The Cover up ,What do online sales Actually mean for Tesco and CountryWide PLC Retail 2016

With Online sales increasing by a whopping 8.2% compared to the 2 014 festive period, it’s safe to say Christmas was an online affair for 2015.

“Statistics also show that average store prices fell by 3.2% over the festive period compared to the previous year"

Commenting on the published December 2015 ONS retail statistics , David McCorquodale, KPMG head of retail

“With Online sales increasing by a whopping 8.2% compared to the 2014 festive period, it’s safe to say Christmas was an online affair for 2015."

“However compared with the previous month the quantity of goods bought online decreased by 5.2%, showing that the impact of Black Friday has made shoppers more savvy, with them spreading the cost of Christmas present buying over 6 weeks rather than the more traditional ."

“No doubt the unseasonal weather was a contributing factor to the increase in online sales, with statistics showing more than 190% of average rainfall in December as well as much milder temperatures. This not only prevented consumers from venturing out to the shops, but also discouraged ideas of purchasing new “winter warmers”.

"statistics also show that average store prices fell by 3.2% over the festive period compared to the previous year, highlighting the 18th consecutive month of year on year price drops – good news for consumers but falling prices don’t necessarily encourage consumers to shop if they feel they can wait for prices to drop further.

“The ease of signing in rather than walking in, combined with increasingly smooth running of logistics and fulfillment networks, is also good news for the consumer but the retailers will have to reconsider the role of the store and the store associate if they wish to reverse the drift to the online channel.”

Retail growth unlikely to improve in 2016, warns KPMG/Ipsos Retail Think Tank

With consumer confidence faltering, the KPMG/Ipsos Retail Think Tank (RTT) warns that retail sales growth is set to edge back in 2016 from c1.8% to around 1.7% as consumers look to other sectors in which to spend their disposable income.

Retail risks losing out to other experiences next year The National Living Wage, cyber security and operating model change will be at the top of the boardroom agenda Delivering a seamless omni-channel experience will continue to challenge retailers.

Alison Platt, the chief executive of Countrywide [pictured above ], has made clear her belief that the transformation of the agency group to become more retail-focussed is the correct path - and that there are similarities between selling houses and selling groceries.

In an interview with London’s Evening Standard free newspaper, Platt says her recent eyebrow-raising appointment as a non-executive director of Tesco came as a result of the supermarket giant approaching her.

But she insists there is a mutually-beneficial overlap with her main role as CEO of Countrywide.

[who has never sold a house personally]

James Knightley, Senior UK Economist at ING said: “With wages finally responding to the tightness in the labour market and spending power further boosted by the plunge in energy costs, consumer fundamentals are looking in excellent shape right now. This positive momentum looks set to be carried through into the New Year with employment growth having re-accelerated following a General Election related lull, consumer confidence at close to record highs and demand for credit continuing to strengthen.”

“For the first time in 8 years we now have an optimistic consumer mind-set around local job prospects, personal finances and immediate spending intentions. This will stimulate demand across non-food and out of home channels,” added Mike Watkins, Head of Retailer and Business Insight at Nielsen UK.

However, despite much to be positive about, the RTT highlights that the way people are shopping has fundamentally changed and that while there is, in the main, more money in consumers’ pockets, this isn’t hitting the retail tills. So what does this mean for the future of the retail sector in 2016?

Where will the money go?

A big question reflecting on 2015 is where all that extra consumer spending went? Maureen Hinton at Conlumino said “consumers are looking beyond retail for goods and services to spend their money on. This is making it much harder for an over-subscribed retail sector. Leisure, culture, entertainment, have shown much stronger growth than retail over the past five years and this trend is being exacerbated by an aging population.”

Nick Bubb, Retail Consultant added “ there is little evidence that pubs and restaurants have done that much better from the growth in real personal disposable incomes in 2015 and only modest evidence that consumers have splashed out on new cars and holidays instead.”

The RTT believes that early repayment of mortgages, experiential activities and paying tradesmen to upgrade properties

Tesco "knowingly delayed paying money to suppliers in order to improve its own financial position", the supermarket ombudsman has found.

