Main Image: Roman Originals

PRShots Digest brings you the latest retail news from Asos, ProCook, Hush, Fenwick, Booths, Next and articles on how M&S is using marketplaces to expand internationally, what shoppers want instore, how to retain shoppers’ loyalty and more.

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THE LATEST RETAIL INDUSTRY NEWS

ASOS sets out change agenda after tough year

ASOS full-year results to September show revenues up 1% and adjusted pre-tax profit at £22m substantially down on the previous year’s £193.6m after H2 proved more challenging.

Consumer price inflation peaks as food prices soar

Consumer prices soared in the 12 months to September to 10.1% in the year-long period, up from 9.9% in August, and returning to the same level as in July.

Hush sales continue to rise but investments dent profits

Women’s fashion brand Hush sales grew 17% to £68m and gross profits rose 6% with growth coming primarily from its own e-commerce website.

Fenwick sales rise and losses slashed after weaning itself off ‘discounts drug’

Fenwick sales were up 71% to £240m in the year to Feb and losses fell to £18.3m from 2021s £45m thanks to a concentration on full-price trading which put it in a “much better place”.

Booths full-year profits rise but cost-of-living crisis will quell growth this year

Annual sales in the year to April 2 at Booths grew 4.4% to £296.7m and pre-tax profits rose to £3m from £1.9m, but it does not expect the “extraordinary profitability” to continue this year.

Online retail figures fell in September for fourth consecutive month

IMRG Capgemini Online Retail Index figures show UK online retail sales fell by 3.3% in September compared to 2021, the fourth consecutive monthly fall.

Half of Gen-Z shoppers say going in-store makes them anxious

Nearly half (49%) of Gen-Z shoppers (18-24 year olds) say in-store shopping makes them feel anxious, and 48% don’t like speaking to customer service staff, preferring to use digital channels.

TikTok becomes platform with strongest growth in media impact value for beauty brands

YouTube and Instagram are the most powerful platforms in terms of reach for beauty brands, short TikTok videos are the fastest-growing video format in the industry.

TRENDS, STRATEGY AND TECHNOLOGY

How M&S is using marketplaces to expand and sell internationally

M&S’s net sales of £100m from marketplaces last year might come as a surprise to the UK shopper. After all, the high street homewares to fashion retailer has no presence on UK marketplaces.

Tech, ambience and sustainability are what in-store shoppers want

Creating the right atmosphere, incorporating the right digital technology and committing to sustainability are key to tapping into a continued appetite for consumers to shop in-store.

Retaining trust and loyalty in a cost-of-living crisis

The DMA’s Scott Logie takes a look at how the cost-of-living crisis is affecting customer spending and loyalty and how this will impact brands.

How the UK’s biggest online retailers have crashed in 2022

Retail Gazette investigates how the UK’s online pandemic winners are losing their lustre thanks to shoppers returning to stores, surging costs, and supply issues.

PEOPLE, MOVERS AND SHAKERS

Next hires ex-ASOS Head of Sustainability

Next has appointed ex-ASOS Head of Sustainability Jo Mourant as its new Head of Sustainability, Corporate Responsibility and Product Legislation, effective immediately.

BRAND NEWS

ProCook becomes first listed retailer to gain B Corp certification

ProCook is the first retailer listed on the London Stock Exchange to achieve B Corp status for its social and environmental responsibilities, including energy consumption, waste and staff benefits.

Yoox Net-a-Porter expands resale offer to new markets

Net-a-Porter, Mr Porter and The Outnet are expanding their resale offer to Italy and France, with Australia, South Korea and the Middle East to follow in early 2023.

PayPal launches rewards programme in the US

PayPal has launched a rewards scheme PayPal Reward in the US allowing users to earn cashback points through merchant offers, deals, and discounts with the ability to spend at the checkout.

AND FINALLY x2

Hermès, Louis Vuitton and Chanel bags are top for resale value in 2022

For the second year in a row, Hermès, Louis Vuitton, and Chanel have held their reign as the top three luxury labels for retaining their retail value, according to luxury bag resale platform Rebag.

