retail...innovation, people, digital and ﬁnance. e award is a welcome addition to our annual...

RetailTIMES Q3 2019

The New McCauleyPharmacy of the Future

Store ProfileThe County Boutique

Retail Public AffairsThe Ba!le to Reform Insurance

Q3 2019 | RETAIL TIMES 03

elcome everyone to this edition ofRetail Times. is is my firsteditorial as Chairman of RetailExcellence. It is a great privilege

to be your Chairman and I look forward toworking with the Retail Excellence Board andExecutive Team to guide Ireland’s largest retailindustry representative body over the next twoyears.

ank you to all members and partners whoattended the Retail Retreat back in May. It was agreat two days filled will positivity and somereally uplifting sessions which assisted andprepared our members for the future of retail.Special praise to our many partners who investedso significantly in the event. In that regard, oneof the first initiatives I plan to launch as yournew Chairman is the establishment of a PartnerCouncil. e Partner Council will allow some ofour Board of Directors to meet regularly withour partners and shape the organisation toensure everyone benefits, our partners, ourretailer members and the retail industry as awhole. Our core DNA in Retail Excellence isretail operations. However, by working betterwith our supply partners, I truly believe willstrengthen the overall organisation.

Many of you have by now entered the AIBMSRetail Excellence Awards 2019. I wish you wellwith your entry. We have made a number ofchanges to the competition this year includingcreating a new flagship award, the Retailer of theYear Award. is award will celebrate Ireland’sbest retailer, not just in store but also online. eaward will recognise the retailer which practicesbest in class across all touch points, standards,innovation, people, digital and finance. eaward is a welcome addition to our annualcelebration of the very best in Ireland’s largestindustry, Retail.

We have an exciting time ahead especially in thedigital space. us Retail Excellence plans tosupport our members on their eCommercejourneys. A very welcome development in thatregard is the launch of the Enterprise Irelandonline grant scheme. is provides a grant of

€25,000 per successful applicant to assistmembers internationalise online.

ere are many unknowns ahead of us, withparticular emphasis on Brexit. at said we allmust focus on that which we can control and doour very best to stand out in a very competitivemarket. By being a member of Retail ExcellenceI am sure you will have a head start against therest.

Yours sincerely,

Joe BarrettChief Operations Officer, Applegreen PLCChairman, Retail Excellence

WELCOMEW

DPD IRELAND INVEST IN ELECTRIFYINGFLEET

DPD Ireland recently announced it is toinvest €3.2m electrifying it delivery fleet. ecompany, which is predicting annual growthof 20% this year, will create 150 new jobsover the next 12 months, bringing totalemployment to 1,300 within the company.DPD Ireland Chief Executive Des Traverssaid “DPD will be the first parcel deliverycompany to have an electric depot. roughElectriCity, fifteen parcel delivery routes inDublin will become all-electric routes. By theend of this year, as part of our bid to reduceour carbon output, DPD will have savedmore than 20 tonnes of CO2 being emittedas a result of moving to an electric fleet.” e€3.2 million investment will includepurchasing the electric vehicles, hiringpersonnel, employee training, acquiring thedepots, and their refurbishment.

EXPERT ELECTRICAL CELEBRATESANOTHER YEAR OF GROWTH

Expert Electrical recently held it’s AGM andMember Conference in the Slieve RussellHotel, Cavan. e conference was wellattended by members across the group.Commenting at the event Expert ElectricalCEO, Ciaran O’Reilly said: “We have madesolid growth as a group over the past 12months. e recent introduction of ouromni-channel offering has helped to buildthis growth and this will continue over thecoming year as we continue to offer ourcustomers the best range of electrical goodsand delivery options.” At the company’sAnnual Gala Dinner presentations weremade to the 2018 Sales Person of the YearBrendan Robinson, Joyce’s Expert, Wexfordand Alan Cassidy, Expert, Tullamore. estore of the year awards were presented toGanly’s Expert, Joyce’s Expert and Irwin’sExpert.

STUDIOFORTY9 WINS BIG

At this year's Shopware Community Day inGermany, StudioForty9 was awarded thePartner of the Year for the UK & Ireland.is marks a second big win forStudioForty9 in three months with theirCTO, Alan Morkan, also winning the UKeCommerce Developer of the Year 2019. GerKeohane of StudioForty9 said: "Shopware isone of Europe's leading open sourceecommerce platforms, and holds the numberone spot in its homeland of Germany. Wepartnered with Shopware in 2017, followinga selection process where we determinedShopware was the best available solution foropen source eCommerce for the Irish retailindustry - which is our key focus. We'redelighted that after only two years ofpartnership we've already won a prestigious"Partner of the Year" award against some stiffUK competition."

INVEST WATERFORD EVENT

On June 5th last over twenty CEO’s ofleading retail companies converged onWaterford City for an Invest Waterfordevent. e purpose of the event was to allowretailers who do not have a presence in theCity to find out more about the tradingopportunity in the City and in time openstores. e event was co-hosted by RetailExcellence and Waterford City and CountyCouncil. Speaking at the event DavidFitzsimons, Retail Excellence said:“Waterford is one of Ireland’s fastest growingcities and offers a great opportunity to manyretailers who as yet have not traded in theCity. e city boasts many advantagesincluding the best public realm in thecountry.” Michael Walsh, Chief Executive,Waterford City and County Council said:“Waterford is a growing City with over600,000 people living within a 60-minutedrive. Diverse and vibrant, it offers anexcellent quality of life with a unique andeasily accessible retail offering. Excellentinfrastructure, a highly skilled workforce,favourable cost of living and tailored retail

Des Travers, CEO, DPD Irelandand Minister Richard Bruton.

04 Q3 2019 | RETAIL TIMES

NEWSTHE

A busy fewmonths for JYSK

Ireland.

Tony Murphy, CommercialDirector and Ciaran O’Reilly,

CEO, Expert Electrical.

Just some of the progressiveretailers who recently visited

Waterford City.

Two impressive awards for theStudioForty9 team.


incentives for our historic City Centre ensurethat Waterford City is ideally placed for newretail opportunity and growth.”

JYSK NAAS STORE COMES IN 2ND OF1,200 STORES

e recently opened JYSK store in Naas hasrecorded the 2nd highest sales of 1,200 storesacross the JYSK network. Commenting onthe store performance and the JYSK growthplan for Ireland, Roni Tuominen, Head ofRetail said: “At JYSK we rarely celebratesecond place but to have our Naas store rank

2nd in terms of sales within the 1,200 plusJYSK Nordic stores was just fantastic. efact that this was within our opening monthmade it even more special. Whilst weexpected a warm welcome from Irishcustomers the response has exceeded ourexpectations and I’m very much lookingforward to the roll out of more stores overthe summer as we continue our expansionthroughout Ireland.”

RADIUS ACQUIRES FORTUITY

Radius Technologies, one of Ireland’s leading

providers of private cloud, VoIP telecomssolutions and IT managed services hasacquired Cork-based IT company Fortuity.Fortuity provides tailored IT infrastructure,maintenance and communications services toSMEs in Cork and the South West region.Commenting on the transaction JerryBuckley, MD of Radius Technologies said:“As part of our national expansion plan wehad been seeking an acquisition in the southwest region and with Fortuity we found ateam with an excellent reputation in themarket place who share Radius’ passion forexcellent customer service and information


security.” As part of a national strategic planRadius are currently expanding both theirWaterford HQ and Dublin teams across alllevels and functions of the organisation.

RETAIL MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENTPROGRAMME 2020 LAUNCHES

Retail Excellence recently announced the2020 dates for the Retail ManagementDevelopment Programme which will be heldin the Crowne Plaza Hotel Blanchardstown.Commenting on the launch Helen O’Dowd,Head of Events at Retail Excellence said:“We are delighted to announce the RetailManagement Development Programmedates for 2020. e programme will run withfour “classroom days” – 11th March | 25thMarch | 6th April | 22nd April and includesentry to the Retail & eCommerce Summiton 19th & 20th May in CitywestConvention Centre. is programme hastaken concepts from A-Z in retailmanagement. e programme covers everyarea from customer experience, increasingATV, time management, sharing informationand essentially improving all areas of thebusiness including sales, HR and profitability.e programme brochure will be availableshortly but, in the meantime, contact me [email protected] for further details.”

B&Q UNVEILS NEW HOME STORE

B&Q has recently launched a new smallerformat store to offer customers a moreconvenient way to shop for home and DIYproducts. e GoodHome by B&Q inWallington, UK marks a departure from it’slarger sheds. e 1,700 sq. ft. store carries sixthousand products with many productspresented in display settings rather thanstocked on shelves. ere are digital screenson hand to allow customers shop the fullrange and click and collect facilkities, withproduct being ready for collection within fiveminutes of the order being made. KingfisherChief Trading Officer, John Colley said: eGoodHome concept is part of Kingfisher’sdrive to start to cater for customers of thefuture.”

INNOVATIVE SELF-SERVICE KIOSKLAUNCHES TO CASH IN ON COINS

Dublin based business Coindrum have justlaunched their latest generation “cash forcoin” kiosk to fill a customer void in the highstreet. e kiosk has a futuristic design, bestin class technology, and offers additionalrevenue streams such as advertisingopportunities on a 42- inch digital signagescreen. Coindrum CEO Lukas Decker said:“e truth is that coins in circulation acrossthe Eurozone are at an all-time high, theexact statistics are published by the ECBevery year. In this context banks moved awayfrom coins, whilst the population did not.Coindrum bridges this disconnect byenabling retailers to become the solution andprofit in the process.” Already operating inairports worldwide, including the world’sbiggest in Dubai, the company’s expansion isfuelled by a multi-million Euro investmentby well-known Irish investors such as the

founders of Ryanair, Hostelworld andCarTrawler.

LEON OPENS FIRST IRISH STORE

LEON, the healthy fast food operators,recently opened their first Irish store inDublin’s Temple Bar. e Irish operation isbacked by a number of investors led byWaterford based accountant StuartFitzgerald. Commenting on the launchManaging Director of LEON Ireland, StuartFitzgerald, said: “We are so excited to haveopened the doors of the first LEON inIreland, the wait is finally over for everyoneto try LEON’s naturally fast food. Werecently shot a promo video around Dublincity centre and the appetite from the publicwas fantastic. e Irish welcome is mostdefinitely alive and well! e need for anoffering like LEON is so evident, somewherethat will offer vegan, gluten free andvegetarian options at a reasonable price.”

Managing Director of LEONIreland, Stuart Fitzgerald.