Groceries Code Adjudicator Christine Tacon has told Tesco to introduce significant changes to practices and systems after finding Britain’s largest supermarket seriously breached a legally-binding Groceries Supply Code of Practice (the Code) to protect groceries suppliers.

During a thorough investigation covering the period from 25 June 2013 to 5 February 2015 she found that the retailer had acted unreasonably when delaying payments to suppliers, often for lengthy periods of time.

The Adjudicator was concerned about three key issues: Tesco making unilateral deductions from suppliers, the length of time taken to pay money due to suppliers and in some cases an intentional delay in paying suppliers.

She considered Tesco’s breach of the Code to be serious due to the varying and widespread nature of the delays in payment. The Adjudicator has used her powers to order the retailer to make significant changes in the way it deals with payments to suppliers.

Her five recommendations include stopping Tesco from making unilateral deductions from money owed for goods supplied. Suppliers will be given 30 days to challenge any proposed deduction and if challenged Tesco will not be entitled to make the deduction.

The Adjudicator also insists that the company corrects pricing errors within seven days of notification by a supplier.

Tesco has also been told to improve its invoices by providing more transparency and clarity for suppliers and to put its finance teams and buyers through training on the findings from the Adjudicator’s investigation.

Adjudicator Ms Tacon said: “The length of the delays, their widespread nature and the range of Tesco’s unreasonable practices and behaviours towards suppliers concerned me. I was also troubled to see Tesco at times prioritising its own finances over treating suppliers fairly.

“My recommendations will deal with the weaknesses in Tesco’s practices during the period under investigation.

“I am pleased that many suppliers have reported improvements in their relationship with Tesco to me since the period under investigation. Tesco has also kept me informed of changes it is making to deal with the issues. This is a demonstration of the impact my role is making. I believe that my recommendations will lead to significant improvements at Tesco and in the sector. ”

She launched the GCA’s first investigation in February following the Tesco announcement on its profit over-statement and the receipt of information from the retailer and the sector. The information available to the Adjudicator gave her a reasonable suspicion that the retailer had breached areas of the Groceries Supply Code of Practice.

During the investigation she found delay in payments arising from data input errors, duplicate invoicing, deductions to maintain Tesco margin; and unilateral deductions resulting from forensic auditing, short deliveries and service level charges.

Ms Tacon said: “The sums were often significant and the length of time taken to repay them was too long.

“For example one supplier was owed a multi-million pound sum as a result of price changes being incorrectly applied to Tesco systems over a long period. This was eventually paid back by Tesco more than two years after the incorrect charging had begun.”

The GCA has set a four-week deadline for Tesco to say how it plans to implement her recommendations. She will then require regular reports from the company on progress, including information on the number and value of invoices in dispute as well as the length of time they remain unresolved.

The Adjudicator also investigated whether Tesco had required suppliers to make payments to secure better shelf positioning or an increased allocation of shelf space in breach of the Code. She found no evidence of this.

However, she was concerned to find practices that could amount to an indirect requirement for better positioning. These practices included large suppliers negotiating better positioning and increased shelf space in response to requests for investment from Tesco, as well as paying for category captaincy and to participate in Tesco range reviews.

She said: “I am concerned that as a result of these practices the purpose of the Code may be circumvented to the detriment of smaller suppliers who cannot compete with payments for better positioning, category captaincy or to participate in range reviews.

“I have decided to launch a formal consultation with the sector, involving both retailers and suppliers, to help me reach a firm conclusion on whether these practices are acceptable.”

Ms Tacon has also written to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) asking them to consider the issue of category captaincy as well as referring evidence that Tesco may have breached CMA rules by operating without all its terms of supply agreement being in writing –

a factor that may have contributed to payment disputes and delays.

are absorbing a higher percentage of consumer spend and will continue to do so in the coming year. As such, if consumers weren’t feeling motivated to spend on retail during 2015, macro uncertainties in 2016 are likely to make it another tough year for the sector.