Argos unveils AI campaign to help shoppers ditch grey interior design

Argos has launched a new Artificial intelligence campaign to break the nation’s obsession with ‘greige’ interior design.

PRSHOTS TOP 10 SEARCHES

What were our users searching for on PRShots week-ending Oct 14^th 2022?

1/ Christmas  

2/ Halloween    

3/ AW22  

4/ Coat

5/ Bag

6/ Candle

7/ Gold

8/ Dress

9/ Rug   

10/ Leather

COLLABORATIONS ON PRSHOTS

Our PRShots brands are looking for media and influencers who want to work with them on collaborations. Register for free at PRShots new collabs service to find out more https://collabs.prshots.com/ 

NEW BRANDS TO PRSHOTS

Boutique agency Emslie Creative has joined PRShots adding jewellery from Joanna Laura Constantine and KJJ Fine Jewellery and handbags from Sambar

Papier was launched in 2015, and creates stationery – notebooks, diaries, planners, photobooks  and stationery for weddings, birthdays etc  – and gifts that invites curiosity and contemplation. In every piece of Papier is the promise of what's to come, the endless possibilities of a blank page.

TaskPR has added it’s rosta of big name brands to PRShots with womens wear images from Joules Bias Cut DKNY Jaeger Guinea London and Leocé Couture mens wear from Jaeger jewellery from Annie Haak Tateossian Thomas Sabo watches and jewellery from Movado and occasion wear from Azazie    

Somerset by Alice Temperley embodies all of the hallmarks of the Temperley aesthetic –whimsy; unabashed femininity, wild prints and dresses that float from office to after hours.

Little Mistress is a specialist in occasion wear. From proms to graduations, weddings to christenings and every social event in between, their hyper-feminine details, jaw-dropping silhouettes and ultra-luxurious fabrics they’re designed to make the wearers feel like a million dollars. The new ranges include a phot shoot with celeb Dani Dyer.

Bridge Coffee Roasters launched Bridge in 1985 by sourcing and providing the very best coffee from around the world, and since then Bridge Coffee Roasters has bloomed into roasting and selling coffee, coffee machines and accessories

Threadbare is a proud family-owned British brand bringing great quality up-to-date fashion trends for men, women, children and dogs at affordable prices. Elevated, everyday, essentials

Ivyline creates contemporary accessories for the home and garden. Founded in 1976 the UK team works on everything from initial design to eventual dispatch. Its ethical product range comprises everything from fire pits and candles to planters, plant pots and everything in between.

Cutter & Squidge is a family-run, all-natural bakery created by two food-obsessed sisters. Playfulness is their passion, they love to create exciting, experimental flavours and artisan designs. Their bakes and gifts are lovingly handcrafted to taste delicious and look exquisite on any occasion.

HELP WITH YOUR IMAGE SEARCHES

The latest images on PRShots are found here https://www.prshots.com/whatsnew why not bookmark the page for a regular feed of the latest images on PRShots!! You can select the latest images from the last 24hours, week, or month.

BRANDS WITH NEW IMAGES

Clothing, beauty and accessories

Roman Originals has new party and going-out outfits

Oliver Bonas has new winter clothing, jewellery, bags and accessory ranges

M&Co  has new AW22 drops for men, women and kids and Christmas gifts and clothing

Primark has Christmas Party outfits, Stacey Solomon collections, new clothing and accessory ranges for men, women and kids, new beauty ranges as well as Breast Cancer awareness ranges

Shoe Zone has winter boots and shoes

Cotton Traders has new menswear modelled by Will Mellor

Peacocks  has a new collections and Louise Redknapp collaborations

Fatface has new Christmas ranges

Monsoon  has new womenswear

Barbour has new cosy clothing and a House of Hackney collaboration

Dune London has new going out shoe and boot ranges

Marks & Spencer have new clothing, shoes and boot ranges and Christmas jumpers

New Look has new women’s shoes and Christmas outfits and jumpers

Dune London Men’s  has new bags and shoes for winter

Sonder Studio has new Christmas and AW ranges

Hope Fashion has new party outfits

PrettyLittleThing  has Gemma Owen ranges, winter coats, a Girls Versus Cancer range and new Halloween ranges

