RETAILME PEOPLE ENGLISH AUGUST 16 2024

VOL 1 ISSUE 4

FRIDAY, AUGUST 16

Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) Services – transforming the way consumers shop and manage their finances. While the consumers’ purchasing ability increases, sellers can sell more. How this is transforming the retail landscape of KSA & UAE?

WINNING CUSTOMER

WITH CONVENIENCE

BNPL’s rise to prominence is by virtue of the multiple benefits the model provides over conventional credit cards, including its interest-free value offering, transparent execution, and soft check requirements. The region has seen an increase in the usage of BNPL services, driven on the back of key players such as Tabby, Tamara, and Cashew. The Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) industry has experienced massive growth in the UAE and KSA. In 2022, 1 in 10 consumers was using BNPL services, but by 2023, this figure had doubled, with 1 in 5 consumers leveraging BNPL options for their purchases. This surge highlights the increasing adoption and trust in BNPL as a convenient and flexible payment solution in these regions.

Sanjeev Madavi, the Group Chief Digital Tranformation Officer for Khimji Ramdas LLC has now joined Kale Logistics Solutions as Chief Innovation Officer. Sanjeev Madavi has over 27 years of global experience in Digital transformation, Innovation, New business ventures and Operational Excellence across multiple industries.

Bateel International LLC has announced a pivotal leadership transition. Dr. Ata Atmar, who has been at the helm since the company’s inception, will retire this year. His tenure of more than 30 years marked an era of visionary leadership that propelled Bateel to a position of leadership in the premium F&B and luxury retailing industries. Succeeding Dr. Atmar is Nurtac Afridi, who served as CEO of Godiva prior to joining Bateel. Afridi brings 30 years of executive experience, excelling in global operations management, corporate strategy, change management, and financial stewardship.

TREND

SPOTTING

THE POWER OF
COMMUNITY

“Customisation and community-building will remain at the top of every retailer’s mind. Fashion retailers, particularly, are embracing the concept of customisation and trying to offer personalised products and services to customers just to build a community of like-minded people. This trend is gathering a lot of momentum, alongside sustainable practices”.

Neeraj Teckchandani

Group Chief Executive Offcer
Apparel Group

TREND

SPOTTING

TIMELESS
APPROACH

“If you are building a ‘brand for tomorrow’ and portraying your brand as the ‘brand of choice’ for Gen Z then sustainability is not an option anymore, it is a must. In KSA pricing is a factor of consideration as customers don’t like to pay a premium or bear that extra cost when it comes to investing in a sustainable product. However, social responsibility is a big factor too and sustainability is a key trend to align with social causes and responsibly stand up to the situation to create a brand that will resonate with a youth-centric customer base”.

May Kanounji

Chief Executive Offcer
Blooming

TREND

SPOTTING

ELEVATING THE
EXPERIENCE

“In an industry like leisure and entertainment industry, in-person interactions are crucial to create immersive experiences. But we also recognise the transformative power of technology to facilitate and enhance the human touch while eliminating mundane operational tasks and focusing on customers experience and satisfaction. By seamlessly integrating technology into our services, we’re providing our guests with easier access to information, attractions and other amenities, making their experiences more enjoyable and memorable”.

Raed Kuhail

Executive Director of Digital &
Technology, Miral

TREND

SPOTTING

TOUCHING THE
RIGHT CHORD

“Customer engagement is key to retail growth and to spearhead exponential growth that a retailer can look forward to, which helps bring every store to register probably 3x sales as compared to the present number, technology plays a key role. But with technology comes varied responsibilities and understanding how one can manage their supply chain and customer expectations in the same breath by empowering the same end to end with technology crucial to success. Moreover, to gain real customer insights, you have to take the support of technology, and it is the only support that will allow you to get real-actionable insights”.

Sadique Ahmed

Chief Executive Officer, RetailGPT

“I learned to push the envelope when it comes to asking questions or making requests. And if you hear ‘that’s not possible,’ then ask, ‘what is possible,’ instead of just saying thank you and leaving. But also, to think creatively about problem-solving.”

Emily Weiss

Founder, Glossier

Caitlin Kelly

Malled: My Unintentional

Career in Retail

An interesting read this book is a memoir detailing the author’s unexpected journey into the world of retail. It offers an insider’s perspective on the challenges and realities of working in a mall, highlighting issues like low wages, difficult customers, and corporate culture.

Raha Partnered With Swisslog To Deploy Kuwait’s First Fully Automated Robotics-Fulfllment Center

The region’s newest e-grocery platform has partnered with Swisslog’s fully automated robotics-fulflment center and one of the frst centers of the kind globally with a chilled warehouse capability.

With the launch of Raha in 2022, an innovative homegrown concept set to redefne Kuwait’s grocery experience, Swisslog implemented Kuwait’s frst fully-automated robotics-fulfllment center, and one of the frst of its kind globally with a chilled warehouse capability. The technological infrastructure developed by global warehouse automation specialist, Swisslog, serves as the core foundation of Raha’s technology-driven operational model and fully automated, data-driven intralogistics system, featuring the AutoStore solution—an innovative automated material handling solution that uses robots on top of an aluminium grid system to store and locate goods, effciently delivering them to pick stations for processing.

To know more about this transformative partnership ,