By Michelle Kelly, Retail Expert at 8×8

The end of the year has always been a defining period for retail, but what happens after the festive rush is becoming just as significant as the golden quarter itself. With high streets and shopping destinations seeing a welcome uplift in footfall in late December, UK retailers enter January with momentum, but also with a new challenge. The month now widely referred to as ‘Returnuary’ has evolved from an operational headache into a pivotal moment that can shape customer loyalty for the year ahead.

For many retailers, Christmas represents the culmination of months of planning, investment, and engagement. Stores are busier, online orders spike, and brands work hard to create memorable experiences that cut through in a crowded marketplace. Yet the relationship between retailer and customer does not end when the last gift is unwrapped. In fact, it is often in January that this relationship is truly tested. How brands handle returns, exchanges, and post purchase support can determine whether a shopper remains a loyal customer or quietly drifts elsewhere.

Consumers today have higher expectations than ever before. They want flexibility, transparency, and convenience, whether they are shopping in-store or online. A smooth, human, and responsive aftersales experience is increasingly seen as part of the overall brand promise rather than an optional extra. When retailers get this right, they do more than just process a return. They demonstrate that they value the customer beyond the point of sale, even as NRF projected returns to reach nearly $850 billion (around £635bn) in 2025, representing roughly 16 percent of total retail sales.

Why Returnuary is now a loyalty moment

Returnuary therefore presents both a risk and an opportunity. Poorly managed returns can create frustration, add pressure to operations, and undo the brand loyalty built up during the festive period. Conversely, thoughtful aftersales engagement can strengthen trust, reduce friction, and even deepen the connection between a brand and its customer. In many ways, January is becoming a second peak season, not for sales, but for service.

Retailers are also recognising that the post purchase journey is about more than logistics. It is about communication, reassurance, and support. Whether a customer needs help setting up a product, understanding how to use it, or simply feels uncertain about their purchase, timely and empathetic engagement can make all the difference. This shift reflects a broader evolution in retail, where success is increasingly measured not just by transactions, but by relationships.

Technology has a growing role to play in enabling this more customer centric approach. Digital tools can help retailers stay connected with customers after purchase, offering assistance in ways that feel personal rather than automated. When used thoughtfully, these solutions can make aftersales support more proactive, more accessible, and more human. They allow retailers to meet customers where they are, rather than expecting them to navigate complex processes alone.

Turning January into a competitive advantage

At the heart of this transformation is a simple idea. The best retail experiences do not stop at checkout. They continue throughout the entire customer journey, from browsing to buying and beyond. By embracing this mindset, retailers can turn Returnuary from a period of strain into a moment of differentiation.

The proactive mindset is key. It’s about not waiting for customers to come to you after the sale. Increasingly, retailers are using aftersale assists, support and follow-up touchpoints to check in, offer help, and understand how customers are really feeling. Monitoring social channels plays a role here too, giving brands early visibility into questions, frustrations, or dissatisfaction, before they escalate unnecessarily.

As the returns market continues to grow and consumer expectations rise, the brands that thrive will be those that view January not as a problem to be managed, but as a chance to reinforce loyalty. In doing so, they can ensure that the strong footfall seen at the end of December translates into lasting relationships throughout the year ahead.

Image courtesy of Unsplash. Photo credit: RoseBox.

The post Why strong Christmas footfall makes Returnuary a critical moment for UK retailers appeared first on A1 Retail Magazine.

This year’s shopping behaviours reflected a more intentional approach to Christmas spending. Whilst The Perfume Shop saw online searches begin in September, customers timed their purchases around those major deal moments they knew were worth waiting for. Interest peaked around Black Friday and again from mid-December, culminating between the 14th and 20th of December, becoming the retailer’s strongest week of the season. The classic last-minute rush also played a starring role, as 23rd December became the single biggest in-store trading day.

Throughout the season, shoppers continued their shift away from multi-product promotions and instead responded best to simple price drops on single bottles or sets, a trend that has been consistent across 2025.

