General

Did Covid-19 really catapult e-commerce forward ten years, as the often heard statement goes these days? The European E-commerce Report paints a more nuanced picture. How did online retail really fare in Europe last year?

We got to do it again, without face masks: for the first time in a long time, RetailDetail organised a fully-fledged marketing conference with a diverse programme and one main theme: "Doing good is good business".

As tourist shops selling chocolate and souvenirs have started expanding to the city's main shopping streets, Bruges' city council wants to ban new such shops from opening in many locations. In this way, the Belgian city wants to safeguard the diversity of its store range.

The Covid pandemic caused major shifts in consumer spending: last year, Belgians spent significantly more money on food and alcohol and much less on clothes.

Online spending in Belgium rose significantly in the first half of 2021, as the travel and events sector returns to normal. Food spending is also on the rise, but the parcel delivery sector is experiencing a slowdown. 

The Covid crisis has fundamentally changed the behaviour of shoppers. In a rapidly changing retail environment, shopper marketing demands a fresh look at shopping experience, segmentation, and retail communication. "Prepare yourself for the new customer journey."

Retailhub is ready to kick off. The new knowledge lab in the Stadsfeestzaal, Antwerp, is open and welcomes the retail community with open arms. Retailhub is more than ever there to help you act and think. Yes, in that order, emphasises founder Jorg Snoeck.