Matalan has new AW22 collections, Halloween outfits and Alder Hey 2022 collections

Joe Browns  has new Christmas ranges

See more new clothing and accessories images from the last two weeks from

Seol + Gold From my mother’s garden River Island Aspiga Very Radley Freemans Dancing Leopard Hope Fashion The Range Accessorize F&F Lemuel MC

Home and food

Cambridge Imprint  has new gifts for AW22

Oliver Bonas has new homeware and pet ranges

The Range has Christmas and Halloween ranges

Dunelm has new Christmas gifts

Cartwright & Butler has hampers, advent calendars and treats for Christmas

Monsoon  has new Christmas decorations

Daisy Park has new kitchen ware from Emma Bridgewater for Christmas, Halloween and Bonfire Night

George Home has Christmas goodies for the home

Primark shows its Christmas decorations, gifts and homeware

Nest has new desks tables and chairs

Marks & Spencer have new personalised Christmas gifts and Christmas decorations

Dobbies Garden Centres has new home goods, pet accessories, Christmas decorations and gifts and spooky Halloween plants

Cardfactory has new personalised gifts and hampers

M&Co  has new Christmas decorations and homeware

Cult Furniture  has new bar stools and furniture

Paperchase has added more Christmas decorations and gifts and folkart stationery ranges

TK Maxx and Homesense have new homeware and Christmas goodies

KMI Brands have new curly styling essentials

DFS has new ranges for the living room and bedroom including a Cath Kidston collaboration

Sofology has new sofa ranges

Wilko has festive decorations and gifts for Christmas and Halloween, and AW22 home 

See more new home images from the last two weeks from

Fatface Very Habitat Luxdeco Hotel Chocolat Cuckooland B&M Cath Kidston National Trust Shop Abstract House Christy Matalan Oliver Bonas

Looking for inspiration??

Our trends lightboxes section has lots of ideas for features and themes but If  you can't find something or you need help then email us at support@prshots.com, and we'll see if we can help

DIARY

Days Until Halloween – 12

Days Until Black Friday – 37

Days Until Cyber Monday - 40

Days Until Christmas Day – 67

October

How to make your products attractive to the media in October    

We’re into autumn and the nights are starting to draw in and the heating is on - at last! Although at a much-reduced rate.  The media are looking for images that reflect the changes so anything that looks cosy and warm is good, roaring fires, big jumpers, coats, hats, knitwear, scarfs and wellies in a leaf-strewn outdoors – all the cliches – are what the media are looking for. If you can do some night shots with sparklers, then you’re also ticking the boxes for bonfire night next month. We also have Halloween at the end of the month, so if you can get a pumpkin in your images then you’re hitting two birds with one stone.  

You should be adding Christmas images and for those magazines with long lead times then start to look for the images of people working off the Christmas excesses for the January issues. 

Don’t forget to add keywords – Gifts, Christmas, Xmas, Autumn, Winter, Halloween, fireworks night, bonfire night will all be looked for. Also, we have a wide audience with media from around the World so add those American holiday versions eg the holidays, Fall, Pumpkin day, Thanksgiving etc and words like hygge that are starting to enter the language. 

Also cost-of living crises maybe a good keyword to add especially on warm clothing

Media will also be searching for party outfits for Halloween, Guy Fawkes, and the office party season will be on us soon.  Christmas gift guides are also useful, try and be creative, do ones for every eventuality eg gifts guides for him/her/mum/dad/kids/teenagers/pets etc also gifts under £150/100/£50 and for guides for secret Santa’s gifts under £20.

Please put prices on everything!!! Otherwise, you stand no chance of getting into any of the features that include “Presents under £50”, “Party dresses for £150” etc   

If you’re a PRShots brand user and you need more ideas, then take a look at the keywords that media are searching for on PRShots and try and add those in.

