Kate Hills, the founder and CEO of membership organisation Make it British, has called on big fashion retailers to become more transparent in their sourcing practices. In an interview with InternetRetailing, Hills argued that consumers “care more now than ever before” and that retailers should build a “much closer relationship with their customers”.
Kate Hills, the founder and CEO of membership organisation Make it British, has called on big fashion retailers to become more transparent in their sourcing practices. In an interview with InternetRetailing, Hills argued that consumers “care more now than ever before” and that retailers should build a “much closer relationship with their customers”.
Hills warned that retailers should not rely on artificial intelligence (AI) to replace craftsmanship, saying “You cannot replace craftsmanship with AI”. She also predicted that more online-only retailers will take advantage of pop-up venues without committing to a physical site.
This prediction has already come to fruition, with online-only retailer Shein opening its doors to its latest pop-up experience in Birmingham, occupying the former Karen Millen store for two days. The success of this pop-up has led Shein to announce plans to host around 30 pop-up stores this year.
With many of Make it British’s clients being online-only retailers, Hills also predicts the future for physical retail.
“We are seeing many online retailers take advantage of pop-up venues without committing a physical site,” she says. “It would be good to see more empty stores on the high street being let out to small businesses to share space where they might not have been able to afford to run their physical store.”
Sources: https://internetretailing.net/kate-hills-transparent/
