Why not check out him!'s NEW free resources section where you can access our quick facts completely free of charge. Quick facts are taken from our various customer insight programmes, or why not watch him!'s videos of the latest retail developments in USA.
Date: 28 July 2011
View More >
Midlands Co-operative were voted ‘Best convenience retailer’ according to 24,000 shoppers at the 2011 CTP awards. Michael Spencer, Head of Retail Trading at Midlands Co-operative shares some of their key focus areas...
Date: 15 July 2011
View More >
For years retailers and suppliers and wholesalers have had mixed opinions on price-marked packs – the time has come for the fighting to stop! Overall, price-marked packs have grown in popularity with shoppers, and they have a critical role to play in achieving positive price perception.
Date: 14 July 2011
View More >
‘Suggestive selling’ or 'upselling' by staff can increase promotional penetration by as much as 3 times, & drive impulse purchasing by 100%.
Date: 22 July 2011
View More >
him! research & consulting is delighted to announced that Punch Taverns is the latest company to join him!'s Pub Tenant Survey - Tenant Track.
Each year him! speaks to 500 pub tenants to gain robust, independent and credible feedback from licensees and tenants to assist Pub Cos and suppliers with their planning and strategy development.
Telephone interviews have been conducted with over 500 tenants at Admiral, Greene King, Marston's, Punch Taverns and Scottish & Newcastle.
A spokesman from Punch Taverns said: "Honest feedback from licensees helps us to shape our business and ensures that we can measure the impact of the initiatives we deliver. Joining Tenant Track gives us an addition mechanism to measure this."
Katy Moses, Business Development Manager said: “we are absolutely delighted that Punch Taverns has joined him!’s Tenant Track Programme, this really does demonstrate how important this programme can be to the channel and improving standards.”
For more information on him!'s Tenant Track Programme please contact Katy.Moses@him.uk.com 07912 717 567 or visit www.him.uk.com
Date: 09 August 2011
View More >
With Christmas just around the corner, men around the world will soon be asking themselves a critical question, what do women really want? him! research & consulting’s feedback from 1,400 female pub and bar customers reveals what many already suspected; women don’t necessarily know themselves!
Date: 09 August 2011
View More >
The key reason shoppers use convenience stores is simple: convenience! Convenience stores need to ensure they focus specifically on providing increasingly convenient solutions to shoppers need. Essentially, convenience retail needs to become about making the shopping trip, and thus ultimately shoppers’ lives, easier and easier.
In this blog, we consider the future of category management vs mission management.
Date: 11 August 2011
View More >
70% of independent convenience retailers read trade press at least once a month - but what are they reading? Find out more here...
Date: 18 August 2011
View More >
A strong shopper alignment already exists between Morrisons and Iceland Foods, which could make matters easier if the former decided to bid for the frozen food chain, according him! research. We've spoken to over 1,000 Morrisons and Iceland shoppers and found that the Iceland shopper base is remarkably similar to Morrisons in many ways. Read more here...
Date: 25 August 2011
View More >
According to our latest recent in-depth shopper study, price marked packs are here to stay; 65% of independent convenience retailers predict the sale of PMPs will increase.Read more here...
Date: 20 September 2011
View More >
Well they are certainly an integral part of a successful delivered wholesaler. Our latest research highlights a massive opportunity for further training and development of telesales teams to make these staff reach their full potential. Read more here...
Date: 26 September 2011
View More >
him! research & consulting is delighted to announce that Martin McColls and The Cooperative Group have both signed up to CTP (Convenience Tracking Programme) with immediate effect.
CTP is the UK authority on shopper insights for the convenience sector. Almost 1 million shopper insights will be captured by HIM via CTP in February & March 2012 alone, as we speak to almost 25,000 shoppers face-to-face across branches of most UK c-retailers. Martin McColls and The Cooperative Group join over 80 other convenience retailers, suppliers and manufacturers in this long established and esteemed tracking programme.
Tom Fender, Managing Director, said of the new additions to the programme: ‘HIM are delighted to welcome these 2 exciting and important convenience retailers into CTP and we look forward to working with them closely delivering actionable insight over the coming months.’
Date: 30 January 2012
View More >
HIM are delighted to be working with the ACS to help them deliver the ACS 'Voice of Local Shops' survey.
This is a quarterly retailer opinion survey that will track attitudes of independent convenience store retailers. The survey is conducted with a pool of 200 retailers, geographically spread and balanced between unaffiliated and symbol retailers, and is a snapshot of how retailers are feeling about the performance of their business as well as their experience of crime and their links to the community.
Date: 06 March 2012
View More >
How valuable are students to the pub industry?