Countrywide PLC, has been under scrutiny for floating corperate governance , with their chairman departing.

Further political uncertainty…

Drawing a parallel with last year’s outlook, Dr Tim Denison, Director of Retail Intelligence at Ipsos Retail Performance, said: “In 2015 the uncertainty of the outcome of the general election put the country on hold for months. In 2016 the uncertainty over the wake of the EU-referendum threatens to be a destabilising factor,” weakening both business and consumer confidence with negative implications for spending.

Added to this, a significant threat to retailers over the next year is the potential interest rates rise.

“With domestic demand looking strong and last year’s plunge in the oil price dropping out of the annual CPI calculation, headline inflation is likely to rise fairly swiftly through early 2016,” said James Knightley. Both these factors are likely to make consumers and retailers somewhat jittery about the future.

…and added complications for 2016

Building on difficult prospects for the coming year, at the top of the boardroom agenda post-Christmas will certainly be the implementation of the National Living Wage before April 2016. David McCorquodale, UK Head of Retail at KPMG highlighted that this will result in “a significant overnight increase to the cost base but much more complex than a simple rise in hourly rate as it has a knock on impact on, inter alia, pay differentials, staff discounts, tea breaks and pensions. It is further complicated with the wage set to increase for each of the next four years.”

An additional complication for 2016 is the review rather than adjustment of business rates being undertaken by local authorities. “This will, to a certain extent, level the playing field for centres outside the South East that are in desperate need of retail-led investment,” explained Jonathan De Mello, Head of Retail Consultancy at Harper Dennis Hobbs, “but will certainly force retailers in 2016 and beyond to re-evaluate their approach to location strategy.”

To address escalating costs as a result of these changes, there’s been some speculation in the industry that we may see moderate price increases to help protect margins. Richard Lowe, Head of London at Barclays Corporate Banking, highlighted that “high levels of employment in the wider economy should mean that consumers have good levels of disposable income, but I think it’s important that retailers don’t overplay their hand when considering price points... As tempting as price increases are, it’s really cost management that has to be the priority in 2016.”

Moreover, the RTT agrees that only those with the strongest and differentiated brands will be able to pass this cost increase onto the consumer. Instead, the majority of retailers will need to closely examine how productivity can be improved through more efficient use of resources or technology solutions

More striving for the omni-channel dream

In order to best ride the wave of complications and uncertainties in the year ahead, the RTT suggests retailers will be further challenged to adapt business models and find new ways to better serve customers. “Retailers will aim to deliver what we would describe as a seamless multi-channel customer experience,” said Martin Newman, CEO at Practicology, “one where the shopper is supported and served irrespective of the mixture of channels they use.”

However, fulfilling this omni-channel experience profitably cannot be done from systems and processes designed for just one or two channels which means we are likely to see more investment in technology, mobile, fulfilment options and convenience for consumers in the year ahead. In fact, “the rising costs involved in providing an attractive and efficient omni-channel service is a growing threat that must be managed carefully,” highlighted Richard Lowe. “I see this as the biggest single issue for retailers at the moment – finding the right cost balance between the range of sales channels on offer could be the difference between a positive and negative outcome in 2016.”

Technological innovation will continue…

So as part of the drive to deliver a seamless, joined up consumer experience, the RTT believes technology will continue to be at the heart of retailing in the coming year with everything from payments to delivery being transformed by the ‘digital revolution’.

As David McCorquodale said: “not every self-service checkout is welcome but the use of technology to enhance the experience and eliminate friction in the customer journey is increasing and I’d expect to see further innovations in 2016.”

As consumers continually adapt to technological advances, [growing demand for online estate agents ] so too must retailers. “The technology drive is integral to future success,” added Dr Tim Denison. “Stripping out complexity on the one hand, to make shopping easier and quicker, and adding intelligence on the other, to make it more personal and rewarding. Bringing intelligence of current customer behaviour to the heart of the business, making big data effective to deliver on-demand service through retail analytics will be instrumental in making retailers more agile and responsive.”

