2010: The year that was

2010 has seen some setbacks but many positives for independent retailers. Better Retailing is all about helping you avoid the pitfalls and exploit the opportunities. We’ve had a great time developing Better Retailing, and have really enjoyed your comments and feedback. Below are some of our favourite posts of the year, we hope you enjoy revisiting them:

1. The year of the e-reader:

I spoke to some retailers last year about how worried they were about e-readers, such as Amazon’s Kindle, and the impact it would have on their business. Most looked at me blankly.

2. Britain edges out of recession:

So, today we “officially” moved out of recession. The economy grew by 0.1% in the last quarter of 2009, the Office of National Statistics announced today, meaning that the 18-month recession – the worst since the 1930s – is officially over.

3. Gangs of London

Created and endorsed by former gang members themselves, Gangsoflondon reveals the territory, history and characteristics of over 100 of London’s most notorious gangs, with chilling names like The Blood Block and Kamikaze Krew.

4. Irish display ban boosts counterfeit trade

We know that big tobacco companies and the TRA have been saying this for a while now, but when statistics show that only one third of all cigarettes smoked in Ireland now are bought from a legitimate Irish store, we know that something is wrong. The tactics that the smugglers and illicit dealers are using are becoming more and more personal as well. Posting price-lists through the letterboxes of consumers, for example, seems to be a particularly low and crafty way of hawking your illicit wares.

5. Local sales growing faster than the grocery sector

Figures from the Institute of Grocery Distribution released earlier this month show that the convenience market is growing faster than the grocery market, up 6.3 per cent in the past year to £30.9 billion. Better news, the IGD says it will grow strongly over the next five years to £41.2bn in 2015.

6. Six things shoppers love and seven they hate

Paco Underhill has used the science of shops to help independent retailers understand their customers. He has revealed the top thing shopper’s love and hate

7. Theo Paphitis issues a call to arms for indepedents

Retail is about working with your suppliers and keeping shoppers happy. It is not about stacking shelves. Mr Paphitis believes retail jobs are great jobs and he promotes them. “Retail is a career; we are NOT shelfstackers!”