Author: Leigh Sparks
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Category Archives: Marks and Spencer
Turning Around another Supertanker; Marks and Spencer
It has been a while since I have written about Tesco, Marmite excepting, and the last few times I did, I used the analogy of a supertanker and the relative slowness at which lumbering retail giants see their strategies take … Continue reading
A quiet few weeks in retailing (not)
The last few weeks have been really quiet in retailing – no, just kidding. What with Brexit – and the uncertainty it has generated – beginning to take hold in the markets, the unfolding BHS and Sports Direct scandals putting … Continue reading
Posted in administration, Asda, Brexit, Discounters, Food Retailing, Lidl, Marks and Spencer, My Local, Netto, Sainsbury, Sports Direct
Tagged administration, Asda, BHS, Discounters, Food retailing, Marks and Spencer, Netto, Retailing, Sainsbury
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Asa Briggs and Marks and Spencer
The other week the eminent social historian Asa Briggs died. Despite my not being an historian this was a name I knew. I came across his work when I wanted to look at aspects of the social history of the … Continue reading
Marks and Sparks
In the dim and distant past, when I first arrived at the University of Stirling, I was one of number of research follows and assistants involved in establishing the Institute for Retail Studies under the leadership of John Dawson. One … Continue reading
Sustainable Development by Retailers in Europe
In 1987 I went to Poland at the invitation of the British Academy/Polish Academy of Sciences. It was an interesting trip and we even published some quick reflections on the retailing we encountered in Warsaw and Krakow (see here). Fast … Continue reading
Thoughts on Tesco and M&S
The obvious cheap shot, unresisted by a number on social media so far today, is that whilst Tesco have revealed their Trading Statement for the last 19 weeks, we need to wait a while to see if these figures are … Continue reading
Christmas Past; Christmas Future?
With the Asda results due this week, the dust has sort of settled over Christmas trading. There are plenty of reports and coverage on the winners and loser based on sales and some evidence for some on the impacts on … Continue reading
Posted in Availability, Christmas, Consumer Change, Internet shopping, Marks and Spencer, Multichannel, PC World, Technology
Tagged Christmas, Internet, Sales, Service, showrooming
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Multi-channel Vision?
In my catch-up from being away, I saw a piece in Retail Week (7 September 2012, p32-34, M&S’s multichannel vision) which I wanted to read and consider at more length. Years ago, some of us were asked about the effects … Continue reading
Posted in Consumer Change, Design, Marks and Spencer, Multichannel
Tagged e-commerce, Marks and Spencer, Multichannel, store design, technology
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Don’t Bank On It
I was in a Building Society branch last Saturday morning in the centre of Stirling – a rare enough occurrence on its own, but made more interesting by the conversation going on next to me. The customer had a problem … Continue reading
Posted in Banks, Customer Service, Internet shopping, Marks and Spencer, Opening Hours
Tagged Banks, M&S, Opening Hours, Retail, Service
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Easter, Tesco and M&S
Another month, another set of Scottish retail sales figures, another disast… Oh, hang on, these weren’t the worst figures ever; which makes quite a nice change. The headline figures were actually not so bad; well at first glance. But, look … Continue reading