It’s certainly not the time for the Retail industry to rest on its laurels. For, despite all the positive growth and news, last month saw a little reality check with UK retail sales falling as storms and the cost of living crisis hit customer behaviour.

But there is a silver lining. With people venturing out more, the proportion of online retail sales dropped to its lowest level since March 2020, at 22.7%, having peaked in February 2021 at 37.7%, and as Heather Bovil from the Office of National Statistics says, retail businesses with bricks and mortar outlets felt the impact on sales less:

It’s very hard to predict what will happen across the next year. Even “the Nostradamus of Retail”, Lord Wolfson, the boss at Next, does not know:

The report highlights 9 disruptors, all of whom are delivering an exceptional customer experience and driving repeat purchases and long-term loyalty, but we’ll put a spotlight on just one; Pasta Evangelists.

The pasta subscription service founded in 2016 has delivered an explosion in revenues in recent years, driven by the start of the pandemic when people were ordered to stay at home. Turnover has jumped from £79,000 in 2017 to more than £21m in 2021.

Customers can order from a weekly menu of 15 recipes, which are delivered chilled to their door on the day of their choosing, but the business is increasingly pursuing a multichannel approach (surely vital for any retailer’s future success), having struck distribution deals with supermarkets Ocado and M&S.

Co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer Finn Lagun says; “We want our customers to recognise the fresh, artisan nature of our pasta: unlike ostensibly fresh pasta sold in supermarkets, our products are artisanally – rather than industrially – made.”

OUR ALGORITHM IS A DANCER.

He’s also a foot tapper, a head bobber and, very occasionally, a gifted air guitarist. He’s a person, called James, and he does the job that most places leave to the robots.

Curated by superhumans.

Blending artificial intelligence, and actual intelligence, James oversees the curation of the playlists that influence the way your customers shop. Because, while the tech, data and science are important, there’s nothing better at picking music for humans, than humans. Especially our humans.

Walk this way, talk this way…

You have to walk the walk if you talk the talk, so here’s Phil Whittle, Retail Director at footwear brand schuh, on how we helped transform their brand’s customer experience:

“Startle went beyond our requests for a good music and signage solution and presented a bespoke, forward-thinking technology strategy. Coupled with their commitment to excellent service, they really stood out amongst other providers and have exceeded our expectations so far.”

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