Gift sets delivered another standout year. Overall sales increased +4 percent versus last year, while online demand surged +62 percent during the peak Christmas period. Across the full year, sets represented 16.8 percent of total sales, up from 15.7 percent in 2024, a clear sign that customers still consider them one of the most reliable gifting choices.

Personalisation was another major success story. From engraved bottles to personalised ribbons and gift messages, customers embraced bespoke touches more than ever. Online personalisation services rose significantly, with December usage up +23.74 percent YoY. Individual services also saw strong growth, including 50,000 gift wraps (+84.6 percent YoY), 54,000 personalised ribbons (+106.8 percent YoY), 21,000 engraved bottles, and 3,500 custom gift messages introduced in November.

Convenience continued to drive purchasing decisions. Click & Collect services remained a key part of the Christmas countdown, while Next Day Delivery again proved essential for last-minute gifting and the partnership with Deliveroo for last minute deliveries.

Reflecting on the season, Andrea Rickard, Trading Director at The Perfume Shop, said: “Perfume continues to be one of the most heartfelt and memorable gifts at Christmas. Shoppers were more deliberate this year, waiting for the right moment to buy and choosing gifts that felt thoughtful, from engraved bottles to beautiful new launches. This festive period truly showed the power of personal touches and the enduring joy of gifting scent.”

Gill Smith, Managing Director at The Perfume Shop, also shared: “Christmas 2025 has been a good and exciting period for us. With over 1.5 million bottles sold, growth in gift sets, and significant uplifts in personalised ribbons and wrapping, it’s clear that customers are looking for thoughtful, high-quality gifts, and they trust us to deliver them both in-store and online.”

The post The Perfume Shop sold over 63,000 bottles of perfume a day during Christmas period in 2025 appeared first on A1 Retail Magazine.

As the Christmas decorations come down, new data suggests the festive shopping season is far from over for retailers. Fresh figures from the ecommerce marketing platform Omnisend reveal that one in ten Christmas gifts (11 percent) have already been returned, with return activity accelerating sharply in the days immediately after Christmas.

According to Omnisend’s analysis, the number of returns made in the first seven days after Christmas Day rose by 18 percent year-on-year, highlighting a growing post-festive returns surge as Brits try out their gifts and see if they fit and suit their needs.

The data shows that clothing dominates post-Christmas returns, accounting for more than half (53 percent) of all items sent back. Sports equipment (9 percent), home and garden furnishings (7 percent), beauty products (6 percent) and health and fitness items (6 percent) also feature high up in the list, reflecting a mix of unwanted gifts and items bought with good intentions that didn’t quite land.

On the other hand, some categories see almost no post-Christmas returns at all and go down much better with recipients. Safety and survival gear (0.04 percent) and adult goods (0.06 percent) recorded the lowest return rates, suggesting that gifts given in these categories tend to be more deliberate and better matched to expectations.

The findings point to a Christmas shopping period where consumers were still willing to spend, but also more selective and pragmatic once the festivities ended. With many shoppers still mindful of household budgets, returning unwanted items is increasingly seen as a way to rebalance finances in the new year. Brits are keen to declutter even before the tinsel has come down.

Marty Bauer, retail and ecommerce expert at Omnisend, comments: “While the January sales may still be in full swing, so are the January returns according to our latest data.

Clothing remains the biggest category for refunds and exchanges. Fit, cut, and comfort are incredibly subjective, and shoppers are far more willing to send items back if they don’t feel quite right. With household budgets still under pressure, many Brits are also quicker to return items they won’t use, either to recover cash or exchange for something more practical and to their own taste.

Sports equipment and accessories are also classic ‘well-meant but risky’ Christmas gifts. They’re often tied to very specific sports, sizes or ability levels, and if just one of those elements is wrong, the product quickly becomes redundant. Even though January tends to be an active time of the year, that doesn’t always mean gifts to get in shape land well.

