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RETAIL INDUSTRY

Global retail trade association launches its first African chapter

By our News Team | 2023

Organisation’s mission is to offer education, insights and events that help drive the evolution of the retail industry around the world.

The global retail trade association known as ‘Shop!’ has launched a South African chapter to add to its growing presence around the world. The SA chapter is its first in Africa. 

Shop! is dedicated to enhancing retail environments and experiences. The organisation says its mission is to offer education, insights and events that help drive the evolution of retail.

Its members include major retailers, agencies with shopper and digital offerings, production houses, point-of-sale (POS) manufacturers and brands.

Retail Industry

Photo by Edgars Kisuro from Pexels

“Our vision is to build a successful community where we can share, collaborate, upskill, network and acknowledge the excellent result-driven work that is being created by brands, manufactures, retailers and agencies,” says Project Manager for SA, Ashleigh Wilson.

One of the new chapter’s aims is to upskill and educate the industry around shopper marketing, which Wilson describes as a huge growth opportunity for consumer brands.

“Shopper marketing is often seen as an add-on to other in-store and POS campaigns, but it’s a critical part of any brand deliverables,” explains Wilson. 

Everything starts at the heart of the shopper

“It’s all about understanding that everything we do starts at the heart of the shopper. We can’t simply focus on awareness: we’ve got to change consumer behaviour and drive the bottom line by moving the shopper to buy.” 

The Shop Awards will be launched in March, working towards an event later in 2023 that celebrates work which has delivered tangible results and moved the dial meaningfully in the retail space.

Says Shop! Global Development Director, Leo van de Polder: “Congratulations to the newly formed Shop! SA team with subject matter experts Di Wilson, Chris Hewitt, Janet Kirkbride and Ashleigh Wilson. Many years of combined experience in marketing, shopper, education, research, production and design at retail – plus their dedication to the industry – are sure to set the chapter up for success.”

According to Forbes business magazine, global retailers and brands are coming out of a pandemic that has essentially lasted three years. 

“Over the past year, challenges across the supply chain, inflationary pricing, economic uncertainty, and geo-political factors have taxed retailers and squeezed the financials. With the new year, however, there is a positive outlook and focus on the customer shopping journey. As retailers adjust to a new normal, a seamless experience and hybrid shopping are shaping the future of retail,” Forbes says.

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Dr Kin did his PhD research in Computer Security and Identity Management at Security of Systems Group, Radbond University in Nigmegen, Netherlands. He previously served as a lecturer of e-Government and Information Security at Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda and Radbond University in Netherlands.

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