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Ted Baker

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Designer fashion chain Ted Baker has weathered the tough economy to deliver robust rises in sales and profits.

The company has reaped the benefits of a global expansion programme, as fellow retailers in the UK feel the pressure from the ongoing squeeze on consumer spending during a double-dip recession.

Ted Baker - which started as a shirt store in Glasgow in 1988 - has recently opened new stores in Tokyo and on Fifth Avenue, New York.

The chain, which has now 179 stores in the UK including concessions, said retail sales were up 15.4 per cent in the 28 weeks to August 11. The upbeat performance implies like-for-like sales growth of around 3 per cent.

The group also revealed a 10.4 per cent increase in underlying pre-tax profits …show more content…

But knowing exactly where a shopper is in-store opens up a wealth of other functions that will mean their favourite device, the smartphone, will almost certainly be the retail brand’s main communications channel going forward.
1. They want to pay, not queue

Very soon, the retail customer is going to expect to be able to pay for any item anywhere in-store. Mobile payments systems are not limited to just PayPal or WorldPay, and retailers can now deploy their own solution and link it to stock inventory control.

They could even use beacons as security devices – beacon ‘stickers’ are now small enough to be embedded in packaging – sending an alert when an item leaves the store that hasn’t been paid for. Unlike RFID tags, beacons can also be followed and tracked out of store, although there are complications.

Read more on how mobile is changing business:

Annual spending via mobiles to hit £53.6bn in UK by 2024
Record £7.2bn UK digital ad spend as average British home has 7.4 internet devices
Mobile wallets: The business opportunities are only just beginning
2. They want to be inspired

A survey by leading ad agency McCann revealed that 66 per cent of consumers want to be inspired, whilst they are shopping. For a fashion brand like Ted Baker, the possibilities are almost endless: What’s trending in-store today, virtual catwalks, invitations to special events, all triggered by being in proximity to a particular dress or

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