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The latest retail news from TK Maxx, Frasers Group, Made, Bensons for Beds, AO, Cos, Decathalon, Sosandar, Next, Gap, Waitrose, PrettyLittleThing, Vegamour and articles on why mobile will be big for Black Friday, why Klarna is creating a super-app, how retailers are dealing with the cost-of-living and more.

To see the latest news go to our Twitter account @prshotsr

THE LATEST RETAIL INDUSTRY NEWS

TJX Companies posts 2% sales drop in Q2 but lifts FY23 outlook

TK Maxx parent TJX Companies saw Q2 sales down 2% to $11.8bn but sales were up 5% overall for the first half at $23.3bn and net income $809m and predicts full year pre-tax profit to be 9.3-9.5%

Frasers Group makes offer for MySale

Frasers Group has made and an offer for Australian ecommerce flash sale site MySale. The group already owns 28.7% of MySale and has offered 2p per share for the online retailer.

Made.com calls in advisers to shore up balance sheet

Online furniture retailer Made.com has called in advisers PwC to evaluate cost-cutting and other restructuring options including a share sale to raise around £50m.

Bensons for Beds gets new funding as it hires ex-Asda exec as COO

Bensons for Beds has secured new funding from owner Alteri Investors, to help grow from 160  stores to 190 in the next two years and to invest in new manufacturing, digital and distribution.

AO swings into the red as sales fall and it braces for further ‘volatility’

AO has reported a full-year loss in its delayed results as boss John Roberts says the etailer fights “through one of the most challenging operating environments we’ve weathered as a company”.

Amazon investigated by CMA over suspected anti-competitive practices

Amazon is being investigated by the CMA (Competition and Markets Authority) over concerns that practices affecting sellers on its UK marketplace may be anti-competitive.

Cash will be just 6% of payments in next decade

During 2021, 23.1m consumers either used no notes or coins at all, or used them only about once a month, up from 13.7m in 2020 and 5.4m in 2018 .

Walmart beats Q2 earnings estimates

US retail giant Walmart Q2 revenue came in at $152.9bn, up 8.4% from a year ago, hitting the top of analysts estimates and the brand now predicts sales growth of 4.5% for the full year.

Asda chair slams Boris Johnson for not being ‘in charge’ during ‘horrifying’ cost of living crisis

Asda boss Lord Stuart Rose has slammed PM Boris Johnson for not being in charge while the UK faces a “horrifying” inflation crisis that is “not about to go away”.

UK households cancel Amazon Prime in droves

Some 600,000 UK households have cancelled their Amazon Prime subscriptions, as the ongoing cost of living crisis continues to impact streaming services,

TRENDS, STRATEGY AND TECHNOLOGY

Why mobile is set to be a big channel for merchants this Black Friday

Shoppers are expected to increase their mobile shopping this Black Friday from last years’ high of 68% of Black Friday traffic delivered from mobile devices.

How Klarna is striving for ‘super-app’ status

Amid a challenging backdrop for BNPL firms, Klarna is striving to expand its offering and add value for its customers with new app features that go beyond the normal financial services remit.

How retailers are acting to ease the squeeze on consumers and staff

Retail Week rounds up the key measures businesses have taken since April to ease the squeeze on their colleagues and customers.

Decathlon’s rapid pivot to omni-channel

Family-owned sports retailer Decathlon specialises in outdoor equipment, apparel and footwear with 2080 stores and is a pioneer in online sports retail, and is rapidly bringing the two together.

PEOPLE, MOVERS AND SHAKERS

Sosandar names new Non-Executive Director

Sosandar has announced the appointment of Lesley Watt as Non-Executive Director, effective from 1 September 2022.

BRAND NEWS

Cos launches wholesale business

H&M owned Cos is expanding into the wholesale business, announcing three new partnerships with global ecommerce platform Yoox, Nordstrom and German department store Breuninger.

Next to open five more Gap shop-in-shops

Next is set to open a further five Gap branded shop-in-shops including ones in Lakeside, Birmingham and Manchester in as it enters the next stage of its joint venture with the US retailer.

Waitrose partners with Pinterest for Summer Food Festival campaign

Social media network Pinterest has collaborated with Waitrose for the launch of the grocer’s summer campaign on the platform.

PrettyLittleThing launches £15 beauty box subscription

PrettyLittleThing has launched a new £15 monthly Beauty Box Subscription service where shoppers can get a promised £60 worth of makeup and skincare delivered to their door every month

Hair brand Vegamour launches in the UK

Hair wellness brand Vegamour has launched in the UK following an investment from actress Nicole Kidman in May.

AND FINALLY

Stranger Things season four generates £22.8m in brand placement

Since launching in May, Netflix’s season four of Stranger Things has generated more than $27.4m (£22.8m) in brand placement.

PRSHOTS TOP 10 SEARCHES

What were our users searching for on PRShots week-ending Aug 12^th 2022?

1/ AW22

2/ Halloween   

3/ Christmas  

4/ SS22

5/ Jacket

6/ Back to school

7/ Lighting

8/ Feathers

9/ Satin   

10/ Candles

COLLABORATIONS ON PRSHOTS

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

NEW BRANDS TO PRSHOTS

Swealthy is a Midlands-based home décor and interior design company selling the finest quality homeware, gifts, furniture, art, coffee table books, lighting and so much more and making it available to all through 'attainable opulence.'