Date: 07 March 2012
View More >
The Convenience Performance Seminar is specially designed to give convenience retailers the essential information and strategies they need to improve retail performance. Attend this seminar to hear the latest key trends in convenience retailing, develop better retail strategies, and learn from leading retailers and suppliers.
Date: 14 March 2012
View More >
Good afternoon, and welcome to the new him! On trade Blog...!
Date: 20 March 2012
View More >
Today we look at how one bar in the US has moved sideways from just serving drinks and food to becoming a real part of their customers' lives
Date: 21 March 2012
View More >
Don't just use the board outside your pub for opening hours- its a very important marketing tool!
Date: 11 April 2012
View More >
Good news for the Convenience Sector. The percentage of GB adults using the convenience channel has increased from 58% to 69% year on year. The average basket spend per trip continues to increase, and trip frequency remains steady at 3.7 times per week.
Date: 25 May 2012
View More >
Shoppers have told us that they will be using food- to- go outlets in the same way that they did last year. That being said, we have identified a big opportunity within this channel – breakfast to go.
Date: 15 June 2012
View More >
With a summer full of events and the Olympics still to come, we asked shoppers what they thought about retailers getting behind events and only 1-in-2 shoppers think they are actually making the most of them!
Date: 29 June 2012
View More >
How can you engage with customers via social media?
Date: 31 July 2012
View More >
"I had a taster and then what happened next?.....I went into the aisle where said drink was being merchandised and bought a full sized bottle...why can't pubs do this?"
Date: 17 August 2012
View More >
How can pubs and bars compete with the lure of cheap supermarket booze?
Ontrack 2012 tells us that 2/3rds of pub customers are comparing prices in pubs to those found in supermarkets- high, but not all encompassing- that means 33% don't...
Date: 24 August 2012
View More >
Signs like this could be the difference between a customer walking past, or coming in to spend money
Date: 13 September 2012
View More >
For the first time, Halloween has been recognised as the third most significant event in the retail calendar after Christmas and Easter, UK consumers reportedly spent £315m last year.
During this economic climate, we encourage retailers & suppliers to capitalise on opportunities to generate more sales wherever possible.
Date: 02 October 2012
View More >
Value for money, is much more than just cheap prices. It is about service, experience, quality and, of course, convenience. So how should c-stores respond?
Date: 02 October 2012
View More >
Deeds for drinks? This pub is offering free drinks / bar tab in return for their customer’s skills. We like this idea & hear that it has been successful.
Date: 02 October 2012
View More >
There are two things people wish they had more of, time and money and that’s especially true at Christmas. Convenience stores cannot compete based solely on price, they need to shout about how they have recognised their shoppers needs at this time of year and are doing all they can to help them.
Date: 07 November 2012
View More >
With pub CUSTOMERS wanting change- and a lot of it- it’s imperative that we get t know what customers are expecting from the pub industry over the next few years.
Date: 10 October 2012
View More >
I looked at results from Ontrack 2012, and saw that 36% of customers are planning on spending LESS in pubs and bars over the next 12 months all the more reason for ontrade outlets to have a point of difference
Date: 09 October 2012
View More >
40% of pub and bar customers see this as a good thing that their local pub should be doing....
Date: 16 October 2012
View More >
I facilitated a focus group of publicans as part of our "Future of Pub Retailing" programme. One issue that we discussed is the idea of contactless payment and ordering food and drink on an ipad at your table
Date: 09 November 2012
View More >
Last week I went to the Pub Retail Summit, organised by our friends at M&C Report. Amongst some great presentations on the day, I particularly liked one by Vikki O'Neill who focused on what pubs and bars could learn from chain restaurants- and specifically on the subject of social media.
Date: 16 November 2012
View More >
The 2013 convenience landscape will continue to be competitive as ‘small format’ appears in virtually all of the supermarkets future strategies. We also have new convenience contenders, such as Boots, who are currently trialling an extended food range. What does the future hold and how do convenience retailers compete in 2013?
Date: 05 December 2012
View More >
The grocery format which is slowly & secretly becoming more and more relevant to shoppers needs
While many have been focusing on ‘convenience format’ small supermarket have been quietly growing in value, store no’s and shopper satisfaction. We’re at risk of neglecting this important channel.
In our most recent research, Supermarkets, him! spoke to over 3,500 shoppers at the “moment of truth”, on entry and exit from the store to understand this shopper & the differentiation (if any) between this format & the convenience store
Date: 04 December 2012
View More >
Last week, as part of the Future of Pub Retailing programme, I facilitated a focus group of Pub Customers, and asked them what innovative ideas they have seen in the pub industry...