Future StoRetail Revolution:

Zurheide Feine Kost,Gardelegen, Germany

By Karl McKeever, Founder and Managing Director, Visual Thinking


ese ‘mega trends’ can be a result of culturalor technological change or social, economicand political events that leads to newopportunities. Some can strike a chord withpeople seeking something new, and indirectlystimulate change. Such developments canunleash highly disruptive forces that act toform powerful influences on consumers,creating new demands and changing theirshopping behaviour and along the way, raiseexpectations. Others have the potential toalter the course of retail history.

e rise of online retailing was one such‘mega trend’ that remains the highestperforming star for many retail brands. Atthe same time as enjoying enormous growth,the Internet has been criticised in parallel forinflicting deep wounds and, in some cases,even killer blows on the traditional highstreet as we used to know it.

But despite what the media headlines wouldhave us believe, there have been many otherthreats to the established order in the past.

Each new generation – with its ownexperiences and shopper preferences – driveschange. e 1960’s ushered in a dynamicphase of self-expression resulting in the riseof Carnaby Street and rule breakingboutiques. Designers like Mary Quant ruledsupreme and Biba brought this together in anew type of free-spirited department store.e 1970’s were about the rise of theshopping centre and latterly retail malls.Within a vast indoor space, establishedchains like Littlewoods, BHS andWoolworths dominated the scene with theirsafe, respectable family friendly formats. e1980’s saw the birth of lifestyle retailing,with a new breed of retailer, such as Next,challenging the established players thanks toan elevated product, marketing and storedesign – rolling out store formats nationally,with consistent repetition. e 1990’s trendfor designer brands and celebrity culturecreated new ‘wannabe consumers’ withchanging tastes, while retail parks and out oftown shopping drew shoppers away from thehigh streets in their cars, sending new signalsthat old formulas must change.

For the last ten years, online shopping has

reigned supreme. For the most part, shoppershave been ‘willing participants’ in this greatexperiment, with the public unwittinglyaware of their own small-scale revolutionaryimpact and the consequences this would haveon the retail sector at large. rough theirsimple everyday actions of browsing onlineand ‘adding to basket’, instead of shopping instores – as countless family generations haddone before. Each tiny click of the mousesent an electronic message to retailers thattheir high street businesses were less relevantand appealing. Shoppers now wantedsomething different, and for physical storesto start offering ‘more’.

e efficiency and profitability that onlineretail operations initially promised made astrong case for brands to shift their focus,and quickly. Now that more of the true costshave become much clearer, the traditionalretail model has started to look increasinglyattractive for many brands to reconsideragain. For many retailers, the task of initiallysetting up online operations is seen to havebeen done (in part, and at least for now…).With it has come a growing recognition byindustry voices that for high street stores to‘survive and thrive’ with their own distinctplace in the brand mix, working alongsideonline; the time to reboot investment inphysical stores is now.

Until only recently, the desire to create anomnichannel strategy was seen as the key forbrands. Fast-forward to today and thatthinking is being replaced by the pursuit ofsophisticated multiple channel brand deliverygoals. e reality is that the easy ‘fulfilment’of goods, is not the same as creatingcustomer satisfaction. In future, this is asmuch about selling ideas, as offering ‘morestuff ’ to buy through whichever channel.

is change in approach recognises the needto create easy and inspiring shoppingwherever the consumer shops, and also theneed for specific characteristics to serve eachchannel better. But, the bigger change is theabsolute need to create clarity and cohesionof messaging and affirm ‘purpose’ tounderpin and cement brand positioning. isis what we see and can understand by thehuge growth in the concept of ‘storytelling’, a

Change is a constant in retail. Sometimes these arelittle more than a passing trend or phase. But everyso often we see periods of great innovation that havea seismic effect and represent generational change.

res and The Retail Exchange podcast.


narrative that provides non-transactioncontent to add meaning to online shopping,and storytelling that presents a full sensory,interactive and engaging ‘customerexperience’ instore.

All this is a demonstration that strong brandvision, great agility and execution ability arethe most important attributes for retailers tokeep navigating the ‘latest’ way forward andcoping with the increasing speed of change.Managing a course today, while constantlyupdating the coordinates and scouring thehorizon.

Far from online retailing being the critical‘mass extinction’ event that many said would‘be the death of the high street’, with thebenefit of time and a longer view it is therunaway success of online retail that isproving to be the catalyst for the next waveof bigger changes instore creating the sparkfor an exciting renaissance of high streetstores…and momentum is building.

So after a dangerous period of headlinegrabbing brand failures, store closures andgloomy news affecting much of the retailsector, it’s really positive to see brandsrecognising that all channels present goodopportunities to make money. It alsoconfirms that many of the current woesafflicting much of the high street are selfinflicted from over supply, too many‘ordinary’ shops offering too much of thesame, and failing to really listen to andrecognise that the consumer that was simply‘crying out’ for something more.

One of the most interesting aspects aboutthe huge rise in online retail is how it hasreduced the value of goods, and not just valueas meant by price. In real terms, such easy

price comparison and transparency betweendifferent suppliers has hurt margins andprofits; just ask John Lewis.

Similarly, the increased use of onlinepromotional activity as a quick and easystimulant to drive online sales has created asituation of ongoing and painful discounting.In response, shoppers have becomecomfortable with the idea of searching foroffers, online discount codes and other waysto save more money. Shoppers have become

programmed to wait, knowing that the nextsale will be along soon. is is a drug thatmany retailers have found increasingly hardto swallow, whilst ironically becoming relianton its short-term sales spiking fixes.

But I also mean value as measured in lesstangible terms. When goods are so accessibleand easy to obtain, paradoxically they becomeless valuable. e Internet has commoditisedacquisition and with it, created less meaning,removing the psychological and emotionalboost of interaction, experience andmemories once formed. Achieving a sense ofgood value is important to all shoppers, butit’s key to know where that real value must beadded back to make the purchase orexperience worthwhile. is is where the newgap and opportunities in retail are reallyopening up.

Many brands are switching attention toreinventing their physical retail space as aresult. Previously imbalanced investmentdecisions are being exposed all to clearly, toretailers and shoppers alike. Cost cutting inthe wrong places has lead to a generaldeterioration in standards, quality andperformance of many high street stores,versus their new virtual outlets. Where physical stores do still exist, or where

David Jones,Sydney, Australia

The Observatory,Hudson Yards, NewYork City, USA


there are new opportunities to open furtherretail outlets, these must have a clear andcompelling proposition to vie effectively withonline competitors, offer a strongcomplementary asset to internally servedonline presence, or create a point ofdifference to a retail brand competitor. Inshort, more distinctiveness and better storesare what’s needed.

Revolutionary thinking? No, this is a returnto what made traditional retail work before –but reimagined. A period of brand strategydelivery that must be both focused andsuper-charged.

Future stores will need to be ‘value adding’ toconsumers’ lives in ways that Internetshopping can’t. It requires stores to havemore experiential, stimulating and fullyengaging retail environments, engagingmarketing and superior service.

Stores with a higher level of thought thatoffer a different type and level of social andemotional rewards to the functional benefitsof speed, convenience and efficiency of onlineshopping. Stores that to some extent help tofill the physical, emotional and socialemptiness that exists today as a result oftechnology, regardless of how socially-enabled, fantastically created or convenientlypackaged it is.

In time this phase will, I believe, be cited bythe period of ‘hyper storytelling’ where thebrands that provide fully immersivenarratives and an absorptive, integratedconnection with shoppers (personalisation,customisation and community etc.), will winout.

To those who say that high street retail isdead, I say this: it is only boring, dull orirrelevant stores that die. I think we are onthe cusp of an exciting new dawn and ‘next

phase’ of retail transformation, when highstreet stores progressively and dramaticallyreinvent and renew, ultimately providingbetter places, and more reasons to shop againinstore.

As a frequent traveller to major global citiesin my work for clients each year, I see this‘new wave’ of exciting retail happening forreal, transforming the shopper experience inretail developments and store openingsworldwide.

L’Occitane,Regent Street,London, UK

Kit Kat Chocolatory,Melbourne, Australia


Stores that are all demonstrating theemerging characteristics and hallmarks ofthis new wave of transformational thinkingthat's emerging now. e locations blendretailing with hospitality, with entertainmentand new services. Connected, distinctive anddifferentiated. Places to shop, hang out,experiment, test, do and learn. Places to beintroduced to a brand or to deepen theirrelationship and enjoy new experiences. Allconfirm the amazing, multi-sectoropportunities for vibrant new high street,physical retail experiences. You can transactonline but instore offers a place for so muchmore.

is is evidenced by the steady flow oforiginally online only disruptor brands whoare now opening their own stores,recognising the benefits of having shops with‘street visibility’ and a human connection toenhance their brand purpose, message andperformance. From mattresses to underwear,cosmetics to organic farm produce; there is anew wave of online disruptors who areincreasingly investing in opening their ownstores. But doing things quite differently.Without the weight of history to hold themback, these brands are free to be courageous,bold, experimental and even ‘curiosities’ –with a fresh point of view, raw energy andvitality they are trying, doing and playing bynew rules. And consumers are increasinglynoticing and responding enthusiastically.Even Amazon, the ‘prime disruptor’ online,sees the value in the traditional retail model,whether with its own retail brandacquisitions (e Whole Foods Market) orits fledging entry into US high streets withits Books, Go and pop up store formats. is

is not one-way Internet only traffic.

For me, this phase of retail transformation isbeing marked by the escalation inrevolutionary and radical thinking about howretail brands can create compelling storebased, retail propositions that attract newconsumers, as well as maintaining fullengagement with existing shoppers. Ofcourse, the added challenge is to integratetheir online retail operations smoothly andcohesively within an overarching brandnarrative, experience and service instore. isoffers a clear path for brands into the heartand minds of consumers because, as humans,we are hardwired for storytelling, meaning,and exploring our own sense of purpose.

In future, stores will not be seen as thingshurting the business but as helping to createstronger propositions and sales performanceoverall – a ‘retail therapy’ antidote to tedium,frustration and the considerable sensorylimitations of two-dimensional onlineshopping. Engaging, social and human in itsexperience.

Retail is emerging ‘phoenix like’, withrenewed confidence. And having workedwith major retailers in recent months oninstore transformation projects I am clearthat visible and positive change is possible.Not in some distant future time… but in thehere and now.

Restoration Hardware,Chicago, USA

IKEABlue City Mall, Warsaw, Poland


For anyone who wants to experience what the future of retail lookslike instore, I recommend you visit the following stores. These areexciting places to be.David Jones:Sydney, Australia

Daylesford Organic:Gloucester, UK

Gro: Warringah MallSydney, Australia

Gucci:SOHO, New York City, USA

IKEA:Blue City Mall Warsaw, Poland

Kit Kat Chocolatory:Melbourne, Australia

Levi’s:Times Square, New York City, USA

L’Occitane:London, UK

Lush:Liverpool One, Liverpool, UK

Muji: Pacific PlaceHong Kong, China

Nike: House of Innovation 00015th Avenue, New York City, USA

The Observatory:Hudson Yards, New York City, USA

Restoration Hardware:Chicago, USA

Singtel:Singapore

Starbucks Reserve:New York City, USA.

