On Thursday at a glamorous event held at Mandarin Oriental in London’s Knightsbridge the fourth Annual Internet Retailing awards took place. As always this is no stuffed shirt affair, it’s Internet Retailing’s trademark celebratory party rather than a formal dinner.
The awards are of course the main course, but there’s no hanging about as the cream of UK retail is recognised. The important part is the party which kicks into full swing after the awards to celebrate the achievements of the last year and network in an informal setting with some of the best retailers in the land.
The event was full of interesting people, one of the most interesting I met were the guys from Halfords who were full of enthusiasm for their new marketplace, it’s performance to date and their plans for the future (more on that coming soon).
Here are the winners:
THE INNOVATION AWARD
Judging Criteria: A new service or invention; Innovative use of an existing technology, process or capability; Landmark implementation of new technology, process or capability
Winner: House of Fraser
THE MOBILE AWARD
Judging Criteria: Customer experience via a mobile device; Use of technology for the mobile device; Business model for the mobile channel; More than just ‘buying’, managing the order process before, during and after the sale
Winner: House of Fraser
THE DIGITAL STORE AWARD
Judging Criteria: Effective use of the store or physical environment to support multichannel selling; Use of digital technologies in-store/place; Staff training, capability and service in exploiting the digital capabilities; Integration of the digital store into a seamless proposition; Commercial exploitation of in-store digital; Deployments at scale that look ‘normal’ and fully-integrated; “Wow” examples of the next stages within IRIS.
Winner: Marks and Spencer
THE CUSTOMER AWARD
Judging Criteria: Customer policies and distinctive supporting behaviours; Net Promoter [tm] score and customer advocacy; Positive sentiment and reviews; Share of voice (positive) via Social Media channels; Commercial impact linked to the customer experience; A notable change in customer perception and engagement
Winner: eSpares
THE INTERNATIONAL AWARD
Judging Criteria: Percentage of total sales made in non-UK market(s); Number of marketing served; Variety of foreign markets serviced; Growth in international sales; Profitability; Adaptation to individual markets (language, culture, operational context); Innovative approach to international growth; Significant launch, entry or step-change in operations
Winner: ASOS
THE MARKET ENTRY AWARD
Judging Criteria: Public launch (open for selling) since 1 January, 2013 or later; Retailer has adopted eCommerce (to add to stores) or stores (to add to ecommerce pure-play) since 1 January 2013 or later; Viable retail business (ie not just a concept operation or loss-leader); The launch/entry shows signs of best practice from the outset; Likely to influence established players as a result of distinctive approach; Clear record of growth
Winner: Hello Fresh
THE SERVICE RETAIL AWARD
Judging Criteria: The extent to which the service solves a problem or creates a new business; The impact of the service upon retailers – either as a partner, supplier or a new expectation level to meet for their customers
Winner: UBER
THE BRAND AWARD
Judging Criteria: Product or service brand that sells only their own products (perhaps with limited curated supplementary lines); Active in multiple channels – online, store, catalogue – direct to customer; Integrates direct selling with an indirect channel; Brings a distinctive, brand-led experience to the way they operate; Adoption of, or excellence in, multichannel retailing has increased brand status and value.
Winner: Alexandre Meerson
THE B2B MULTICHANNEL AWARD
Judging Criteria: Multichannel capability, adoption and growth since January 2013.
Winner: TradePoint
THE INTERNETRETAILING AWARD
Internet Retailing readers voted for the shortlisted retailer that most impressed them over the year.
Judging Criteria: All InternetRetailing readers are able to vote; All retailers who’re shortlisted for an Award are eligible for this Award.
Winner: Alexandra
THE JUDGES’ AWARD
The 2015 best retailer, as picked by our Judges.
Judging Criteria: A retailer of stature, admired by professional peers for creating a retailing ‘wow’; Across all Award categories, this retailer has mastered the most important, in the most compelling combination; This retailer has a habit of setting the standard or direction that others come to see as ‘best practice’;This retailer has a certain ‘something’ that will come to prominence in future years and future Awards
