Valentine’s Day. Ahhh, the sweetness of love. And loved especially by UK Valentine’s Day retailers, who look to increase sales by 40% around this day. But why all the attention by brands and retailers? This industry-defining holiday falls in the middle of February and provides a big opportunity to take advantage of pent up consumer … Continue reading Valentine’s Day: A Retail Love Story

My name is Hannah-Rose Liggins, I’m 24 years old and am originally from Greenwich, London. I have spent most of my working life in retail and in primarily customer-facing roles, as a result I am used to long hours, working to a set brief, and of course merchandising here and there. I was first introduced to the … Continue reading Celebrating Success: Kickstart, Hannah-Rose Liggins

CBD,  Cannabidiol… is one of many chemicals called cannabinoids. Naturally, it is found within hemp and cannabis. CBD is finally emerging from a murky journey shrouded in half-truths and mystery largely driven by ignorance and assumption, in to mainstream recognition. It is also a journey worth hundreds of millions in retails sales in the UK … Continue reading To CBD or not to CBD?

I’ve been working for eXPD8 as a Kickstart for 3 months now, and this is actually my first job ever, so I am very grateful to have been given this opportunity through the Government Kickstart Scheme. As this is my first job, I went in not knowing what to expect or what would be expected of me.  Over the past few months, I have begun to … Continue reading Celebrating Success: Kickstart, Samuel Jackson

Starting a new role is daunting, and this was no less the case for myself when I started my journey with eXPD8. Having found myself in the unenviable position of not having a permanent role during the pandemic, and having a hard time finding one, the position of Client Services Administrator became available to me … Continue reading Celebrating Success: Client Services Administrator, Jimi Brock

My name is Lauren, I’m 23 and from Oxford. Before I joined eXPD8, I was working as a box office supervisor at the O2 Academy Bristol. I love to work, and for a while I was unsure on the career I wanted. Through my experiences in different customer service roles, I eventually stumbled upon the specialism … Continue reading Celebrating Success: Learning & Development Apprentice, Lauren Hegarty

Protecting our mental health has never been more important. The pandemic marches on and with it comes a plethora of issues for the retail industry and individual alike. A recent Retail Trust survey found that 91% of line-managers have seen an increase in mental health issues among staff since the start of the pandemic, showing … Continue reading Protecting our Mental Health: Retail in Winter

Christmas retail planning. It’s huge in the UK, and this year (after last year) is going to be bigger still. Be prepared, and the opportunity for retail brands is substantial. For many, it’s the key season to balance the books for the year. However, those that aren’t prepared risk failure. Why? Because the visibility and … Continue reading Christmas Retail Planning 2021: Get your Field Merchandising Wrapped Up!

Security and tagging are both very important measures in retail generally. It helps protect a stores shrinkage margin, which is one of the main key performance indicators in all retail sectors. Security is used in many ways in retail, with its main function to protect stock, reduce shrinkage and to protect the store and team. … Continue reading Security and Tagging – eXPD8 beauty

Alas, my friends, my time has come! I have reached my eXPiry date. I am finally to take my place among the stars, in that twinkling pantheon of eX-eXPD8 employees; my face another ghost on the photo gallery wall, my House Team mug gathering dust on the kitchen shelf, my signature fading from memory on … Continue reading Six Things I’ll Miss from Six Years at eXPD8 – Joe Ledbury