Gro, Warringah MallSydney, Australia

Nike, House ofInnovation 00015th Avenue, New YorkCity, USA

Levi’s,Times Square,

New York City, USA


If you or your business are

operating in the world of

e-commerce than you might

have heard the term ‘PSD2’.

If not, don’t worry, we all

have until September 14th

2019 before the new

legislation is brought into

effect but we recommend that

you start getting ready now.

To explain what PSD2 is let’s first go back toPSD1 which came into legislation in 2001.is was introduced to regulate paymentservices and payment service providersthroughout the EU and European Economic

Area. PSD2 looks to enhance the legislationso it works in the digital world we now livein. e objectives of PSD2 are the following.

• Protect our consumers against fraud

• Increase security

• Facilitate innovation, making it easier and safer to pay online

• Enhance competition within the digital payments market

e key takeaway from the above points isincreased security. is will be enforcedthrough Strong Customer Authentication(SCA) that will be introduced into thelegislation on the 14th September 2019.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR YOU?

SCA asks that in order to accept atransaction online, a business must have TwoFactor Authentication (2FA) enabled duringtheir payment process. is means that inorder to pay, your customers must providetwo of the following and you must be able tofacilitate these processes.

WHAT SOLUTION DOES AIB MERCHANTSERVICES RECOMMEND FOR SCA?

If you take payments online you will beaware of 3D Secure, it’s currently the mostcommon way to authenticate a card payment

online. It requires the cardholder to enter anadditional password when making a paymentonline (for example, Verified by Visa orMastercard’s SecureCode).

What AIB Merchant Services recommendretailers in Ireland use is 3D Secure V2. Anew version of the authentication softwarethat will meet requirements set by thelegislation coming into effect on the 14thSeptember 2019.

3D Secure V2 has been developed with yourcustomers in mind. is means that manyshortcomings that 3D Secure faced such asrequiring your customers to remember aspecific password have been re-developed.3D Secure V2 aims to boost security, speedup authentication and improve drop off ratesin your payment journey through africtionless, consistent, mobile friendly userexperience.

You’ll be happy to know that if you currentlyaccept payment methods such as Apple Payor Google Pay online, these already supportSCA as biometric authentication is involved.ese are a great way for your business tooffer a consumer friendly checkoutexperience while still meeting the newrequirements.

WHAT ABOUT IN-STORE PAYMENTS?

For taking payments in store or when a cardis present, contactless payments will remainfor purchases under €30 and chip and pinwill continue to be the common practice inthe EEA for purchases above €30.

WHAT DO I NEED TO DO?

In order to get set up, AIBMS recommendretailers who trade online contact theirPayment Service Provider (PSP) with theabove information and they will be able toensure that as of September 14th 2019, yourbusiness will continue to safely and securelytrade online.

What is it and is your

business prepared

for September 14th?BY ROBERT DOHERTY, DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTSAT AIB MERCHANT SERVICES

PSD2


The New McCauley THE FUTURE OF PHARMACY


McCauley, previously Sam McCauleys, is ahousehold name in parts of Ireland,synonymous with trustworthy and familiarcommunity pharmacies where you will findexperts in front of and behind the counter.

e name McCauley is soon to becomemuch more well known, however, as thebusiness embarks on a significant growthstrategy that will see its network ofpharmacies double in size within five yearsand have a presence in every corner of thecountry.

FOUNDATIONAL ROOTS

McCauley Health & Beauty Pharmacy wasfounded in 1953 by the late G.B. McCauleywho acquired the Brooke Kelly Pharmacy at21 Rafter Street, Enniscorthy, Wexfordwhich operated as a Pharmacy since 1900's.Over the next 40 years Sam McCauleyChemists grew into a thriving enterprise.Sam McCauley and his wife Leslie, bothPharmacists, joined the family business in1978 maintaining the well-established'family Chemist' culture, long nurtured bySam's parents and staff.

Today McCauley Health & BeautyPharmacy operates 35 stores nationally,employs over 600 staff.

CHANGING TIMES

While the McCauley brand is steeped inheritage, there recently was a recognition onthe part of the management that it needed tomove forward; that it was time for a change.

With customers increasingly shifting theirspending habits to online, a bricks andmortar store now needs to be more than justa transactional venue to continue to attractcustomers. A physical store should serve as abrand-building environment in whichcustomers can have special, in-personexperiences that can’t be achieved on digitalplatforms. erefore, to support its ambitious growthstrategy, McCauley Health and BeautyPharmacy made the decision to investsignificantly in an overhaul of its brand,including store refits and store upgradestaking place throughout 2019.

McCauley is repositioning the brand to getcloser to a new generation of customers withchanging needs across beauty, health andmedical care, and to stand out within anincreasingly competitive market.

NEW LOOK AND FEEL

e overhaul of the McCauley brandprovides the chain with an entirely fresh lookand feel, including a newly designed logo, aswell as premium in-store and shop-frontdisplays, all inspired by the company’sdedication to health, beauty and wellbeingwhich is encapsulated in the tag line: ‘Abetter you, today’

Since the beginning of 2019, all newlyopened stores trade under the McCauleyHealth and Beauty Pharmacy brand and willbe fitted out accordingly, while the newbrand will also be rolled out across all thepharmacy network’s stores nationwide duringthe year.

Its new experiential stores embrace a diverserange of products and services, includingDigital Photo Centres, Premium Cosmeticsand Perfumery, Beauty Salons, and expandedHealthcare Services, in addition to the coretraditional services provided by experiencedfriendly pharmacists and staff.

A REDEDICATION TO HEALTH ANDWELLNESS

e new McCauley brand promise,underpinned by the values of integrity,loyalty, commitment and inventiveness,means customers will encounter experiencedpharmacists in store, as well as expertlytrained beauty teams, an enhanced range ofbeauty and skincare ranges, money-savingdeals and access to a nationwide networkbigger and better than before.

McCauley has now evolved every aspect ofthe business – health, beauty and pharmacy –to meet the changing needs of its customers.

Advances is personal medical care, nutritionand wellness advice means that people arenow leading longer, healthier lives.Recognising such a market shift, McCauleyis positioning itself as a leader in the self-healthcare space, empowering customers tomake better lifestyle choices.

REVOLUTIONISING THE IN-STOREEXPERIENCE

e customer is at the heart of the McCauleyrebrand and the new look and feel and storelayout has been driven and designed withtheir purchase journey in mind. McCauley stores are now personalised atevery level, with tailored shop fronts on themain streets of local towns, high streets andshopping centres, but also in terms of theservices being offered.

Each McCauley store provides a unique mixof trusted pharmacist expertise alongsideconsumer experiences that will drivecustomer loyalty, and premium and cultbeauty brands to attract all generations.

An agile, customer-centric approach to storeformat redesign, combined with nichepartnerships, exclusive launches, cult productsocial media marketing and selected nationalsponsorships has enabled McCauley to createa brand that delivers special, in-personexperiences.

e new McCauley stores are pushingboundaries and delivering the best in experthealth and wellness advice and products aswell as catering to the beauty lovers in searchof the latest products. ere’s an excitingjourney ahead for McCauley Pharmacy asIreland’s experts in the field of pharmacy,health, beauty and skincare.


INSURANCEere was no disputing the single issue thatcaptured the imagination – and the ire – ofthe entire country over recent months, thatissue being spurious insurance claims. In thewake of the ‘swing gate’ controversy in theDean Hotel, there was a sense of outrage thatTDs were getting on the compo gravy train,without thought for the impact of spirallingpremiums on business and society. We feltcompelled to use social media to be critical ofDeputy Bailey’s actions and judging from thevolume of likes and responses, we tapped intothe mood of our members and the public.

Insurance reform has long been at the top ofour public affairs agenda. Key to our strategyis our membership of the strongest, mostinfluential lobbying group on the issue, theAlliance for Insurance Reform. Joiningtogether with other affected industries is themost effective way to challenge theopponents to reform, who are well resourced.e Alliance has been instrumental inleading the media narrative on insurance,effecting legislative change to date andmaintaining pressure on Government todeliver on their promises.

In April, a member delegation led bychairman Joe Barrett met the Minister forState at the Department of Financeresponsible for insurance reform, MichaelD’Arcy TD. In a very constructive meeting,we took the opportunity to explain theimpact of insurance premiums on retailers,and listened to the Minister’s advice on whathe needed from Retail Excellence to help thecase for reform.

As well as working within the Alliance, wehave secured media coverage to drawattention to the chronic situation pertainingto many of our members with rocketingpremiums. Every piece of coverage securedplaces incremental pressure on legislators,and we understand that the cause of retailersis definitely getting noticed in LeinsterHouse. Expect to see more stories from theretail industry in press coverage over thesummer months.

At time of writing, Retail Excellence isconvening an urgent members event on thesubject of insurance reform, to be held in ouroffices in Leopardstown, Dublin on 25 June.If the many emails and calls we have received

are anything to go by, unfortunately weexpect to hear numerous accounts of how afailed, out-of-control insurance market isbringing viable, successful indigenous retailbusinesses to their knees. e public, ourpoliticians and those vested interests whoseek to defend the indefensible need to hearthose stories from our industry.

Spiralling insurance costs are just one of thefactors driving the rapidly increasing costs ofmaintaining a retail store as a going concernjust now. e announcements of closures andjob losses from Arcadia Group were widelyreported in May, and in radio interviews atthe time, Retail Excellence identifiedunsustainable retail rents as one of the majorfactors that led to Arcadia’s challenges.

PROPERTY COSTSIf the current rent regime is allowed tocontinue, then unfortunately we predict moreclosures and job losses, particularly fromstores that opened in Ireland pre-2010, whenthe legislation was enacted to ban upward-only rent reviews. e Arcadia Group founditself in that position, paying rents that boreno relation to turnover or competition fromonline platforms, while tied into 45-yearleases.

What’s required here is a complete re-calibration of the retail rental market toestablish leases that are fair and sustainable,and to do this we need Governmentintervention, similar to what happened in2010. Allowing market forces to determinerental costs will eventually work, but at a costof many more store closures, lost Exchequerrevenue and deserted high streets. Ourproposals on this will form part of our pre-Budget submission.

