Internet Retailing Awards

Not newness for newness’ sake, but rather inventive and inspiring solutions for problems or the creation of new opportunities. The winner of this Award will have shaken something that needed disrupting, seen something that was obvious once their genius had made it clear, or so improved a business that it has created a new genre, a new mode of business or even a new verb!

Sponsored by PayLater.

Omni channel, omni device, omni-present in international markets… eCommerce continues to explode in every dimension. We know how challenging core ecommerce is, before increasing complexity exponentially with the new dimension of channels (store, mobile, tablets, kiosks, digital display, print…), languages and customs, international regulations… This Award is for a company that astounds us with its appetite for “more” and its ability to tame complexity and deliver in every dimension, simultaneously. In our dreams this is the Award we’d like to think of deserving.

Sponsored by Portaltech Reply.

M-Retailing.net is the sister title to Internet Retailing. M-Retailing focuses upon the role of mobile, mobility and tablets within multichannel retail. This Award will go to the retailer whose mobile activities extend beyond an obligatory app and tablet-optimised site to creating an integrated, coherent and compelling experience under their brand – via the mobile, for a customer ‘on the move’, whether at home, on a bus or in-store.

The last year has seen the renaissance of the store and in-store experience as a vital component of multichannel retail. IRIS (Internet Retailing In-Store) is a new segment within Internet Retailing to consider the people, process and technology implications of the digitally-enabled store fully of digitally savvy and connected customers engaging with digitally-empowered staff selling digitally-enhanced products and services. This Award will recognise retailers who have moved beyond digital displays and point digital offerings to create an immersive, connected and compelling realisation of this next iteration of retail.

This award recognises the impact upon the customer and her experience created by the Award winner. Whether it’s a case of insight to a given segment, an unerring knack of connecting, the greatest customer service or an immersive, breathtaking experience. The Award winner will have done things that make the customer go “wow”, and the rest of the industry long to emulate them.

If genius is, as Edison claimed, 90% perspiration, then this Award values that 90% of eCommerce which is based upon the consistent, repeated capabilities of operations, IT, logistics, systems and processes. Web-level eye-candy is well and good, but it’s as nothing without the operational capability to deliver on those promises. The winner of this award may or may not have the snazziest interface or the most-hyped consumer brand, but boy oh boy do we look at them and wonder just how on earth they can be so efficient, effective and all-conquering with their ruthless capability. Deep down, this is the award our CEOs want us to win…

While the UK is one of the most competitive retail markets in the world, many of the very best companies are seeing significant growth from European and global markets. This Award will recognise retailers who through brand extension, operational capability and market insight have created digitally-led or digitally-enabled international markets for their products and services. This Award is open to both pure play eCommerce retailers and multichannel retailers, with the determinant of success being the way they’ve incorporated international growth and performance into their ongoing business as usual.

Recognising UK and European retailers for their capabilities, competitiveness and commercial performance on a global stage. This Award gives our International Judges the floor and allows them to choose the retailer that, viewed from their global perspectives, stands out as a business to be admired and emulated.

There are “it” bags and “it” moments, and this Award simply says that the Winner has managed to assemble all of the parts in a unique and compelling way. Whether an overwhelming winner in one or more Award categories, or very strong in all areas, this Award winning will be the one you wish you held stock in, or joined as employee number 5, or might just call having spotted your talent. No-one would doubt their ability or deservedness. Given solely by the Judges having reviewed all the nominees, voted on according to their own feeling, this Award recognises a company of stature in our industry. As Po, (the Kung Fu Panda) memorably said, “there’s no charge for awesomeness”. At least now, however, there’s an Award.