Part of the modernisation is not only offering improved hospitality and catering, but also re branding its ranges like Tesco Value and improving the “plastic” feel of the stores.  A Tesco statement told Sky News: “The acquisition forms part of Tesco’s strategy to develop the space in some of its larger stores and create even more compelling retail destinations where customers can meet, eat and drink, as well as shop.”

Kevin Grace, Group Commercial Director at Tesco, added: “We invest in businesses that add value for our customers online or offline; as we’ve done with Harris + Hoole, Euphorium, blinkbox, and now Giraffe.”

At Detail2Retail we recruit on behalf of the UK’s leading retailers.  We recruit assistant manager jobs, general manager jobs, area manager jobs and head office jobs.  Upload your details to keep up to date with the latest jobs on the market.  Through our sister company Detail2Leisure we also recruit on behalf of some of the UK’s leading Hospitality and Leisure organisations encompassing branded restaurants, pubs, hotels and entertainment venues.

Retailers are constantly looking for ways to improve their own websites and online presence, but more importantly a way to integrate mobile shopping to support the need for a High Street.   There are after all items that need to be seen, sampled in person to ascertain suitability of the product.  A great example of this is furniture, with homeware and furniture retailers reporting record footfall.  A recent survey undertaken by YouGov, showed that over 25% of those asked found delivery costs and waiting for products to be delivered through potentially unreliable couriers, stop them from shopping online.

Alan Gabbay, founder of shopping app Udozi , told the Telegraph  ”Even though a large chunk of online Brits now own Internet enabled devices that they can make purchases from, mobile and online alone simply can’t compensate for the in-store shopping experience, as the majority of people still want to ‘try before they buy’ and speak to experts in-store.”

People will always shop for gifts at Christmas on the high street, but the question is where.  Seems this year the choice was shopping centres.  One in particular that certainly got people through the door and out of the driving rain was Manchester Arndale Centre.  The UK’s largest inner-city shopping centre has achieved their highest ever annual footfall with over 40 million visitors.  During December they beat their weekly footfall record with over 1.1million visitors in the week leading to Christmas, up almost 9% on the year previous.

Waitrose have posted an impressive like for like sales increase for the `12 days of Christmas trade’ of on previous year of 5.4% and total sales 8.8% higher than in 2011.  They also had their busiest ever day.  Sunday 23^rd December saw the JLP Supermarket serve over 2000 customers a minute.

With Next reporting record sales rise and House of Fraser reporting a record Christmas in terms of sales, the shoots of recovery are certainly there.

At Detail2Retail we recruit on behalf of the UK’s leading retailers.  We specialise in Store Manager recruitment, HR recruitment and Head Office recruitment.  Upload your CV here to keep up to date with the latest vacancies.

John Lewis Partnership is another company that pride themselves on their unique graduate recruitment approach.  They operate 37 John Lewis retail stores and 280 Waitrose stores and take on a number of successful graduates every year, going through a 5 stage application process to ascertain the fit and competencies required to be a successful ‘Partner’.  These include an initial online application form, values and situational tests as well as numerical and verbal reasoning tests.

This highlights that many graduates continue to see Retail as a great career option and the diversity of the Retail industry is clearly a big factor in this.

At Detail2Retail we recruit on behalf of some of the UK’s leading retailers.  We provide retail recruitment support to many retail organisations helping them with their management recruitment and head office recruitment needs.  To see how we work, click here.

1. Format might sound superfluous to your actual skills but presentation does matter. It shows that you take pride in yourself and what you have accomplished.

2. Personal statements are important since it gives employers an insight into your personality. Getting this right is difficult, so don’t be too disappointed if it isn’t a masterpiece first time. You might want to finish every other part of the CV first, then come back to the personal statement, since then you’ll have your accomplishments fresh in your mind. It should be short, punchy and commercial.

3. Previous employment history is very important in retail jobs, so focussing on making this succinct and punchy is important. You don’t have to include everything, but pick the standout moments of your career so far, including key responsibilities, achievements, size of business etc.

4. Qualifications and experience are important, but you also should try and get across what makes you tick as an individual. The best way to do this is in the personal interest section. Team play sports, socialising and hobbies are all good to mention here since they will demonstrate how you might fit in with other employees.

5. Involve other people in the writing of the CV. Your personal statements and interest should reflect you, but it could benefit from a second or third pair of eyes. Others might have insights into you that you never realised, which could turn out to be very positive.

6. Editing. A CV should ideally be 2 pages with clear spaces between each section, making it easy to read. Pictures and long paragraphs should be cut out or edited down as much as possible. If you feel you are cutting out very important points, then try to bullet point where possible or find other ways of expressing the same thing.