POP-UP FOOD MARKETSOver recent weeks, Retail Excellence hasbeen working on your behalf to bring allthese legitimate concerns to the attention ofour politicians, to effect change that benefitsour industry. e Oireachtas Cross-PartyWorking Group on Retail, convened byRetail Excellence, is a particularly effective

UpdatE

Public Affairs

Pictured at the Cross Party Oireachtas RetailCommittee are Jan O’Sullivan TD, Karen Lynn,

Freshii Sandyford, Senator Maria Byrne and BryanRankin, Head of Public Affairs, Retail Excellence


forum to represent your interests, and ischaired by Fianna Fail Deputy Leader DaraCalleary TD.

We also used our last Oireachtas meeting todetail an ongoing problem for food andbeverage retailers, pop-up food markets. Inone instance in South Dublin, planningpermission was recently granted for pop-upmarkets for three days a week, right beside anestablished food outlet and Retail Excellencemember retailer.

An Bord Pleanala supported the originaldecision, so our member has exhausted theappeals process. We will be writing to theBord and to the planning authority insupport of our member, and have also pressedto have historic legislation on casual tradingreviewed and updated. After all, it’sbusinesses like our members that fund ourlocal authorities, and it’s high time for thisparticular penny to drop. SMEsEven aside from the importantrepresentational work involved in the issuesreferred to above, there were plenty of otherissues and developments in the public affairsspace on which to report. One worthy itemthat slipped under the radar in May was the

launch of a Seanad Public ConsultationReport on SMEs, led by committeechairman Senator Paul Coghlan andRapporteur Senator Pádraig Ó Céidigh.

It’s an impressive piece of work, with over130 recommendations including a call for anew junior minister to support small andmedium enterprises (SMEs), entrepreneurialeducation in primary school and supports forfemale entrepreneurs. e report includes areview of the strengths and challenges in theretail industry and a list of policyrecommendations for retail, all of which wesupport. We’re calling on government toaccept the report as a blueprint for futureplanning for small businesses, of which retailrepresents is the biggest part.

BREXIT It seems the dreaded B word – Brexit – isnever too far away, and the latest date for theUK’s departure from the European Union is31 October, an inauspicious date by anymeasure. For many retailers the date couldnot be worse, bringing uncertainty ahead ofthe most important quarter of the year fortrading, Cyber Week and Black Friday. Wemet Minister Heather Humphreys as part ofthe Retail Consultation Forum in May, and

heard her concerns that Irish business willreact to preparing for Brexit a second time.Retail Excellence has published an IrishRetail Guide to Brexit which is available inthe members section of the website, and itremains instructive in highlighting thesimple steps every business should undertaketo be prepared.

RETAIL EXCELLENCE LEADERSHIPCOUNCIL

Finally, 28 May saw the first meeting of theLeadership Council of Retail Excellence, anew governance structure that bringstogether some of the leading lights in Irishretail. e objectives of the new group are toadvise and challenge our new board, guideour strategy and be truly representative ofevery sector within the industry.

Our first meeting, which took place in theGuinness Storehouse in Dublin, was a veryvaluable session that planned the future ofRetail Excellence in the context of a rapidlychanging retail environment. Going forward,the Council will meet four times a year andwill be an extremely important resource forour organisation and the wider industry. Ourthanks to everyone that attended.

Our meeting to address insurance reform included Michael D’Arcy TD, Minister ofState at the Department of Finance, Louise Rowell, Legal Director, Mr. Price and

Joe Barrett, Chief Operations Officer, Applegreen PLC

COUNTY BOUTIQUEO’CONNEll StrEEt, ENNiS

store focus.....


How would you best describe the store positionin the market?

County Boutique is a mid-market/ premiumbrand 2nd generation family business onO’Connell Street in Ennis, with merchandisesegmented over 2 floors. We happily exist ina town full of first class independent retailers,which makes Ennis a great place to visit andshop. As the 1st boutique of its kind inEnnis, County Boutique sold Mary Quantstyle mini-dresses to teenagers and nightiesto their grannies. e sophisticatedcustomers of today, who once wore platformson their feet, now engage with us on ourdigital platforms, browsing our Facebookstyling videos, Instagram stories and ouronline store, before coming to shop with usfor the touchy feely experience thatunderpins our business ethos.

What are the stores key design features?

e 1700’s three bay stone faced building hasa classic black granite shop front which hasstood the test of time, both in terms ofmaintenance and a sense of solidity. Behindthis ancient facade the store tripled in sizewhen re-built in 1995. Black on the outside,in 2005 we turned pink on the inside andshades of pink have been our backdropthroughout the store ever since. We recentlyinstalled a bespoke welcome wall as you enterthe store and, yes, it is pink! Customers loveit and it is so instagrammable! Before the laststore makeover, aware that a lot of customersdid not know that we had a 1st floor, ourdesigners came up with the idea to mirrorthe entire wall on the stairs. is is a keyelement to the success of the 1st floordepartments.

What aspects of the store are you most proud of ?

Of the physical store, we are really proud of

our window displays. Luckily, having a greatbig picture window on the side of the streetwithout parking, we enjoy creating windowdisplays each season, drawing inspirationfrom the collections we buy, browsingPinterest and visiting top international storeswhile on buying trips and holidays. Weoften hear “I nearly crashed the car, do youhave that dress on the window in my size?” In terms of the ether, it took us a long timeto get over the online hurdle and, since lastNovember, we are delighted to be sellingonline @ www.countyboutique.ie. In itsinfancy, we look forward to seeing it grow!

In overall terms, we would have to say thatwe are most proud of our colleagues, some ofwhose long term commitment to thebusiness has been remarkable. With ourlatest team member having started inFebruary, we have between us over 150 yearsof County Boutique experience. We arehappy to say that we are still learning everyday.

Describe the seasonal nature of the business?

December is the busiest month of the yearfor us, followed by March, October,September and April. Usually, our quietestmonth is February! However, it is beginningto catch up as customers jet off to sunnierclimes in springtime.

Please define your typical customer who shops inyour store?

Eventwear: is customer is someonelooking for something a little different. Herstyle is classic with a twist. We source standout quality pieces, sometimes just 3 or 4 of astyle, so that she has a pretty exclusive itemthat she is unlikely to meet at her event. atwe buy from over 40 brands means we have

variety and a point of difference to ourcompetitors. Supporting Irish makers andIrish designers is also important to ourcustomers. County Boutique supportsapproximately 10 Irish brands every season,including this season, Ekotree Cashmere,made in Doolin, Co. Clare!

Workwear: Our business customer often hasa hectic schedule and is time poor. She maymake an appointment and beforehand wewill put together a capsule wardrobe for herto choose from. We often send a box ofgoodies to regular customers and will collectwhatever is not required.

Daywear: Lifestyle brands steeped in aculture of colour and texture bring theground floor to life and this customer is amore relaxed individual, who enjoys wearingcolourful, high quality, comfortable clothesevery day.

What are the future plans for the store and thewider company?

Content, for now, with two bricks andmortar stores (Nenagh store opened in 2014)and the online portal, completion of thefacelift in Ennis, expansion and promotion ofthe online offer and further development ofthe personal shopping concept are the goals. We will collaborate with local events such asthe Ennis Book Club Festival, having hadthe pleasure of hosting stylist, author andjournalist, Anne Marie O’Connor lastMarch. More than just a store, we are avenue!

We also understand the need to be agile inthe constantly changing environment that isretail and the world we live in, so providingmemorable experiences and embracingtechnology instore will also be at the core offuture plans for County Boutique.

Store Name: County Boutique

Store Location: O’Connell Street, Ennis

Store Size: 1,500 sq ft

Date of Opening: October 1966

Most Recent Fitout: Current storemakeover completing in July

Employee Number: 10

Store Managers: Gwen Culligan &Maeve Flouch

LUSH OPENS BIGGEST EVER STORE INLIVERPOOL

Lush have recently opened their biggest everflagship store, an incredible 15,000 sq. ft.format in Liverpool City Centre. e storespans three floors and includes a spa, an in-store florist, a hair lab, a perfume library anda make your own cosmetics lab. Commentingon the opening, Lush CEO, MarkConstantine said: “As a company we havealways been highly creative and that hasdriven us in everything we do. It’s very earlydays but the sales are very strong, so we willsee what works and what doesn’t and engagewith landlords in our other stores to changewhat we can based on that.” e companyplans to open one hundred new stores in theUS market over the next three years and alsoplans to significantly increase its presence inJapan.

SKECHERS OPENS NEXT GEN STORE INGALWAY

Skechers celebrated the launch of their 20thIrish store with an in-store event at WilliamStreet, Galway. e Galway store event washosted by the retailer's Irish brandambassador Pippa O'Connor. "I'm thrilled to

be working with Skechers again this year toshowcase some of my favourite styles", saidPippa. Since its first store opening in 2010 atHenry Street, Dublin, the franchise retailerhas gone from strength to strength. “It’sanother exciting step forward for Skechers inthe Irish market and a testament to thebrand’s growing appeal for the Irishconsumer” said Corkman Paul Gallagher,Managing Director of the Irish Skechersfranchise. Founded in 1992 andheadquartered today in Manhattan Beach,California, the Skechers brand has revampedits footwear lines to include more youthful,

trend-forward styles, amplifying its alreadyhugely successful comfort offering.

COUNTERFEIT GOODS REPORT POINTSTO SERIOUS LOSSES

A recent report by the European UnionIntellectual Property Office has found that€909 million are lost in annual Irish retailrevenue due to the availability of counterfeitgoods. e report focuses on the impact thesale of counterfeit goods has on businessesacross the EU, both in terms of lost sales andjobs. In 2018, €60billion in retail sales werelost across Europe, while up to 468,000 jobsare directly lost. In Ireland counterfeitclothing and accessories accounts for a loss of€323 million in 2018 with counterfeitcosmetics and personal care items totalling€98m.

IZMOO GELATO WINS BIG

Congratulations to Izmoo Gelato whorecently won the IBYE Best Start-up in theNortheast. e awards programme is run bythe Local Enterprise Office network. einnovative Gelato store based in Drogheda iscausing quite a stir and big growth plans areafoot. Commenting on the win owner OrlaStafford said: “I am absolutely delighted withthis win. It is down to a great team and somany other supporters. We are very excitedfor the future and are looking at otherlocations to open more stores.”


THE NEWS

The very impressive Lush flagship.

Tara O’Farrell, Louise Cooney and Pippa O’Connorwere on hand to open the new store.

