We noted the website has a Woolies Radio and liked this.  We are running an internal competition that you are also invited to join - can you remember the first ever single you bought at Woolies?

Can you remember it?  Why did you buy it and why is it still emotive?

If so submit it to press.hs@highstreeters.com

The one with best answer will get a prize.

We are not sure if we can attribute anyone to this but it’s a good start to today’s retail sermon.  We are nearly past the summer and the silly season is upon us when stores mark down summer wear and move in new lines for AW10.  Christmas planning is well underway whilst back to school is in the warehouse ready to go to stores.  We started with the quote as its clear the summer winners and losers were again a mixed bunch and as always we have been amused by the lame excuses the losers churn out to explain away poor responsiveness.  The best excuse of SS10 goes to Blacks Leisure who blamed the weather was too hot which would be alright if they were selling polar bear suits but for an outdoor retailer is akin to getting the mother in law’s name wrong in a best man’s speech.  The supermarkets and fast fashion appear to have done ok out of summer.  The supermarkets struck a good balance in getting sufficient BBQ merchandise out in the hot spell and taking a share of the world cup trade out of the specialists like JJB and Sports direct.One of the most interesting moves of the summer was the Asda purchase of Netto for £778m.  This will give them more traction to keep a robust defence of their market share as rivals have made 2009-10 a relatively tough year.  We believe it’s a smart move and not simply defensive and sadly now see a polarised economy where significant numbers of middle class trade down to own brand or discounters and a relative few continue to alight Burberry and Mulberry with a care to the AW10 chill.On another note we are pleased to see merchandise selling well at the internet retailer close to our own name ‘notonthehighstreet.com.  Whilst we’d rather put our reputation on the line and assist retailers shift their own merchandise perhaps in these austere times we can launch a limited fashion range to suit the mood. Like this then contact us for specialist retail consulting from enhanced control systems to shifting excess merchandise at the end of the season.  Contact us on enquiries.hs@highstreeters.com.  Try us out now and we are confident that you will be a repeat purchaser.

Despite our name suggesting only retail we have an increasing number of non retail well known clients.  One of the positive outcomes of this credit crunch period is that as we advised certain clients to ‘hunker down’ and prepare for a downturn in spending in 2007 we also started to look to non retail clients

As the story goes if we can help manage a large retailer’s ‘4 pence in the pound’ margins then we can also do this for other higher margin businesses or for that matter loss making entities requiring a turnaround.

We have expanded with work with one client who is in Real Estate and property management services.  Its actually something we knew a bit about anyway given the importance of stores for most retailers.  

We are demonstrating this strong commercial ‘nous’ elsewhere therefore and not just in retail.  Value for money is always apparent though we do not offer quite just yet a 2 for 1 on our people!

I am glad to say that on recent projects where we have been exposed the world of AFS has come a long way.  We have some presence and work at some well known fashion retailers like Esprit and Hugo Boss.  These have decided to use SAP Erp.  Others have stuck to specialists like Prologic -www.prologic.com  compare this to SAP AFS.

Please contact us if you need to find out more.  As any footwear designer would know one size does not fit all and the real skill is not even in the software but applying core business logic to any software.  Answer – we still believe in some best of breed assisting Erp in this space but with the right joint team the technology is now there to support brands with multiple lines and merchandise selling through to different channels and markets.  As Jimmy Choo plans to offer its own $1000 merchandise to H&M this summer at credit crunch prices this will not just be a marketing and product design challenge.  It is likely to utilise as many of the core team already involved at the $1000 end and in a similar way a set of business processes should be robust and flexible enough to assist in the success of such a  new exciting initiative.

See Jimmy Choo news

Highstreeters have always worked in forms of retail including e-tail despite our name and this purchase and re launch is one to watch.  I believe there is enough latent desire in the brand for this to work.  Just see their site and the number of blog comments already.

If they stick to their knitting and sell what sells online (and Shop Direct Group the new owners should know) then I think it will not only work but thrive.  I do not believe they have saved many jobs but then again if it sustains a proud brand and satisfies consumers needs then we are all for it. 

Checkout their web and the Woolies Radio.  http://www.last.fm/user/Radio_Woolies/library/playlists/2rpbd_my_first_single

http://www.woolworthsblog.co.uk/

At the top table we have SAP retail and Oracle Retail (formerly Retek).  Mid and small businesses have other cheaper options.  We know them all though it’s a little like selecting a partner or bride.. arranged marriages are as successful as chosen marriages.  Our point?  A successful marriage is a dynamic being; one has to get stuck in and work at it.  Ok we might have some ground rules to help but you have to allow for individuality and flexibility as well as recognise that this is not for the faint hearted.  A retailer must listen as well as be listened to.  You will need a top team.  Here the adage holds true that you get what you asked for in life.

Highstreeters – SAP ERP specialists

Highstreeters – in Retail

I do believe though that they have done the easy part and something that the old management team should have done.  The real test will now be to keep the momentum and re-energise the brand and the consumer offer.  Its offer still feels ‘pile them high sell them cheap’ and it remains neither the specialist nor the category killer however my money is on Sir David to find some more magic as a final farewell to retail street.  

Forgive me if you have seen this via other blogs since it has been circulated widely however one example of how poor service can backfire very quickly came to our attention late last year.  It is worth sharing one since it is funny and second because it demonstrates the power of the social networks in consumer opinion (another interest of Highstreeters).  This was ironically poor service from one of the better practitioners of service – Virgin.  The moral here is give bad service and you could be slated everywhere very quickly.  Retailers need a quick response system as well as a multi channel strategy to give a consistent view.