A well written and presented CV will help you no end in your retail career.

The British concept opened its first store back in 1988 and prides itself on its subtle branding and  luxury products.  The success has led to an expansion in to Department stores, both at home and abroad and Chief Executive Ray Kelvin who opened that first store in Glasgow, has put the success down to strong menswear sales as well as the concessions which are thriving.  He told Retail Week “I put it (the success) down to the collections and the product. Menswear has performed really well and our ‘phormalwear not normalwear’ has traded brilliantly. My own collection called Tight Lines because of my love of fly fishing has also been very successful.  Womenswear has been good across all areas.”

“The Group has delivered a good result over the period, in line with our expectations. We are very encouraged by the reaction to the brand and collections in our new markets where we are investing for the longer term development of the brand and further new store openings are planned for the coming months”

At Detail2Retail we recruit on behalf of the UK’s leading retailers.  We specialise in Store Manager recruitment, Assistant Manager recruitment, HR recruitment and Head Office recruitment.  Upload your CV here to keep up to date with the latest vacancies.

Total value of retail sales has grown at an average of 2.1% year-on-year over the last two years and the retail sector ploughs on in its determination to help play its part in an economic revival.

A decline in household spending power that has come about as a result of the ongoing global financial crisis has had a direct effect on the British high street, which has seen many notable casualties over the last five years.  Commentators might argue that the closures have meant a cleansing of the high street, allowing space for refreshment.

Existing retailers face an ever more competitive marketplace, with customers increasingly protective over their outgoings and more and more selective of where their money is spent. Retail human resources departments are under increasing pressure to deliver positive outcomes in a backdrop of reduced budgets, and employees in store and at HQ are expected to convert revised company strategies into tangible results.

Providing Ideal HR Retail Jobs for You

Our reputation as a recruiter is embedded in our experience in the sectors that we specialise in. Through the massive network of clients that we have developed, we are able to find the perfect retail job for you.

The personal approach that we are committed to means that we get to know each applicant that we deal with, working together to develop an understanding of their strengths. This allows us to match the best opportunities with each individual’s skills-set, enabling us to provide our clients with the best range of applicants for each position.

Although difficult trading conditions, businesses must also prepare to engage in their own growth plans. Getting the best people to fill each position right across a company is the only way to build a team that works, and only from here can true growth i.e. the sort that isn’t overly dependent on external factors, really take place.

Sources: http://petgazette.biz/index.php/industry-news/current-affairs/777-brc-calls-for-support-following-global-financial-crisis-research.html

www.retailresearch.org/whosegonebust.php

www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-13977255

www.hrmagazine.co.uk/hr/news/1074713/22-500-hr-jobs-created-ons

www.detail2retail.com/about-us

www.detail2retail.com/how-we-work

Upload your CV to us now and we will make sure we are keeping you up to date with the latest exciting opportunities.

Like for like sales at Argos increased 1.4% in the period, with sales of £867m.  Terry Duddy, the chief executive of Home Retail Group said “Argos has had a solid first half of the year supported by its multi-channel performance.”  Total sales within Argos were up 1% and this was driven by strong sales of tablet devices like IPads with universities and schools returning and white goods.

Sales via the online Check & Reserve increased 24% internet sales grew 16%. Total multi-channel sales represented 52% of total Argos sales, up from 47% a year earlier.

At Detail2Retail we recruit on behalf of the UK’s leading retailers.  We recruit assistant manager jobs, general manager jobs, area manager jobs and head office jobs.  Upload your details to keep up to date with the latest jobs on the market.

Chief Executive Sebastian James said “While it is still early in our financial year, I am encouraged by the start we have made across the Group.  We have had a real boost from a busy summer of events in the UK and our Northern European operations continue to go from strength to strength.”  The performance of Dixons has further been boosted by the acquisition of PIXmania.   The online store sells anything from electronic products, fashion, jewellery to health and beauty products.  It is one of Europe’s leading multi channel companies with sales of £655m.  Dixons now have the day to day running of the business and this has strengthened the businesses position.

This is on the back of John Lewis again reporting a 15.3% year on year increase in sales.  Chris Hooper told Retail Bulletin “Last week represented a strong start to the September trading period, with an advantage over the same week last year of +15.3%.”  The increase in trading has been put down to the increase in sales of tablet devices and back to school items.  Southampton was the best performing store with a rise of over 17%.  Their online store also reported increases of over 35%.

At Detail2Retail we recruit on behalf of some of the UK’s leading retailers.  See all of our live jobs on our website and upload your details here.