RETAILERS WELCOME CALL TWO OF EIONLINE RETAIL SCHEME

Retail Excellence has welcomed the launchlast month of the second call of theEnterprise Ireland-led pilot Online RetailScheme. e €1.25m fund is targeted atonline retailers to encourage acceleration oftheir online offerings. e funding can beused to invest in research, strategydevelopment, implementation and training.Closing date for applications is Wednesday,31st July 2019. Bryan Rankin, Head ofPublic Affairs with Retail Excellence, notedthat the funding will give Irish retailers theresources to respond to external challenges ina difficult post-Brexit environment, flat

consumer confidence and increasing businesscosts. While many smaller retailers havefantastic products and services that willappeal to international customers, they needto invest in eCommerce platforms and getexpert advice. Rankin stated: “RetailExcellence has been working with EnterpriseIreland and the Department for several yearsto make the case for dedicated funding tosupport Irish retailers to secure a greater sliceof lucrative online trade, so theannouncement of Call 2 was much-anticipated. We have been vocal in calling forretailers to receive the same sort of financialbacking to exploit international markets asthat made available to manufacturers.”Further information on the scheme and

details on how to apply are available atwww.enterprise-ireland.com/retail orinterested parties can [email protected].

Caption: e launch at Golden Discs shorein St Stephens Green were Minister forBusiness, Enterprise and Innovation HeatherHumphreys TD, DP Fitzgerald, Director,Golden Discs, Bryan Rankin, Head of PublicAffairs at Retail Excellence and StephenHughes, Head of Consumer, EnterpriseIreland.

BLAINE CALLARD DEPARTS IRELAND

Harvey Norman Ireland Chief Executive,Blaine Callard is soon to depart of shoresand return to his native Australia. Callardoversaw the turnaround of Harvey Normanin Ireland over the past ten years.Commenting on Mr. Callard’s departure,David Fitzsimons, Group Chief ExecutiveRetail Excellence said: “We will miss Blainegreatly when he leaves for Australia. What anamazing job he has done in turning aroundthe fortunes of Harvey Norman Ireland. Hehas been a great ambassador for the IrishRetail Industry and has been a great supportto me personally. So many of our membersgot to know Blaine well and he will bemissed.”

BOOHOO REVENUES SURGES BY 39%

United Kingdom based fast fashion retailerBoohoo recently reported that its revenuesgrew by 39% like for like in the three monthsto the end of May. Over that period revenuesgrew to a startling £254.3million. e groupachieved strong revenue growth across allgeographies with sales in the UK up 27% andinternational sales up 56%.

Its gross margin was 55%. Founded fourteenyears ago in Manchester, Boohoo hasexpanded quickly, listing its shares in 2014and buying the PrettyLittleing and NastyGal brands in 2017. Boohoo shares aretrading up 42% so far this year.


Celebrating Blaine Callard’sten years in Ireland wereDavid Fitzsimons, Retail

Excellence, Gina London,former CNN news anchor and

Blaine Callard.


thenumbers87The percentage of customers who want

to see retailers reduce plastic packagingaccording to a recent survey

500 The number of The Works stores in theUK and Ireland following the opening ofit’s 500th store in Winchester UK

300 The amount in millions of poundssterling which Debenhams paysannually for rent and rates

150The number of years which groceryretailer Sainsbury’s has traded

90 The percentage decline inlike for like profits at etailerAsos

488The millions of pounds sterlingEBITDA recorded by JD Sports

70 The millions of euros a five-year contract isworth to JZ Flowers to supply Aldi Irelandstores

Whether you’re newto selling online oryou’re a seasonedeCommerce pro,you’ve probablyalready heardhundreds of tipsand titbits to helpyou sell more.While helpfulinformation isalways a goodthing, it can behard to sift throughthe clutter and findthe mostfundamental piecesof advice to boostyour successonline.

At Ireland Website Design, we've built over100 online shops, we’re Retail Excellence’sonline partners and we’re also part of aninternational mastermind group aimed athelping companies perform better online,connect with their audience and ultimatelyincrease their profits.

New online shops are popping up daily,making it increasingly difficult to set yourselfapart from the competition and win theloyalty of online shoppers.

Online shoppers are impatient. ey'reshopping online because they are looking fora quick way to find and get what they want.So, what can you do to get people to buyfrom you? Make sure your eCommercewebsite is up to the task by reading (andimplementing) our advice on the do’s anddon’ts of eCommerce web design below.

DO - KEEP IT SIMPLE

ere’s a reason why the K.I.S.S. principle isso popular. It works!

If you overload your site’s visitors with toomuch information, they’ll leave and gosomewhere else. Ever step into a messystoreroom and just get instantlyoverwhelmed? It’s the same feeling for onlineshoppers when they go to a website with 100features on the home page.

When too many things are competing foryour visitor’s attention - too many blocks oftext, too many images, too many calls toaction, or too much of anything in general –they get distracted. If they can’t find whatthey’re looking for, they leave.

As an online retailer, you’ll want to keep the

path to purchasing a seamless, enjoyableexperience - without any hurdles ordistractions along the way.

DON’T – EXPECT SUCCESS OVERNIGHT

If making a successful, profitable online shopwas quick and easy, there would be an awfullot more of them online!

Between building your website, establishing areputable brand, earning customer trust andgetting repeat custom, it can take monthsand even years of steady marketing andquality customer service to reach your goals.

Don’t get discouraged if orders don’t pour inimmediately after launching your store.

Getting noticed in the crowded onlinemarketplace can take some time – achievingsales success can take even longer.

DO - CARE ABOUT SEO

SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) is theprocess of getting more traffic to your sitefrom the ‘organic’ (i.e. not paid) searchresults. SEO, when done the right way, canhelp your site rank higher in search resultsfor search phrases related to your business.

ere are so many techniques that fall underthe SEO umbrella, they could have their ownarticle!

One of the most important things you cando today to help your search engine rank is towrite unique product descriptions for yourproducts. Many retailers just copy and pastefrom other sites (which is terrible for SEO).Your website is your 24/7 salesperson, getthose product descriptions selling for you!

Nick Butler.


OF eCOMMERCE

The DO'SDON’TS

&


By making a conscious effort to learn moreabout SEO and implement best practiceonto your website, you can get a serious legup on your competition. Like most thingsonline, SEO is not a magical switch you turnon and you get the number one spot onGoogle instantly! Good SEO takes time andcontinuous effort.

DON’T - HIDE SHIPPING FEES

is is one of the leading causes of onlineshoppers abandoning their shopping cart andnot completing their purchase. Hiding fees(shipping, gift-wrapping, taxes, anyadditional cost) from a shopper until themoment they pay will really reduce the trustthey have in you and can push them awayfrom you shopping with you again.

Whether you charge for shipping or not is upto you – it’s not the actual shipping that putspeople off, it’s the feeling of being ‘strungalong’ and then surprised with an unexpectedcharge.

e best thing to do is show your deliverycosts prominently on your product pages.

DO - MAKE SURE EVERYTHING WORKS

Test everything on your site. I can’t stress thisenough!

e whole point most people shop online isconvenience and less stress. Nothing is moreinfuriating then when something doesn’twork on a website.

Imagine searching the web for the productyou want, finally finding a shop that has it instock, at the right price, ready for delivery –only to find their ‘add to cart’ button doesn’twork. Credibility and trust in that companygone.

Test your website works. is includes

contact forms, buttons, videos, links to otherpages and of course your ordering processwith different payment methods.

DON’T - IGNORE CUSTOMER SERVICE

You already know your customer serviceneeds to be amazing. But you also need tomaintain the same standards online. How?Quick email/query response times, havingsomeone capable of handling customerdisputes in a professional manner andoffering instant chat support on your website.

If your customers can shop online, they’recan leave reviews online too. Great customerservice leads to good online reviews – anunhappy customer will leave bad reviews,everywhere.

DO - KEEP AT IT!

e key to running a successful online shop?Keep at it.

Update your website, run promotions, investin SEO, invest in online marketing, talk toyour customers and keep up to date with thelatest trends and techniques in theeCommerce world.

If you’d like to see how your current websitemeasures up, we’re offering Retail Excellencemembers exclusive access to our 91 PointWebsite Checklist. We use this checklistwhen we audit websites to make sure they’rehitting all the right notes to get peoplebuying.

It’s completely free – just email me [email protected] to get yourcopy.

Ireland Website Design has been helpingretailers unlock hidden revenue in theirbusinesses since 2010. A full-service digitalagency, they specialise in providing Irish

retailers with strategy, design, content,development and marketing services.

CASE STUDY

Redlane.ie

Established in 2005, Redlane is a globaldestination for customers seeking a quirkyand diverse mix of boutique and high streetbranded clothing.

In 2019, they teamed up with IrelandWebsite Design to revitalise their website.

e newly launched website brings theboutique fashion store’s first-class service andplayful fashion options to online shoppersaround the world. Combining innovativefront-end design with problem-solvingsolutions in the backend, Redlane.ie isdesigned to delight customers and staff alike.

e site is now fully integrated with their in-store EPOS. Redlane staff have found thesite much easier to use with admin taskstaking much less time out of the workday.

ey have more control over the look andfunctionality of the site.

e site has been live for four months andsales have increased by 15% on the previousyear.

Traffic to the site has increased and thanks toa successful email marketing campaign,visitors are now coming in from emailcampaigns.

Repeat customers levels have raised from20% to 40% in the four months since the sitelaunched.

Feedback from both staff and customers hasbeen incredibly positive.


IF THE RECENT RETAILRETREAT & EXPO HADMANY NOTEWORTHYSESSIONS, ONE OF THEMOST IMPORTANT ANDWELL-ATTENDED WAS ADISCUSSION FORUM ONTHE CRISIS FACING MANYOF OUR VISITOR RETAILMEMBERS. IN PLANNINGFOR THE RETREAT, IT WASOPPORTUNE TO INVITEMEMBERS TO PARTICIPATEIN AN EVENT DEVOTEDTO THOSE INVOLVED OREXPOSED TO VISITORRETAIL BUSINESS, TODISCUSS THE VARIOUSISSUES AND DECISIONSTHAT, TAKEN TOGETHER,ARE HAVING A SEVERELYNEGATIVE IMPACT ONOUR MEMBERS. e decision taken earlier this year by DublinPort to all but cull our cruise ship industrywas also discussed and recognised as an issueof national strategic importance. FromRetail Excellence’s recent meeting withDublin Port representatives, it’s clear thatfreight trumps cruise traffic in Dublin Port’splans, even though it’s estimated that cruisevisitors spend in excess of €50 millionannually in every part of the country. If cruiseships no longer visit Dublin, other ports inCork, Belfast and elsewhere will also be hardhit. Yet it seems that Dublin Port’s unilateraldecision is being accepted and its rationaleaccepted unquestioningly.

e discussion heard from Mary Keane,award winning Store Manager in the

Kilkenny Store on the decrease in footfalland turnover in shops all along NassauStreet, as a result of the absence of regulatedtourist coach drop-off and pick up. emajor drop in tourist numbers means thatthe future viability of several iconic retailersare now in doubt, and these stores askedRetail Excellence to urgently bring thematter to Dublin City Council.