While returns are undeniably challenging for retailers from a logistics and cost perspective, they also represent an important moment in the customer journey. Brands that make returns simple, transparent and fast, and encourage exchanges rather than refunds, can turn the busiest returns period of the year into a powerful opportunity to build trust and long-term loyalty.

Retailers have been offering gift receipts for many years now, but we can see that extended returns periods and simplified ways of making a return, rather than having to go in-store, have proven popular with customers.”

Image courtesy of Unsplash. Photo credit: Clark Street Mercantile.

The post One in ten Christmas gifts have already been sent back appeared first on A1 Retail Magazine.

Jollyes’ strategy focuses on keeping prices low on the customers’ favourite items, while delivering better quality and choice for customers, making it easier for customers to treat their pets over Christmas.

With significant rises in food and vet bills over the year impacting household budgets, customers searching for great value have been switching to Jollyes, so they don’t need to compromise on the care for their pets and can reap the benefit of lower prices.

Cost-of-living pressures on pet parents are significant. At the same time there are reports of increasing demand at UK pet food banks. In response, over Christmas Jollyes customers donated 424,000 tins of Lifestage cat and dog food to more than 150 local charities, food banks and animal rescue organisations across the country.

Additionally, Jollyes also donated £40,000 to five animal welfare and community charities across the UK.^[1]

Adam Dury, chief executive officer-designate at Jollyes, said: “We know how much pets are part of the family and how, even in tough economic times, their owners want quality, care and something special at Christmas for their Pets.

In 2026, we’ll continue to make high-quality pet care accessible to all, investing in both range development alongside our commitment to low prices, as we deliver great value every day.”

Continued store expansion in 2026

To bring its low prices to more of the UK, Jollyes today also confirmed it planned to open in four new locations in the coming weeks, with store launches in Blackpool (24th January), Ponders End (6th February), Hartlepool (14th February) and Whitehaven (27th February).

The new openings follow seven store launches in the final weeks of 2025 and reflect Jollyes’ strategy of bringing affordable pet care, broader range and expertise closer to local communities.

Each new store is expected to create around eight local jobs, with recruitment underway at https://careers.jollyes.co.uk/.

Over the past three years Jollyes has almost doubled the number of stores across the UK, becoming a clear challenger brand in the UK pet retail market.

It was named as one of The Sunday Times’ best big companies to work for in 2024, and in 2025 won the Retail Week Award for Head Office Heroes following its highly successful raw frozen food roll out.

^[1] Jollyes also donated £40,000 from the sale of charity Lifestage tins equally to five charities and community interest groups across the country – Play for Strays (Northern Ireland), Miracle’s Mission (Cumbria), Friends of Animals Wales (South Wales), Food Aware CIC (South Yorkshire) and Furry Tails Feline Welfare (Lancashire).

The post Jollyes Pets delivers strong Christmas trading and announces the first four new store openings of 2026 appeared first on A1 Retail Magazine.

This figure represents an incredible increase of 2,039 gifts compared to 2024 – a 49 percent year-on-year rise – highlighting the continued generosity and compassion of the Hartlepool community, alongside supporters from across the North East and the wider UK.

Once again, the Giving Tree at Middleton Grange became a focal point of the festive season, inviting shoppers, local businesses and visitors to take a tag, purchase a gift and help ensure that children across the region could experience the joy of Christmas. Donations were also supported through online gifting, enabling people from further afield to play their part.

Nik McDonald, centre manager at Middleton Grange Shopping Centre, said: “We’re absolutely overwhelmed by the response to the Hartlepool Giving Tree 2025. To see donations grow by nearly 50 percent is truly extraordinary and a powerful reflection of the kindness that exists within our community and beyond.

Every gift donated has helped bring joy to a child or family who needed it most, and we’re hugely grateful to everyone who supported the appeal!”

The Hartlepool Giving Tree continues to go from strength to strength, supported by a network of local partners, charities and volunteers who work tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure donations reach those who need them most.