Wild Clouds started because they wanted more from their clothing. More sustainability, more longevity, more versatility, more comfort, and they wanted them to be affordable. They’re committed to slow fashion, making seasonless clothing locally in London, using the most sustainable materials they can find.

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

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

Sarvin is a Persian-influenced brand, delivering ethically conscious womenswear with distinctive, high-quality garments handpicked from the finest fabrics and materials designed with the majority of the clothes made in the UK.

Teva produced the original sport sandal on the shores of the Grand Canyon back in 1984. Born out of necessity to prevent sandals from floating downstream, a resourceful river guide strapped two Velcro watchbands to a pair of old flip-flops. And just like that, Teva was born.

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

Peacocks was founded by Albert Frank Peacock in Warrington, in 1884 with the principle of value for money and that still holds today with its good value clothing ranges for men, women and children. The latest Weekend range features brand ambassador Louise Redknapp.

Bonmarché returns to PRShots with its Spring Summer 2022 range if women’s clothing. The range features long, midi and short dresses as well as jackets, swimsuits, shirts and t-shirts

HELP WITH YOUR IMAGE SEARCHES

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

BRANDS WITH NEW IMAGES

Clothing, beauty and accessories

Very has new V by Very ranges

Monsoon  has new dresses made from sustainable cotton

Matalan has new Halloween outfits

Primark has a new accessories and makeup, a Keith Haring collaboration, a Mickey Mouse collaboration and new bag and shoe collections and maternity outfits

Sonder Studio has new AW22 ranges

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

Dune London has new accessories shoes and boots for the autumn and 30th anniversary range

Fatface has new clothes for women and kids plus pet accessories

Lipsy has new AW22 outfits

Regatta has outdoor outfits for kids and adults

John Lewis has new clothing and accessories

Freemans has new Julien Macdonald and Aniston womenswear ranges

George at Asda has new womenswear ranges

Barbour has Women’s ranges and back to school outfits

New Look has new women’s ranges

TU Clothing has going out ranges

Roman Originals has more new SS22 outfits

NoLoGo has new womens ranges

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

The Morphbag  Shoe Zone River Island Joe Browns PrettyLittleThing  Aspiga Feel Unique National Trust Shop F&F Dancing Leopard Office  

Home and food

Paperchase has added its Christmas Cosmic Wonder stationery and gift ranges

Biscuiteers Baking has biscuits inspired by nursery rhymes and Christmas food

Matalan has Christmas gifts and decorations

Cuckooland has new home ranges

The Range has its Halloween and Christmas ranges available

Daisy Park has new Christmas decorations

M&Co  has home accessories and Christmas home ranges

Abstract House has new designs

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

Next has its Christmas home ranges. new furniture and Lucy Tiffney ranges

Wilko has festive decorations Christmas and Halloween, and AW22 home 

Regatta has garden, picnic and BBQ items

John Lewis has new Christmas Winter Fayre ranges of decorations, gifts and furniture

Fritz Fryer has new lighting

B&M has new Christmas and homeware ranges

Furniture Village has new Christmas imagery and desks for the home

NoLoGo has Christmas table accessories

See more new home images from the last two weeks from

Cult Furniture  National Trust Shop Dunelm George Home Dune London Cartwright & Butler Cambridge Imprint

Looking for inspiration??

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

How to make your products attractive to the media in August    

Summer is in full-swing and hopefully the weather will improve – ie stop raining in the north and stop being so damn hot in the south – so add anything summery including summer clothing, swimwear, and push anything to do with the outside; garden furniture, anything for a garden party, or a picnic or barbecue, and don’t forget to add all of the other spellings BBQ, Bar-B-Que etc and other related keywords like picnics, garden party, garden parties etc. 

As we’re now all able to travel again there’s still plenty of scope to add summer beach and holiday wear and accessories for the beach and picnics. However, we’re not all lucky enough to go abroad so we suggest you still add keywords and phrases like “staycation” “holistay” “holiday at home” to your keywords and why not suggest clothing like raincoats, coats, hoodies, and cardigans and if you have them then firepits and chimineas for the colder UK evenings would be good.

It's also not too early to be thinking about back-to-school items - Scottish schools start again end of August – and university students will be getting ready to sort out their wardrobes and rooms so add fresher as a keyword.  

It’s also still time to add a few early Halloween ideas and Christmas gifts if you have them. 

August Diary - Weeks/Months

Music festivals are back again, so add any festival wear you have, particularly around the August bank holiday weekend with Reading/Leeds festivals 26-29^th August. 

The 17^th marks 100 days until the Black Friday/Cyber Monday (25-28^th Nov) weekend so start preparing for those sales now.

Weeks to celebrate this month include; World Breastfeeding week (1-7^th August) the Edinburgh Festival (5-28^th August)

August - Days

19^th – Janmashtami – (Hindu Holiday)

20^th – World Honeybee Day

21^st – World Senior Citizens Day

23^rd - International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition 

25^th – National Secondhand Wardrobe Day

25^th – National Burger Day

25^th – Christmas in August

26^th - Women's Equality Day

28^th – National Red Wine Day

27-29^th – Notting Hill Carnival

29^th – August Bank Holiday

30^th – Ganesh Chaturthi - Hindu holiday

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

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