Attendees were clearly frustrated andbelieved that the sector is being neglectedand their plight ignored by local and nationalgovernment. Understandably, they wanted toknow what Retail Excellence proposed to doto support them. Since the Retreat, RetailExcellence has been very active on behalf ofvisitor-facing retail. On Nassau Street coachregulation, we have had a constructivemeeting with Dublin City Council andindications are that some regulation will beintroduced this summer to bring increasedtourist numbers back to the vicinity. We alsosecured several items of press coverage tobring attention to the issue and explain the

huge in suing impact on our members.

We also continued to convey the anger onthe cruise ship front in the media, withseveral items of press coverage secured.Additionally, as members of the All-IrelandAlliance For Cruise Ships, in late May RetailExcellence gave evidence to the OireachtasTransport & Tourism Committee and madethe case for retailers. We anticipate that ameeting with Minister Shane Ross and withDublin Port will follow shortly.

We’ll continue to work towards solutions tothese issues, but the fundamental problem isthat our state agencies and Governmentignore the central role of retail in the Irishtourism proposition. Our sector is simplyoverlooked, without a seat at the decisionstable. To overcome this will require our time,influence and contacts, but Retail Excellenceis clear that this must be our goal, to ensureour visitor retail members’ interests areprotected and validated.

The Dublin Portdecision will cost the

Irish economy atminimum €50million

per annum

Retail IssuesVisitor


Despite the rising costs of insurancefor high-footfall commercial business,some organisations are bucking thetrend and have experiencedinsurance premium reductions.

e Furey Smyth Group took a proactiveapproach and focused on the safety risks andhazards within their control in their retailbusiness. ey partnered with SeaChange in2015 with the goal to improve their group’ssafety culture, reduce the likelihood ofaccidents and claims, and manage their risinginsurance costs.

“I knew I had to be proactive in managing riskthroughout our retail group. Safety is oftentreated as a box-ticking exercise and we weren’thappy with that – we wanted to go further andbring safety to life in our business so that ourpeople felt accountable for their own safety andthe safety of our customers. We engaged withSeaChange, the experts in behaviour-basedsafety solutions, and the rest is history” ChrisFurey, Owner Director, Furey Smyth Group

e Furey Smyth Group comprises 7Eurospar sites that serve loyal customersnationwide. e Furey Smyth Group pridethemselves on customer service, operationalbest practice and providing a best-in-classretail experience serving communities acrossIreland. In 2015 Chris knew he had to dosomething about insurance costs which hadspiralled out of control and which were on anunsustainable upward trend. He realised thathe had to separate his business from the herd

in terms of how the group managed riskfrom an operational and safety perspective.

SeaChange, an Irish-based company,specialise in providing behaviour-based riskmanagement systems in partnership withclients that span multiple sectors includingretail.

“We know that 80-95% of accidents arebehaviour-based and to manage risk

effectively and sustainably it is critical to impactbehaviour. Ticking the compliance box is neverenough when it comes to something asfundamental as safety, and certainly in today’sbusiness environment where Ireland has thehighest claim culture in Europe, it is criticalthat organisations protect themselves byinvesting in their people and processes, and bycreating safe habits” Dr. Paul Cummins,Managing Director, SeaChange Ltd.

SeaChange provide visual, interactive andpractical systems that bring safety bestpractice to life. A key aspect of theSeaChange approach is their client portalwhich enables client sites to track theirprogress, log proactive safety KPIs, trendnear misses and update their safetycompliance. SeaChange don’t just provide asystem and walk away; they support clientstowards improved performance and auditthem annually to measure safety cultureprogress. ey also provide key reports andrecommendations to help clients managetheir rising insurance costs.

Many of the top insurance companiesrecognise the best-practice approach thatSeaChange takes because it gets tangibleresults: average before and after client resultsfollowing full implementation of theSeaChange system include a 50% reductionin accidents, 42% reduction in claimfrequency and a 40% reduction in claimcosts. Insurers also value how SeaChangerespond to market requirements with

innovative solutions in order to improveclient risk profile.

Since 2015 Chris and his management teamhave implemented two SeaChange Solutionsacross their group: the Risk ManagementSystem and the CAYGO® Digital Slip, Tripand Fall Management System. e effortinvested by the Furey Smyth Group gained asignificant return. e group has reducedtheir accident and claim rates by over 75%since partnering with SeaChange, and as aresult while most retailers are experiencingincreases in their insurance premiums theFurey Smyth Group has made considerablesavings on their premium in each of the last2 years. e group has also successfullydefended liability claims as a result of theirproactive use of the visual SeaChange systemwhich provides proof of key safety trainingand local knowledge transfer on a routinebasis.

“We are delighted that we were able toeffectively improve our safety culture throughSeaChange and as a result defend ourselveswhere appropriate and reduce our insurancecosts so that we can continue to re-invest inother areas of our business” Chris Furey,Owner Director, Furey Smyth Group

e Furey Smyth Group have set themselvesapart from the herd by investing in safetyculture systems that target the main riskfactors in high-footfall sectors through apartnership with SeaChange. e group arealways focused on continuous improvementfrom an operations perspective and adoptinnovative solutions that lead to real change.Safety culture is a continuous journey thatrequires attention to remain sustainable, butthe Furey Smyth Group are leading the wayin the retail space and are reaping therewards as a result in terms of increased staffawareness, increased defensibility, reducedaccidents and significantly reduced insurancepremium rates.

REDUCEHOW TO

YOUR INSURANCE COSTSDr. Paul Cummins,Managing Director,

SeaChange Ltd.


Chris Furey, Owner Director,Furey Smyth Group

“I knew I had tobe proactive inmanaging riskthroughout ourretail group.”


ere are several reasons why you shouldthink about cash technology in your store,especially in an economic environment whichmeans the retailer needs to be fully efficientto thrive.

Store design is also not just aboutaesthetically pleasing shops but it’s alsomaking your store design work to give fastertransactions which will help reduce queues inbusy stores.

Store Design is also about minimizing theamount of time that your employees spendhandling cash can help bring better

efficiencies in the workforce. Avoid yourstaff spending unnecessary time on checkingthe day’s till or struggling with countingchange where manual counting can be proneto errors and discrepancies.

Manual cash handling always brings acertain worry for employees, which canimpact their work performance. By removingthe responsibility for cash, the employeeavoids levels of concern in their job and canfocus on other things, such as providing goodservice to your customers.

Removing the manual handling of cash by

the staff can also prevent hygiene issues.Stores such as pharmacies, butchers andconvenience stores will all switch fromhandling cash and coin directly to automatedchange.

In automating your front-office cashhandling, your business can eliminatecounterfeit notes, minimise in-store cashexposure, significantly reduce your teamsman hours dedicated to cash, and benefitfrom a full audit trail on all transactions.

e store design of the future will optimisefor the experience by automation of note andchange giving by our front office cashrecycling systems. It will allow teammembers in store to spend more timeinteracting with the customer and givingthem that final WOW moment beforeleaving. It will team members to focus onother value adding activities such as loyaltyclub sign up, gift wrapping and final productcross selling.

Store Design with the right technology canhelp turn your business from transactiontakers to day makers, with a little help fromGlory!

Retail Excellence chat to David O’Meara,Sales Director with Glory about their tipson improving the customer experience

while also minimizing loss.

Store Design of the

with cash in mind....


However, during this time of almost fullemployment and a new war for talent,employers must be mindful of the other typeof employment contract which exists withevery employee in every organisation – thePsychological Contract.

e Psychological Contract is an unwritten

work agreement between an employee andthe Company covering the expectations ofboth parties. ese expectations can arisefrom overt promises such as bonus systemsor training programmes discussed in theselection process, an employee witnessingother employees’ experiences, an employee’sinterpretation of patterns during their owndealings with the Company and other factorssuch as perceived fairness.

Whilst Psychological Contracts areunwritten and implied, they do govern youremployees behaviour regarding commitment,intention to stay, discretionary effort, policyadherence and lived values. So, nurturingpositive Psychological Contracts can fosterthese behaviours. Neglecting to do so willhave a negative effect on the bottom linethrough attrition, poor customer service andnegative attitudes. ese are all behaviourswhich can potentially lead to disciplinarysanctions requiring management time and anegative impact on culture and Companyethos.

Breaches of Psychological Contracts arecommon and occur when the employeeperceives that something expected was notreceived, which in turn reduces his or hercontribution to the organisation. eirColleagues will also be aware of theperceived breach and are therefore open to

being influenced to display the negativeattitude associated with breaches.

Breaches most frequently occur in relation totraining and development, compensation andpromotion and the most likely reasons forthe breach are unmet expectations, lack oftrust, perceived lack of fairness, roleambiguity and poor relationships.

Preventing a perceived breach is easier thanrepairing the damage later on. So, what canyou do to protect your bottom line andensure that you do not unwittingly breachyour employees’ psychological contract withyour business;

1. Understand and manage their expectations from the recruitment and selection process not just from day 1 Induction

2. Understand and manage expectations on an ongoing basis via team meetings, one to one meetings and general communications

3. Communicate with your team effectively, consistently and in a timely manner.

4. Listen to what your team has to say and let them know they’ve been heard

5. Build resilience in your team so that they can better manage change and challenges

6. Ensure common standards are applied across your business so that there is no perception that people are treated differently in different areas of the business or that different standards apply.

7. Have a clear Employee Value Proposition/ Employer Brand.

8. Have fair access to Training and Development opportunities

Following the enactment of theEmployment (Miscellaneous Provisions)Act 2018 in March of this year, therehas been a lot of focus on contracts ofemployment and ensuring that the 5core employment terms are issuedwithin 5 days.

CONTRACTSUNDERSTANDING THAT YOUR EMPLOYEES HAVE PSYCHOLOGICAL

Tracy O’Brien,Chairperson Retail

Excellence HR Committee.

WITH YOUR BUSINESS CAN CONTRIBUTE TO YOUR BOTTOM LINE


One of the main motivations for people toinvest in property is the possibility ofgenerating a steady income over a longperiod of time. Now that property values areonce again accelerating upwards, particularlyin Dublin, investors can reasonably expect anattractive yield and a potential uplift in value.

THE BENEFITS OF BRICKS AND MORTAR

As with property values, rent levels continueto rise, again with sky-high demand in thecapital pushing Dublin rents 6.8% higherthan a year ago (Daft.ie Q1 2019).is trenddoes not look like reversing.

Here, a key benefit of investing your pensionpot in a rental property is that you will payno income tax on any rent received withinthe pension fund. All rental income is ring-fenced within the pension fund.

If you subsequently decide to sell theinvestment property, the pension fund willnot have to pay capital gains tax (CGT) onthe transaction. As CGT currently stands at33%, this is potentially a significant saving.

A sometimes-overlooked benefit of investingin property through a pension fund is thatyou are using funds that have not beensubject to income tax – this gives you greaterbang for your buck when deciding what typeof property, you wish to invest in.

