID-related restrictions partially lift. However, LVMH’s CFO warns of China’s recovery being uncertain as lockdowns and supply chain disruptions continue. In addition, a distinction must be made between affluent customers and the brands that serve them as not reflecting the general economy due to being less affected by NGDP volatility.

LVMH reports revenue growth in Q3

What: RH is unveiling its exclusive RH Guesthouse in Manhattan’s Meatpacking District, starting at 3,500 dollars per night and available only by approved request.

Why it is important: The RH Guesthouse represents both the newest entry into hospitality for companies in the home and fashion sectors as well as the retailer’s latest quest in becoming a luxury brand across various formats and disciplines.

Surprisingly enough, there will be no RH furniture among all the luxurious offerings. The retailer has strategically chosen not to use the space as a promotional showroom but instead to start a network of residential properties under the RH brand that deliver exclusive experiences and services to a handful of affluent customers.

The lodging property has five stories which start with the cellar-level speakeasy-style Champagne and Caviar Bar, a restaurant on the ground floor, six guest rooms, three suites, an owner’s apartment and a rooftop pool and lounge area that looks out at the nearby Whitney Museum and Highline.

Booking a room must be done through request which will then be approved by RH. There are no children, no pets, no bad attitudes and no photos allowed.

The RH Guesthouse is not a promotional showroom

What: The oldest Indian retailer is accelerating with a number of new stores planned to open each year.

Why it is important: India is the new land of opportunities: many international retailers and online players are looking at this market which has also given birth to some of the most powerful “everything apps” such as Jio. It is interesting to see Shopper Stop accelerate their development in this context.

Shopper Stop is ramping up its expansion in India by opening 12 to 15 new stores every year, in addition to 15 to 20 beauty stores as well (under the brands SS Beauty and Estée Lauder Company). The retailer, founded in 1991, is the oldest department store company in India and operates 87 stores in the country, usually on a format which is less than 10,000 sqm.

Shoppers’ Stop to open 15 stores per year 

What: Off-price expects to get a fair share of the Christmas cake.

Why it is important: Customers are expected to be more price-point conscious and gravitate to flash promotions during the coming Christmas due to economic pressures.

Saks Off 5th Chief believes in the power of the assortment as relevant and seasonally appropriate being a major advantage this holiday season as customers flock to stores with the best deals. As part of its holiday push, the retailer is offering an expanded assortment of fine jewellery which is a differentiating category for Saks Off 5th within the off-price sector.

Saks Off 5th expects strong gift-giving

What: Amazon-owned Shopbop became the third high-end fashion e-tailer this year to get into beauty.

Why it is important: Amazon is trying to generate traffic to their Shopbop site by launching a beauty category that they hope will generate traffic to the site to buy other luxury goods.

The e-tailer isn’t taking on no-name brands; most of the beauty lines it’s carrying already have high brand awareness or some interest surrounding them, like Dr. Barbara Sturm or Vintner’s Daughter.

Shopbop’s homepage features a beauty takeover, with the picture of youth and diversity: models with (what appears to be) foundation-free complexions and eyelids painted in bright blue, purple, orange and pink. It’s showcasing the modern, undone way to wear makeup now, as they are trying to attract younger customers.

Amazon breaks into prestige beauty with Shopbop

What: Shein goes physical in the Philippines.

Why it is important: After having conducted similar experiences in the West, they are testing markets with radically different cost structures, population demographics and economies.

The pop-up opening took place last week at Ayala Malls Manila Bay, featuring a fashion runway, partnerships with Alipay+ and the mall’s e-wallet partner GCash alongside an appearance by Filipina actress Belle Mariano, a newly appointed local brand ambassador.

Shein opens pop-up in the Philippines

What: A Crossrail along the Elizabeth Line in London is expected to bring more visitors to Bond Street Station as well as to Oxford Street, Marylebone and the West End.

Why it is important: As the holidays approach, the opening of the Crossrail at Bond Street is expected to provide a significant boost for the retail and hospitality sectors.

With an estimated 140,000 daily passengers and significant cuts to journey times for local and international visitors, the Crossrail is expected to positively impact the footfall and shopper numbers in the wider West End.

Crossrail opening to boost retail

What: Big spenders on the platform can now ask the service to find that one-of-a-kind item with the click of a button.

Why it is important: Farfetch started offering the concierge service in 2017 to the top tier shoppers spending at least USD12,000 annually. But now any of Farfetch’s private clients can submit requests to the “proprietary sourcing service” through the company’s app, receiving results via email and push notification.

People who use the concierge service haven’t shown any real reticence given the economy — with inflation, war and the threat of recession all bearing down.

Farfetch expands its concierge service

What: While the pandemic’s travel restrictions led to increased domestic luxury shopping in Asia, the recent loosening of travel constraints is likely to cause a dip as consumers begin buying abroad again with malls and department stores fearing a permanent loss of local customers.

Why it is important: Local retailers and Western brands are increasingly pushing for a greater presence in combination with added incentives to leverage the growing consumer power of Asian shoppers while attempting to mitigate the threat of returning international travel.

The reliance brands have established on this demographic necessitates a greater understanding of the new consumer behaviours to properly invest in different regions for local or intra-Asian travel. According to predictions, Asian shoppers are expected to account for over half of the global luxury goods market. The pandemic had accelerated the luxury industry’s efforts to serve Asian customers where they live, work and socialize across regions. The loss of international tourism also led many retailers to focus more heavily on local consumers.

Local Asian luxury shopping threatened by a return to travel

What: Falabella.com has sealed a deal with the Association of Entrepreneurs of Chile (Asech) to benefit small and medium-sized companies in the country.

Why it is important: Small and medium-sized companies can now benefit from Falabella.com’s channels to reach all of Chile and support its economic recovery.

In addition, more than 50,000 Asech member SMEs will have access to various training courses, logistics and marketing services, media campaigns and data analysis tools to develop their businesses.

Falabella promotes SMEs with the Association of Chilean Entrepreneurs