October Diary - Weeks/Months

October is also known as ‘Stoptober’ which started as a campaign around giving up cigarettes, but is now joined by MacMillans Go Sober for October, so if you have anything non-alcoholic then get it on PRShots and make sure you add Stoptober and non-alcoholic as keywords. It’s also breast cancer awareness month, wool month, black history month, vegetarian awareness month, apple month, cookie month, spinach lovers’ month, pork month and national pasta, chilli and pizza month.

The second week is National Chocolate week, and National recycle Week (17-23^rd) and in the US the 14-20^th is national School Lunch week.

October - Days

20^th – National Office Chocolate Day (US)

24^th - Diwali

25^th – World pasta day

25^th – 2 months until Christmas day

26^th – National pumpkin day

27^th – National American Beer Day

28^th – National Chocolate Day (US)

29^th – National Cat Day (US)

30^th – Clocks go back tonight

31^st – Halloween

November

How to make your products attractive to the media in November    

We are well into autumn and the Christmas season and the media are looking for images that help them fill all those “what to buy on Black Friday” features, the endless Christmas gift guides, and all those “What to wear for the Christmas party season” articles.  

You should be uploading Black Friday and Christmas images for most media, but long lead time magazines will be looking at January issues so anything that helps illustrate the inevitable “New you for 2023” issues, so athleisure, outdoor healthy sporty images will all be useful. 

As always don’t forget to add keywords – Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Thanksgiving, Gifts, Christmas, Xmas, Winter plus all those words beloved of home and women’s magazines like cosy, cosiness, hygge, wellbeing.

Clothing wise the media are looking for party wear, party dresses, nightwear, “going out out” (thanks to Annie Mac Ex-Radio 1), Christmas Jumpers, jumpers, scarves, bobble hats, beanies, cardigans, coatigans, jackets, and coats. So, make sure that you have plenty of images in those categories uploaded and labelled with as many of those words as you can.    

Also make sure that if your clothing is made from a fabric associated with winter that it’s flagged up somewhere in the title/keyword or in more information. Wool (woolovers are a thing), cashmere, fur (faux obviously) and velvet.     

If you’re aiming at being included in Christmas Guides then make sure you have added prices. Guides are normally price-led eg “Presents under £50”, “Party dresses for less than £150” and without prices your items won’t be included.     

If you’re a PRShots brand user and you need more ideas, then take a look at the keywords that media are searching for on PRShots in the Keyword Search Report and try and add those in.

November Diary - Weeks/Months

Events to add to your marketing diary for November include

Movember which centres around men’s health issues and moustaches, so beard and shaving-related things might be useful, in the US it’s also national peanut butter lovers month, sweet potato month and candy month.

The first week of November is National Sausage Week in the UK – the perfect accompaniment to Guy Fawkes - the first week is also national fig week and the second week is national split pea soup week

November Diary - Days

1^st – World Vegan Day

1^st – All Saints’ Day

2^nd – All Souls’ Day

5^th – Guy Fawkes/Bonfire night

5^th – Two years until the US presidential elections

6^th – New York Marathon

11^th – Armistice/Remembrance Day

11^th – Chinese Singles Day

11^th – Veterans Day (US)

12^th – World Pneumonia Day

12^th – National Happy hour Day (US)

13^th – World Kindness Day

13^th - Remembrance Sunday

15^th – International Cheese and bread Day

17^th – Homemade bread day (US)  

17^th – International Students Day

19^th – International Men’s Day

24^th – Thanksgiving (US)

25^th – 1 month until Christmas Day

25^th – Black Friday

26^th – US Small Business Saturday

28^th – Cyber Monday

30^th – St Andrew’s Day (Bank Holiday Scotland)

Do you have any news on your brand that you want us to feature, or have a new appointee or a new event that you would like us to feature? Get in touch at news@prshots.com We don't charge, so get emailing now!!!

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