Middleton Grange Shopping Centre would like to extend its sincere thanks to all donors, volunteers, partner organisations and shoppers who contributed to making the 2025 Giving Tree appeal the most successful in its history.

The post Record-breaking generosity for Hartlepool Giving Tree appeared first on A1 Retail Magazine.

London Designer Outlet (LDO) has reported over £1m worth of sales on Boxing Day for the first time since its opening in 2013, cementing its place as London’s go-to destination for designer brands.

Overall, Boxing Day sales increased by over 9 percent compared to 2024, highlighting the continued demand for outlet retail as customers seek designer brands at discount prices, whilst also preferring a discovery-led shopping experience over online purchases.

The record Boxing Day sales follow a bumper year from LDO which saw Black Friday weekend sales and footfall grow by 6.8 percent and 19 percent respectively – whilst sales and footfall rose by 9 percent and 15 percent respectively over the summer thanks to LDO’s location next to two of the UK’s largest sporting and entertainment venue who both boasted action-packed events calendars.

LDO’ strong sales and footfall growth during 2025 has also been supported by the arrivals of key brands including Gap, who selected LDO for its return to the UK outlet market, as well as Crocs, Columbia, and New Era. These arrivals were complemented by an evolving F&B scene which tapped into Londoners’ desire for a whole day out experience as LDO continues to cater for a broad, diverse and culturally savvy visitor – from the introductions of new dining favourite Afrikana to trendy grab-and-go brands DumDums and Mowchi.

LDO did see a more muted start to the December shopping period, but the introduction of brands such as Gap over the past month saw shoppers flock to LDO over the Boxing Day weekend to seek out its high-quality fashion and cosmetic brands at discounted prices.

Matt Slade, Retail Director at Quintain, said: “We are proud to report our strongest ever Boxing Day with over £1m worth of sales as retailers at LDO continue to thrive. Over the course of 2025 we continued to see sales and footfall rise thanks to our evolving retail and F&B line-up alongside the action-packed Wembley events calendar.

Despite a slower than expected start to December, our array of premium brands at discount prices, combined with our prime location, allowed us to attract shoppers from across London and beyond who didn’t want to miss out on exclusive offers over Boxing Day and Black Friday. This loyal and repeat customer base means we are seeing unprecedented interest from brands eager to capitalise on the spending power of our shoppers.”

Managed by Multi-Realm, LDO offers 265,000 sq ft of retail and leisure space, including 70 outlet stores, restaurants, and coffee shops.

The post London Designer Outlet punches through £1m Boxing Day milestone appeared first on A1 Retail Magazine.

Key highlights

• Continued strong sales¹ of £23.2m, up 17 percent (+£3.3m) against the comparable prior year period
• Their 14^th store in Chichester opened in December, the brand’s first retail park concept which is trading ahead of expectations, broadening its portfolio of store formats.
• New Lichfield distribution centre fully operational and new delivery hub in Stanstead open
• Sales of dining room, bedroom and upholstery ranges were particularly strong through the period, driven by demand from customers getting ready for Christmas.

In the Christmas trading period, The Cotswold Company continued to significantly outperform delivering year-on-year sales growth of 17 percent to £23.2m (+£3.3m). Growth was delivered across both digital and physical channels and was underpinned by strong full-price demand, reflecting continued consumer appetite for high-quality, made-to-last furniture despite a competitive promotional environment in the wider category. This performance reinforces the strength of the Company’s value-for-quality proposition and brand positioning.

Ralph Tucker, Chief Executive Officer of The Cotswold Company said, “I’d like to begin by thanking everyone at The Cotswold Company for their dedication and hard work over recent months. The expertise and perseverance of our teams have been fundamental to delivering another fantastic Christmas trading period – one in which we significantly outperformed the home and furniture sector once again.

The shift towards timeless, high quality and made-to-last furniture continues to go from strength to strength. At The Cotswold Company, we are embracing this shift with a broader range of products that add character and charm to each corner of the home, and we’re delighted more have chosen us this Christmas.

