TOP INDUSTRY ACCOLADE
Debenhams was tonight crowned “The Brandbank Multichannel Retailer of the Year” at High Street Oscars, the Oracle Retail Week Awards 2012.
In order to drive growth, Debenhams has implemented several multichannel initiatives offering customers flexibility in how they shop. The retailer now offers mobile enabled, fully transactional sites across iPhone, Andriod and Nokia handsets as well as apps that feature a barcode scanner enabling customers to scan items in store and obtain product information and customer reviews.
QR codes have also been utilised in its advertising campaigns allowing customers to instantly ‘shop the ad’. In addition, new generation kiosks are also being installed across its store portfolio to enable customers to browse and order items online if they’re not available in store. The retailer has also established new online only brands and product categories to encourage shopping across all platforms.
The biggest and most established event in the UK retail industry calendar, a total of eighteen awards were presented at the Oracle Retail Week Awards ceremony, held in London’s West End. The further seventeen winners are:
The Oracle Retailer of the Year; Burberry
Outstanding Contribution to Retail; Lord Harris of Peckham
The Clarity Search Retail Leader of the Year; Ian Cheshire,
The Wipro International Retailer of the Year; Apple
The Alix Partners Emerging Retail Leader of the Year; Catriona Marshall, HobbyCraft
The Premium Tax Free Speciality Retailer of the Year; Holland & Barrett
Store Manager of the Year; Ian Allcock, Homesbase (Aylesford, Kent)
The Deloitte Employer of the Year; Morrisons
Responsible Retailer of the Year; B&Q
Growing Retailer of the Year; Hallett Retail
Store Design of the Year; Next Home and Garden, Holmbush Centre, West Sussex
Customer Service Initiative of the Year; Dixons Retail PLC, KNOWHOW
The Wates Retail Destination of the Year; Westfield Stratford
TCC Marketing/Advertising Campaign of the Year; Sainsbury’s, Feed Your Family for £50
The CA Technologies Retail Technology Initiative of the Year; Oasis
The RR Donnelley Pure Play Online Retailer of the Year; Wiggle
The Ashton Partnership Product Innovation of the Year; Chad Valley, Argos
Speaking about the award, George MacDonald, Deputy Editor of Retail Week, commented: “Debenhams has utilised technology well in order to adapt and roll out a seamless shopping experience across all its channels. From a consumer perspective it’s important to enjoy the same feel and connection with a trusted retailer across all shopping platforms and Debenhams have achieved this well.”
Sarah Taylor, Senior Director, Oracle Retail said: “These important Awards recognise the achievements of those individuals and organisations that make British retail great. Oracle is committed to supporting the development of excellence, innovation, creativity and agility within retail businesses and we offer our congratulations to Debenhams.”
Emap – the publisher of Retail Week magazine and organisers of the Oracle Retail Week Awards – is a proud supporter of the Retail Trust, the charity that looks after the needs of all three million people working in retail. The Retail Trust is a vital presence in the industry, providing a range of free services including counselling, legal advice, debt advice, hardship grants, course funding and retirement housing throughout the UK. The Retail Trust offers support to both individuals working in retail and their families.
For further information, please contact:
Emma Hammond Emma Phelan
FTI Consulting FTI Consulting
Tel: 020 7269 9347 Tel: 020 7269 9313
Mobile: 07754 667 639 Mobile: 07711 378600
Email: emma.hammond@fticonsulting.com Email: emma.phelan@fticonsulting.com
About the Oracle Retail Week Awards
Now in their seventeenth year, the Oracle Retail Week Awards 2012 are designed to celebrate and reward the foremost aspects of the retail sector. One of the most important dates in the retail calendar, the awards are the biggest in the UK retail industry, with over 1,600 people attending the sold-out event each year to celebrate the best in retail.
In total, there are 12 categories that are open to entries ranging from Marketing/Advertising Campaign of the Year to Store Manager of the Year. In addition, six awards are voted for by a panel of judges comprising some of the most senior figures in the UK retail sector, including the Oracle Retailer of the Year and Retail Destination of the Year.
The judging panel comprises some of the most influential names in the UK retail sector, including;
Andy Clarke, Chief Executive, ASDA Group
Terry Duddy, Chief Executive, Home Retail Group
Ian Filby, Chief Executive, DFS
Simon Fox, Chief Executive, HMV Group
Alan Giles, Chairman, Fatface
Vanessa Gold, Managing Director, Ann Summers
Mark Newton-Jones, Chief Executive, Shop Direct Group
Richard Pennycook, Group Finance Director, Morrisons
Mike Shearwood, Chief Executive, Aurora Fashions
Euan Sutherland, Chief Executive, B&Q
Rob Templeman, Chairman, Gala Coral and British Retail Consortium
Laura Wade-Gery, Executive Director Multichannel E-commerce, Marks & Spencer
