The "Retailer Awards 2014" were presented at the twelfth international ECE Retail Meeting. Deichmann received the award for "Best Performance", Uniqlo for "Newcomer of the Year", and Hunkemöller was presented the award in the category "Most Innovative concept".
After the award ceremony, Klaus Striebich, ECE Managing Director Leasing, said impressed: "This year's winners convinced the jury with their excellent entrepreneurial performance, their marketing skills, and their commitment above the ordinary. Their outstanding performance is commendable and we are pleased to honor it with the "Retailer Award." The ECE Retail Meeting is the largest meeting of the retail industry in Europe. More than 500 top decision makers from national and international retail companies participated this year.
The jury consisting of experts from research, education and the retail industry awarded the prize for "Best Performance" to Deichmann. The market leader in the German and European shoe business stood out particularly with its brand strategy. The family company successfully addressed different target audiences with its concepts Deichmann, Roland, and Snipes. For many years, even in economically challenging times, the company has been performing very well. Deichmann has a number of shops in ECE shopping centers all over Europe.
The Dutch lingerie specialist Hunkemöller was presented the award for "Most Innovative Concept". The company convinced the jury with its unique strategy of linking the brick-and-mortar trade with modern e-commerce services. By using services such as Click & Collect, Click & Reserve, websites and apps, the company implemented a true multichannel concept.
This year, the "Newcomer of the Year" award was presented to the fashion retailer Uniqlo from Japan. Its fashion focuses on basic and casual wear and addresses a wide target audience ranging from kids to young professionals. The company stands out with its excellent pricing strategy. The brand belongs to Fast Retailing Co. LTD group, of the five largest textile companies in the world. Uniqlo has more than 30,000 employees. Two-thirds of its turnover is generated by its more than 800 stores in Japan. There are only approximately twenty stores in Europe to date. Uniqlo opened its first flagship store in Germany at Tauentzienstrasse in Berlin in April 2014. The company aims to extend its store network all over Germany and was therefore awarded with the price as "Newcomer of the Year" by ECE.
Source: ECE