In addition to delivering strong trading performance during the Christmas period, we have continued to invest to support our long-term ambition to become UK’s leading and most loved premium handcrafted homeware brand. This includes new showroom openings with our newest showroom in Chichester, which opened just before Christmas, performing ahead of expectations and providing an opportunity to further push the extension and application of our brand.

The growth delivered this Christmas sets the stage for another exciting year for The Cotswold Company. Underpinned by our highly relevant customer proposition, strong brand, and omni channel model, we plan to continue expanding our UK portfolio of showrooms, make further investments in geo-targeted marketing to drive customer footfall, and bring more timeless and unique items for homes across the country. These initiatives will enable us to achieve further growth and take another step closer to becoming the UK’s leading and most loved premium homeware brand.”

¹ Sales are reported excluding VAT  

The post The Cotswold Company outperforms during the festive period with sales growth of 17 percent to £23.2m appeared first on A1 Retail Magazine.

New retail data shows festive spending is no longer concentrated on Boxing Day, with strong sales recorded from Christmas Eve through to 28th December, and Christmas Day emerging as a meaningful trading moment in its own right.

Analysis of online sales activity from Visualsoft between 24th and 28th December shows year-on-year revenue growth across multiple retail categories, as shoppers responded to early promotions, Christmas Day browsing and sustained discounting in the days that followed.

Christmas Eve marked an early uplift (or last-minute panic) for higher-value categories typically seen in gifting. Jewellery and watches recorded a 63 percent increase in revenue on 24th December year on year, alongside a 47 percent rise in average order value, indicating continued last-minute gifting. Health and beauty revenue also rose by 65 percent on Christmas Eve, with average order value up 16 percent.

But not everyone took the day off on the 25th. Christmas Day itself saw some of the strongest single-day growth of the period. Food and drink revenue increased by 116 percent compared to Christmas Day last year, with average order value rising by 34 percent. Fashion and footwear revenue grew by 50 percent on 25th December, while average order value increased by 2 percent, pointing to high transaction volumes driven by early sale activity.

As is more typical, Boxing Day remained a key driver for considered purchases. Hobbies recorded its strongest performance on 26 December, with revenue up 103 percent year on year and average order value increasing by 78 percent. Sports and outdoors revenue rose by 27 percent on Boxing Day, reflecting steady demand despite relatively flat average order values.

Momentum then continued beyond Boxing Day. Fashion and footwear reached its highest revenue day on 28th December, with sales up 76 percent year on year. Food and drink also sustained strong growth late into the period, with revenue on 28th December up 104 percent compared to the same day last year and average order value increasing by 38 percent.

Looking at December as a whole, jewellery and watches recorded the strongest uplift compared to the rest of the year, with average monthly revenue in December more than doubling, up 103 percent. Fashion and footwear December revenue rose by 47 percent, while food and drink increased by 39 percent. However, only food and drink and hobbies saw consistent average order value growth across the month, highlighting the continued role of discounting in driving conversion.

Order volumes also climbed across the festive period. Jewellery and watches saw a 92 percent increase in average December orders, while fashion and footwear orders rose by 27 percent and sports and outdoors by 15 percent, underlining the operational pressures retailers face as sales extend across multiple days rather than peaking once.

Chris Fletcher, CEO of Visulsoft, said: “The data points to a clear shift in festive shopping behaviour. Consumers are starting earlier, staying active for longer, and using Christmas Day itself to browse and buy. For retailers, this reinforces the importance of treating the entire period from Christmas Eve through to the end of December as a sustained sales window, rather than relying on a single post-Christmas spike.”

Image courtesy of iStock. Supplied by Visulsoft.

The post Christmas Day becomes a sales day as shoppers drive growth online appeared first on A1 Retail Magazine.

Collect+, the Out-of-Home (OOH) parcel network from PayPoint, has announced the UK’s very first Christmas gift return of the season, which took place bright and early in Hatfield, Hertfordshire.