…but cutting corners to keep up could put cyber security at risk

At the heart of technological advances, is the use of data to know customers and anticipate their needs. But as retailers get to know their customers more intimately so data governance and protection becomes more and more important. According to Dr Tim Denison, cyber security is a “pre-requisite to deliver in 2016, as ‘trust’ becomes as important to retailing as ‘experience’.”

David McCorquodale added; “hackers have moved from hacking governments and financial institutions to the retail sector because of the amount of bank and other personal details held by retailers. As cyber criminals become increasingly more sophisticated, company defences have to gain sophistication too as any breach is hugely damaging.”

Therefore, following a number of high profile blunders during in 2015, the RTT anticipates that the issue of cyber security will remain at the top of the boardroom priority list.

Weaning consumers off a diet of discounts

In the past, retail promotions were implemented as a reaction to an unexpected slowdown in sales (often weather related), the need to clear seasonal stock, or participation in planned promotional `events` eg. Mother’s Day. However, the RTT highlights that shoppers no longer think this way, but rather consumers plan spending in advance (particularly for big ticket items), shop around for the best deals, and chase promotional discounts from outlet to outlet.

Mike Watkins noted that “the digitally enabled world of shopping for `anything, anytime and from anywhere` has tipped the balance of power so that consumers are now in control.” As such, the RTT predicts that, going into 2016, the scars of austerity continue to linger and consumers will remain inherently cautious about discretionary spending so will remain hooked on this diet of discounts.To the extent that ,the millennial generation consider it a birth right so much so THERE IS NO GOING BACK.

Retailers therefore need new strategies and customer propositions that really do save consumers money, and at the same time, generate incremental demand.

“Promotions will have to be multi-channel, which brings with it the risk of adding to supply chain costs but more importantly, strategies need to be technology driven, where `big data` is key to making the crucial supply and margin decisions,” added Mike Watkins.

Retailers need to get personal

As part of weaning consumers off the perpetual discounting trend, the RTT believes that 2016 is the year retailers will need to redouble efforts in finding ways to encourage long-term loyalty from customers and the key to this will be personalisation.

Martin Hayward, Founder at Hayward Strategy and Futures, said “in many retailers the promise of a digital future, where offers are personalised and relevant has so far been missed consider, countrywide competitors who have grown in property stock and nationally …Many customers want to feel valued, and want to build relationships with their chosen suppliers but we are currently often making this hard for them to do…For long term brand health, retailers have to focus again on their most important customers. Get to know them, talk to them and love them. The data exists, the tools exist and the customer would love you to do it – the appeal of relentlessly chasing the deal is beginning to diminish.”

As such, while being competitive on pricing, deals and rewarding regularly returning customers remain key lynchpins in retailers’ strategies, Martin Newman highlighted that “customer experience will be an important defining factor in how successful retailers are in 2016.”

More pressure for the grocers

The RTT agrees that the big supermarkets will remain the “wooden spoon” of the retail sector. “Despite weak comps, LFL sales remain firmly negative for the big supermarkets as a result of persistent food price deflation and the market share growth of the discounters Aldi and Lidl,” said Nick Bubb.

Nielsen Homescan figures demonstrate that the market share of the ‘Big Four’ has fallen from 75% to 70% in the last 5 years as a consequence of the discounters achieving a breakthrough FMCG market share of 11%.

Country Wide Plc faces a resilient British property market which is fueling increasing numbers of online estate agents, and investors are warming to a new business model whose fees often undercut those of traditional estate agents

Maureen Hinton added “the food discounters (or more accurately, budget retailers) and general merchandisers will continue to take share because of their increased availability to consumers via new store openings. But volumes are not rising enough to support all this expansion and there has to be some consolidation in the sector to take out the excess supply.”

OnthemarketBlog YouTube @property1 @onthemarketblog

Search This Blog

The Cover up ,What do online sales Actually mean for Tesco and CountryWide PLC Retail 2016

Labels

Comments

Post a Comment