POTENTIAL PITFALLS: WHY YOU MUSTCONSIDER CAREFULLY

As with any investment, there are potentialdrawbacks too. A pension fund cannot beaccessed until you reach retirement (typicallyage 60). You can access a lump sum and thenhave the option to purchase an annuity ortransfer the remaining balance to anApproved Retirement Fund (ARF). Annuityincome is subject to income tax and universalsocial charge (USC) and any withdrawalsfrom an ARF may be subject to income tax,USC and PRSI. ARFs are subject tomandatory annual taxable withdrawalsdepending on your age and the size of theARF.

e minimum entry level for investing indirect property is high and this could impact

on your liquidity, for example if you need touse all or nearly all your pension fund toinvest. ere are also high ongoing costsassociated with property, both expected(insurance, maintenance, etc.) andunexpected (nasty surprises!).

Before committing, you will also need toconsider your overall investment strategy.After investing in the property, will yourportfolio be adequately diversified? Is there arisk your pension fund will be over-concentrated in property? Will yourinvestment leave you with sufficient liquidityto maintain your lifestyle? ese are vitallyimportant considerations to be talkedthrough with a qualified adviser.

HOW TO INVEST IN PROPERTYTHROUGH YOUR PENSION

If you decide that the pros of propertyinvestment through a pension fund outweighthe cons, the first step is to ensure you have aself-administered pension arrangement thatgives you control over your options (asopposed to having a fund manager making

Through good times and bad, Ireland’s appetite for bricks and mortar has never wavered. Buying or investing in directproperty offers a range of benefits including a reassuring solidity – whatever your stage in life. For many people,

investing in property through a pension fund is a viable and aractive option. There are a number of reasons for this.

REASONSINVESTING YOUR PENSION IN

TOCONSIDER

..... PROPERTY


decisions for you). is can be either a self-administered scheme, a PRSA (personalretirement savings account), a PRB (personalretirement bond) or, if you have alreadyretired, an ARF (approved retirement fund).

As you would expect, there are strict Revenuerules around investing in property through apension fund. In the first instance, yourpension fund cannot invest in a property thatyou own yourself or one that is owned byanyone ‘connected’ to you (e.g. an employeror relative). Similarly, your pension fundcannot then sell the property to a connectedperson (including yourself ).

Property development for the purposes of aquick sale is prohibited, while the propertymust be commercial or residential (yourfinancial adviser will run through theseoptions with you).

CAN YOUR PENSION FUND BORROW?

As long as you don’t have an ARF then yes,you can borrow – subject to certainrestrictions and some proposed changes(please refer to IORP II below). Only assetspurchased by the loan can be used to providesecurity to the lender, for example you cannotassign rental income to the bank as a meansof repayment.

e loan should be repaid in full prior to thenormal retirement age. And, while bankshave loosened up considerably in this area inrecent years, you cannot take out an interest-only loan or borrow for a period of morethan 15 years.

IORP II

A new EU directive on the activities andsupervision of institutions for occupationalretirement provision (IORP II) will betransposed into Irish law shortly. IORPs are

funded occupational Defined Benefit andDefined Contribution pension schemesincluding small self-administered schemes.

Under this directive, scheme’s assets must bepredominantly invested in regulated markets,therefore direct property investments will berestricted. In addition, borrowing will only beallowable for liquidity purposes and only on atemporary basis which will affect a scheme’sability to borrow for direct property.

It is important to note that other pensionstructures like PRSAs, Personal Pensions andBuy out Bonds are not subject to the IORPII directive.

NEXT STEPS

On balance, there are solid reasons toconsider investing in property through apension fund.

Although not back at the levels of the pre-crisis peak, Ireland’s property market issurging ahead once again, both in terms ofvalue and rental yields. For pension fundinvestors, these key indicators providereasonable expectations of a steady stream ofincome being received by your pension fundover a long period of time.

ere are also potential downsides but, onbalance, the benefits of owning property aspart of your pension fund make it aworthwhile consideration. As with all majorfinancial decisions, it is vital to seekprofessional advice that is tailored towardsyour own goals and circumstances.Scheduling a meeting with a financial advisercan help to get you on the right path.

Warning: There are risks associated withpensions. The value of investments may godown as well as up.

Warning: This information is based onDavy’s understanding of current taxlegislation in Ireland and is subject tochange without notice. It is intended as aguide only and not as a substitute forprofessional advice. You should consultyour tax adviser for the rules that apply inyour individual circumstances.

J&E Davy, trading as Davy, is regulated by theCentral Bank of Ireland. Davy is a member ofEuronext Dublin and the London StockExchange. In the UK, Davy is authorised by theCentral Bank of Ireland and authorised andsubject to limited regulation by the FinancialConduct Authority. Details about the extent ofour authorisation and regulation by theFinancial Conduct Authority are available fromus on request.

Peter Feighan, Director, Private Clients

SUPPLIER DIRECTORY

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Address Capture Software GeoDirectory Dara Keogh +353 (0) 1 705 7005 [email protected] www.geodirectory.ie Pallas Foods, Tesco Ireland

ATM Solutions Euronet Worldwide Niall Brady +353 (0) 86 461 9990 [email protected] Gala, Musgrave Group

[email protected] www.euronetworldwide.com

Audit, Tax, Advisory Services Grant Thornton Damian Gleeson +353 (0) 61 607 993 [email protected] Carrolls Irish Gifts

www.grantthornton.ie/industry/consumer-products

Automated Design Tweak Shane Corcoran +353 (0) 66 979 1455 [email protected], www.tweak.com Bewleys, Savills

Branding, Store Design, E-Commerce Bradley Brand and Design Andrew Bradley +353 (0) 86 258 4368 [email protected] www.bradleybrand.ie Fields Jewellers, Kay's Kitchen,

Keelings's

Broadcast Media Sky Media Ireland Gareth Genockey +353 (0) 1 614 7611 [email protected] www.skymedia.ie Albany Home DÈcor

Business Training, Coaching & Mentoring Action Coach Business Coaching Paul Fagan +353 (0) 1 891 6220 [email protected] Gerry Browne Jewellers,

www.actioncoachireland.com The Italian Tile & Stone Studio

Cash Handling Solutions Glory David O'Meara +353 (0) 1 467 0542† [email protected] Musgrave Group

www.glory-global.com

Cash Handling Solutions SUZOHAPP Trevor Andrews +353 (0) 87 958 1277 [email protected] www.suzohapp.com Retail Excellence

Cash Logistics Services GSLS Paul Cahill +353 (0) 87 133 6000 [email protected] [email protected] www.gsls.ie Applegreen,

Denise McCarthy +353 (0) 87 146 5085 O'Briens Wines and Spirits

Coin Counting Machines Coindrum Lukas Decker +353 (0) 1 53 947 88 [email protected] www.coindrum.com Foreign Currency Exchange,

Connected Retail Solutions MJ Flood Technology Keith Hanley +353 (0) 1 466 3526 [email protected] www.mjf.ie Applegreen, Three

Consumer Market Research & Training Customer Perceptions Emma Harte +353 (0) 42 93 39911 [email protected] DAA, RAI

& Optimum Results www.customerperceptions.ie

Creative & Print Services The Smart Group Tom Ryan† +353 (0) 86 780 1626 [email protected] www.thesmartgroup.ie Euronics, FromMe2You

Customer Communication Solutions Circulator Claire Staunton +353 (0) 87 203 1492 [email protected] www.circulator.com Musgrave Group, Smyths Toys

Decorative and Structural Panel Solutions Finsa Forest Products Padraig Condon +353 (0) 61 921 038 [email protected] www.finsa.com Retail Excellence

Digital Experience Platform Acquia Inc. Chris Holt +44 (0) 7759 120075 [email protected] www.acquia.com Retail Excellence

Digital Marketing Agency Core Optimisation Caroline Dunlea +353 (0) 86 086 2840 [email protected] Compu b, Great National Hotels

www.coreoptimisation.co

Digital Marketing Agency Wolfgang Digital Alan Coleman +353 (0) 1 663 8020 [email protected] www.wolfgangdigital.com iClothing, McElhinneys

Domain Name Registration IE Domain Registry Registration Services +353 (0) 1 236 5400 [email protected] www.iedr.ie Matrix Internet, Software Design Ltd

Ecommerce Agency StudioForty9 Ger Keohane +353 (0) 21 239 2349 [email protected] www.studioforty9.com Carrolls Irish Gifts,

Ecommerce Agency Kooomo Leigh Byrne +353 (0) 87 263 5549 [email protected] www.kooomo.com Avoca, Butlers Chocolates

Ecommerce Agency Made to Engage Niall Adams +44 (0)2890 183135 [email protected] Eason, Henderson Group

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Ecommerce Platform Shopify Lauren Helstab [email protected] www.shopify.com Carraig Donn, Diesel, Gym + Coffee

Ecommerce Platform Shopware Heike Zellerhoff +44 7379 233034 [email protected] www.shopware.com BVB, Euronics

Employee Communications Platform Speakap Guy Chiswick +44 (0)7827 289427 [email protected] www.speakap.com McDonalds, Rituals

Employee Workforce Management Solutions Timepoint Colin Ryan +353 (0) 1 406 7610 [email protected] www.timepoint.ie Applegreen, Carroll's Irish Gifts,

Musgrave Group

Energy Services Exemplar Energy Jonathan Fitzpatrick +353 (0) 87 276 8778 [email protected] Arboretum Home and Garden Centre,

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Energy Services Pinergy Colm Foley +353 (0) 1 524 2825 [email protected] www.pinergy.ie Aramark, DNG

EPOS Solutions K3 Retail Mark Bryans +353 (0) 1 820 8321 [email protected] www.k3retail.ie DAA, Woodies

EPOS Solutions Positive Systems Solutions Damien O'Driscoll +353 (0) 1 6296058 [email protected] www.pss.ie Conns Cameras, Croom Cycles

EPOS Solutions Retail Integration Patrick Heslin +353 (0) 1 429 6800 [email protected] www.retail-int.com Mothercare,

O'Briens Wine,Beer and Spirits

EPOS Solutions CBE Oliver Sheridan 1890 373 000 [email protected] www.cbe.ie CH Chemists, Paul Byron Shoes

EPOS Solutions Eirpoint Niall Cannon +353 (0) 65 686 8880 [email protected] www.eirpoint.ie Dubarry Ireland,

Patrick Bourke Menswear

EPOS Solutions Intact Software Mark McArdle +353 (0) 42 933 7142 [email protected] Brett Supplies, Tilestyle

www.intactsoftware.ie

EPOS Solutions & IT Consultancy The IT Department Jason Scott +353 (0) 86 085 0555 [email protected] www.theitdepartment.ie Galvin For Men, Hanley & Co