At 07:06 on Christmas morning, the first parcel was returned through a Collect+ store in Hatfield. Not long after, another early riser dropped off a return in Batley at 07:17, shortly followed by a return in Colchester at 07:30.

Top 10 quickest Christmas Day returns were:

1. 07:06    Hatfield
2. 07:17    Batley
3. 07:30    Colchester
4. 07:52    Westcliff-on-Sea
5. 08:06    Bracknell
6. 08:09    Manchester
7. 08:18    Birmingham
8. 08:23    Shrewsbury
9. 08:56    Bexhill-on-Sea
10. 08:57    Brentwood

In the run up to Christmas local convenience stores have been flat out, helping shoppers send, pick up, and occasionally rethink gifts, as many used their local stores early in the morning or late at night, fitting parcel collections and returns around work and festive gatherings.

Christmas Day itself saw a flurry of festive returns, with Birmingham topping the list for the busiest return hotspot on Christmas day at more than 50 parcels. Hot on its heels were Redbridge (47), and Manchester (44), as shoppers across the UK swung by their local Collect+ stores to swap or return gifts.

Sam Holden, Managing Director for Parcels and Ecommerce at PayPoint, said: “The festive period is always a whirlwind for our retailers, with extended sales periods and online shopping surges creating a constant flow of deliveries and returns. But not every gift hits the mark, so while some wake up full of festive cheer, others are making early-morning trips to return presents that didn’t quite work out.

Collect+ exists to make life a little easier during this busy period. We understand that the holidays can be hectic, and our goal is to ensure that whenever someone needs to send or return a parcel, there will be a local store nearby ready to help. It’s all about giving shoppers flexibility and the convenience of managing their parcels on their own schedule – even on Christmas Day.”

Collect+ operates the UK’s largest carrier-agnostic parcel network, with over 14,000 locations including newsagents, convenience stores, supermarkets and petrol stations.

Image courtesy of Unsplash. Photo credit: Mediamodifier.

The post First Christmas Day parcel return in Hatfield at 07:06 appeared first on A1 Retail Magazine.

As part of the national roadshow, Iceland has donated thousands of Christmas essentials such as mince pies, advent calendars, and stocking fillers to local hubs supporting communities. These donations aim to ensure that all families and individuals can still enjoy the magic of Christmas together, especially at a time when the cost of festive celebrations can feel challenging for many.

The roadshow has reached communities in regions across the country including Leeds, Sheffield, Liverpool, The Wirral, Warrington, Chester, Lancashire and Manchester, helping local groups create festive experiences that bring people together and lift spirits during the season.

Richard Walker, Iceland Foods Executive Chairman, said: “At Iceland, we truly believe Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year – but we know it can also be challenging for many families. That’s why we were delighted to spread Christmas cheer across the country with our Christmas Party Roadshow and support fantastic charities that provide meals, advice, and companionship to those who need it most. We hope these donations help spread a little extra joy this season.”

One recipient of support is Chorley Football Club, which is opening its doors at Victory Park on Christmas Day from 12pm – 4pm to offer a free meal and companionship to members of the community who may otherwise be alone.

Darren Jenkinson, Chair of Chorley FC Community Foundation said: “Iceland’s donations will massively support our Christmas Day opening, where we’ll welcome anyone in the community who would otherwise spend the day alone. These contributions help us provide a hot meal, festive treats, and a warm, friendly environment for those who need it most. We’re incredibly grateful for Iceland’s support in making this special day possible.”

It’s not just out and about in the community where Iceland is spreading joy this Christmas, for customers shopping in-store and online, Iceland has launched its Mega Christmas Event, running until 26th December. This event includes unbeatable value such as 3 for £5 and 8 for £10 on party foods, half price Celebrations boxes, and more.

The post Iceland Foods brings festive cheer and community support across the country with Christmas Roadshow appeared first on A1 Retail Magazine.