Date: 30 November 2012
View More >
Last week I visited a pub near the Thames. It was a cold but clear night, and we wanted to sit outside.
Date: 23 November 2012
View More >
Not the best week...
Date: 07 December 2012
View More >
We spoke to customers and publicans, and one of our questions to publicans was "What categories do you see driving to your sales growth over the next 12 months?". Number one answer from publicans was ...
Date: 14 December 2012
View More >
With the festive season in mind, today I have a little amusing insight for you... NOT this time from the world of pubs and bars, but from the Convenience Retail industry, but it was too good a piece of information NOT to share...
Date: 21 December 2012
View More >
... what about the world out there- how healthy actually ARE people? Well, him!, at the end of 2012 looked into the "Health of the Nation" and discovered the following: -
Date: 03 January 2013
View More >
Well, we are well into the New Year now- 2013, it seemed SO far away when I was younger, and now it's here. So I have got to thinking about The Future and what it might bring for me- after all, I didn't sit in a classroom at the age of seven and say "you know what, when I grow up I want to be "Head of Sales for a market research and consultancy firm", but I DID always want to write. Consequently I have started up a "Travel Blog" to chart my little adventures- starting with my Kilimanjaro trip a couple of summers ago, and encompassing Cuba, and soon a South Africa entry and a Vietnam diary. If you are interested (or just want to waste some time on a Friday morning), have a look- http://whollymoses1.blogspot.co.uk/ - all feedback is welcome.
Date: 11 January 2013
View More >
... I think I have been to 5 UK cities in the last 5 days and have notched up about 2000 miles of travel- if only there was an "air miles" scheme for trains! I also had the pleasure of a swift glass of wine in The Parcel Yard inside Kings Cross Station this week- great new addition to the UK pub market, I highly recommend it!
Date: 18 January 2013
View More >
With The "Future of Pub Retailing" conference, hosted by the M&C Report drawing ever closer, I thought I might share some more insight from our programme of the same name...
Date: 25 January 2013
View More >
At him! our new year's resolutions focus on our commitment to providing outstanding service to our clients, and a dogged passion for understanding and improving the UK shopping experience. In 2013 him! will...
Date: 01 January 2013
View More >
Here are our thoughts of 6 trends facing shoppers in the next 12 months
Date: 16 January 2013
View More >
Why face to face research is so powerful and what's new for CTP 2013...
Date: 31 January 2013
View More >
Before I left the UK, a colleague sent me the below pictures- two menus from an All Bar One near her- a "sinful" one and a "soulful" one- giving two separate options for diners to choose from...
Date: 02 February 2013
View More >
Going through my emails on my return, I have noticed a lot of news focusing on the supers buying up high street properties for their convenience arms- yet MORE competition to the Great British Pub Industry...
Date: 08 February 2013
View More >
Last week, we announced the results of the 2013 Tenant Track programme...
Date: 21 February 2013
View More >
The bid to buy my local pub as a community concern is going from strength to strength...and it got me thinking about the place that a local has in its immediate community....
Date: 22 February 2013
View More >
As part of my presentation at Wednesday "Future Pub" Conference, I spoke about how attracting families should be of high importance to pubs. If you needed proof as to WHY- here it is....
Date: 01 March 2013
View More >
We love Spring! Pancakes and red roses followed by chocolate at Easter. The season focuses on events, and is a great time to capture shoppers' attention; and most importantly drive spend and basket size.
Date: 01 February 2013
View More >
A great example a pub targeting its promotions- it's Mother's Day this weekend for those of you who've been living in a cave for the last two weeks- and wasn't it only last week that I was extolling the virtues of attracting families to pubs? ...
Date: 08 March 2013
View More >
As part of Ontrack 2012, we asked customers what they would like to see from their "future" pub. The top answers include...
Date: 14 March 2013
View More >
A few weeks ago, we attended the Future Pub Conference and heard more about a pub company who is seeing double digit growth by maximising this trend...
Date: 21 March 2013
View More >
... so I was surprised to see that she was suggesting a "Fish Masterclass" rather than a night out on the tiles... turns out that her local pub does a lot of "experiential" nights
Date: 15 April 2013
View More >
I am sending today's Friday Facts from sunny Bruges, where I am enjoying a short break and have- so far- NOT managed to track down Colin Farrell* (although, not for want of trying!). I have, however, managed to track down a lot of beer and snacks...which leads me nicely to today's fact....
Date: 15 April 2013
View More >
As part of Ontrack 2012, we asked pub and bar customers what they believed demonstrated Value For Money. The top 3 answers? ...
Date: 19 April 2013
View More >