Facilities Management Grosvenor Services Marianne Lambert +353 (0) 87 980 3377 [email protected] Kildare Village,

www.grosvenorservices.com Westfield Shopping Centre

Financial Services Grid Finance Andrea Linehan +353 (0) 85 192 4047 [email protected] www.gridfinance.ie Blueface, Independent Finance

Providers of Ireland

Foodservice Disposable Packaging Bunzl Irish Merchants Ronnie Brennan +353 (0) 86 172 5000 [email protected] Retail Excellence

www.irishmerchants.com

Footfall Counting, Digital Signage Detectag Retail Services John Dempsey +353 (0) 86 243 7100 [email protected] An Post, Eir, Meteor

& Loss Prevention www.retailservices.ie

Gift voucher and Gift Card Solutions FromMe2You Gift Card John Wall +353 (0) 87 666 6795 [email protected] www.me2you.ie Fields Jewellers, Harvey Norman

Gift Voucher and Gift Card Solutions Love2shop / Park Retail Robert O'Donnell +353 (0) 1 294 4090 [email protected] www.love2shop.ie Argos, Debenhams, Heatons

Graphic Design, Printing, Delivery Sooner Than Later Mark Finney +353 (0) 1 284 4777 [email protected] Domino's Pizza,

www.soonerthanlater.com The Suitable Clothing Company

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Hot Beverage Business Solutions Bewley's Tea & Coffee Hugh Healy +353 (0) 1 533 4717 [email protected] www.bewleys.com Butlers Chocolates, Supermacs

Hotel, Conference Venue Crowne Plaza Blanchardstown Carol Byrne +353 (0) 86 201 8997 [email protected] Avtek, DID Electrical

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Petstop, Skechers

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Insurance InsureMyShop.ie Tommy Brown +353 (0) 1 231 9320 [email protected] www.insuremyshop.ie Fresh The Good Food Market,

Insurance O'Leary Insurances Kim Miley +353 (0) 1 663 0613 [email protected] www.olearyinsurances.ie Retail Excellence

Insurance Broker, Pensions Willis Towers Watson John Golden +353 (0) 86 419 7561 [email protected] www.willis.ie Arboretum, Supermacs

and Risk Management

IT - Domain and Hosting Services Blacknight Michele Neylon +353 (0) 59 918 3072 [email protected] www.blacknight.com Irish Pumps and Valves Ltd,

The Cool Bean Company

IT Solutions & Security Memotech Alexei Udall +353 (0) 41 981 4126 [email protected] www.memotech.ie BWG, Waterford Institute of Technology

IT Solutions & Security Enterprise Defence Ross Palmer + 353 (0) 818 229 239 [email protected] Musgrave Group, Smyth's Toys

www.enterprisedefence.com

IT Solutions & Security Check Point Software Technologies Ruari Haughey +44 (0) 203 701 9391 [email protected] www.checkpoint.com Retail Excellence

IT Solutions & Security Radius Technologies Jerry Buckley 1890 592500 [email protected] www.radius.ie Ardkeen Stores, Electrocity

Label Solutions IMS Labels Steven Burke +353 (0) 1 295 4544 [email protected] www.imslabels.ie Barry Group, Musgrave Group

Legal Advice & Services Baily Homan Smyth McVeigh Solicitors Joe McVeigh +353 (0) 1 440 8300 [email protected] www.bhsm.ie Leon Ireland

Licence Exempt Music Provider Amazing Media Grant Thompson +44 (0)191 603 0180 [email protected] Woodies

www.amazinginstore.com

Location Intelligence Solutions Gamma Location Intelligence Richard Garry +353 (0) 1 707 9888 [email protected] www.gamma.ie Bank of Ireland,

Fastway Couriers, Musgrave Group

Logistics DHL Express Ciara Hynes +353 (0) 86 197 0085 [email protected] www.dhl.ie Carrollís Irish Gifts, Eurostyle

Logistics DPD Tim Dare +353 (0) 906 420 500 [email protected] www.dpd.ie Harvey Norman

Marketing Automation Pointy Cathal D'Arcy +353 (0) 83 045 1817 [email protected] www.pointy.com Blackrock Cellar, Expert Hardware

Mystery Shopping, Store Assessments Crest Mystery Shopping Ireland Michele Cawley +353 (0) 65 684 6927 [email protected] www.crestireland.com Harvey Norman

Omni-Channel Retail Solutions ProStrategy Joe Kelly +353 (0) 1 429 1977 [email protected] www.prostrategy.ie Allcare Pharmacy Group,

Casey's Furniture, Ecco Shoes

Online Training Solutions Olive Media Robbie Glynn +353 (0) 86 144 9012 [email protected] www.olivemedia.com Tesco Ireland

Out Of Home Media Advertising Exterion Media Sandra Doyle +353 (0) 1 669 4500 [email protected] Dunnes Stores, Hammerson

www.exterionmedia.ie

Packaging Recycling & Recovery Compliance Repak Mark Hayden +353 (0) 1 467 0190 [email protected] www.repak.ie Musgrave Group,

O Birds Foodmarket Ltd

Payment Solutions AIB Merchant Services Mark Patterson +353 (0) 86 189 3681 [email protected] www.aibms.com Born Clothing, Brook Foods

Personal Wealth Management Davy Group Kevin Doherty +353 (0) 1 614 8778 [email protected] www.davy.ie Retail Excellence

Personalised Retail Packaging Barry Packaging Eamonn Barry +353 (0) 87 263 9487 [email protected] The National Gallery of Ireland,

www.barrypackaging.com Totalhealth

Personalised Retail Packaging Delpac Maria O’Grady +353 (0) 66 947 9298 [email protected] www.delpac.ie Arnotts, Patrick Bourke Menswear

Personalised Retail Packaging JJ O’Toole Vicki O'Toole +353 (0) 61 229 333 [email protected] www.jjotoole.ie Arboretum Home and Garden Centre,

Newbridge Silverware

Pharmacy IT Solutions McLernons Robin Hanna +353 (0) 1 450 1916 [email protected] www.mclernons.ie Mulligan Pharmacy Group,

Sam McCauley Chemists

Printer Solutions - Office & Business Brother Derek Kelleher +353 (0) 1 241 1900 [email protected] www.brother.ie Harvey Norman, Power City

Print and Design Kingdom Printers David Keane 066 712 1136 [email protected] Retail Excellence

www.kingdomprinters.net

Recruitment Excel Recruitment Barry Whelan +353 (0) 1 814 8747 [email protected] Kilkenny Group, Topaz

www.excelrecruitment.ie

Recruitment Teamworx Amy McGlynn +353 (0) 45 898037 [email protected] www.teamworx.ie County Kildare Chamber,

Kilkenny Group

Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Anglo Irish Refrigeration Trevor Wright +353 (0) 87 820 0245 [email protected] www.anglo-irish.com Applegreen, BWG

Retail Design Maria O'Neill Retail Design & Associates Maria O'Neill +353 (0) 87 250 7964 [email protected], Gino's Italian Ice Cream,

www.excelrecruitment.ie Stafford's Bakery

Retail Design and Branding Tap Creations Criona Turley + 353 (0) 86 853 6408 [email protected] www.tapcreations.ie Jump Juice Bars, Musgrave Group

Retail Execution Solutions Reflexis Systems Anton Medford +44 (0) 7979 706285 [email protected] Retail Excellence

www.reflexisinc.com

Retail Lighting Specialists Pro-Light Design & Technology Paul Hanlon +353 (0)1 2962607 [email protected] www.pro-light.ie Donnybrook Fair, Ladbrokes

Risk Management Solutions Seachange Paul Cummins +353 (0) 87 052 24 95 [email protected] Applegreen

www.seachange.ie McCabes Pharmacy Group

Security and Electronic Equipment Service MTS Security Gerry Scully + 353 (0) 818 365538 [email protected] www.mtssecurity.ie BWG, Topaz

STAR

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Security Tagging and Footfall Counting Virtek Vincent McKeown +353 (0) 1 885 1718 [email protected] www.virtek-irl.com Centra Dromiskin, Willow

Shopfitting and Retail Design Johnston Shopfitters ShaneBrennan +353 (0) 86 244 0714 [email protected] Carolls Irish Gifts, Easons

Andrew Johnston +353 (0) 1 419 0419 [email protected] Meaghers Pharmacy Group

www.johnston-shopfitters.com

Shopfitting and Retail Design IIS Space Nick Fitzgerald +353 (0) 87 125 1774 [email protected] www.iisspace.com Centra, Eir

Shopfitting and Retail Design Store Design Paul Ryan +353 (0) 1 413 1350 [email protected] [email protected] Fallers Jewellers

[email protected] Patrick Bourke Menswear

www.storedesign.ie

Shopfitting and Retail Design Storefit Shopfitters Eamonn Brien +353 (0) 21 4344544 [email protected] www.storefit.com Ecco Shoes, Sam McCauley Chemists

Shopfitting and Retail Design Storebest Shopfitting Stephen Murphy +353 (0) 87 638 4359 [email protected] www.storebest.ie Homestore & More, Vodafone

Specialist Entrance Matting Provider Footfall Ger Halloran +353 (0) 86 235 3515 [email protected] www.footfall.ie Dunnes Stores, Musgrave Group

Stocktaking Service Stocktaking.ie Patrick McDermott +353 (0) 87 138 9813 [email protected] [email protected] Carraig Donn, Elverys, Tiger Stores

Sharon Kelly +353 (0) 86 389 9542 www.stocktaking.ie

Stocktaking Service TakeStock Bernard Brown +353 (0) 1 77 55 242 [email protected] www.wecount.ie Joyce's Supermarket, Musgrave group

Stocktaking Service Retail & Asset Solutions Colm Roche +353 (0) 87 781 3678 [email protected] B&Q, DAA, Lloyds

Stocktaking, Merchandising & Retail Services RGIS Inventory Specialists Marcin Dettlaff +353 (0) 87 1272698 [email protected] www.rgis.ie Lifestyle Sports, Tesco Ireland

Store Design Fitting DDC Group Ashley Gardiner +353 (0) 1 401 3050 [email protected] www.ddcshopfit.ie Ebay, IKEA

Tax free Shopping Global Blue Mark Cox +353 (0) 87 707 5041 [email protected] www.globalblue.com The Cloth Shop, Zwilling

Kildare Outlets

Telecommunications Ripplecom Arlene Kenny +353 (0) 61 571154 [email protected] www.ripplecom.net Barry Group, Supermacs

Video Production and Graphic Design Another Avenue Sharyn Mitchell +353 (0) 1 660 1588 [email protected] Retail Excellence, Sky Ireland

www.anotheravenue.com

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