Irish retailers get an opportunity to compare themselves against international best standards with this year’s Retail Awards.
The awards encompass many categories including: Ireland’s Friendliest Place, Manager of the Year, Rising Star of the Year, Website of the Year, Best New Website of the Year, Best Digital Campaign of the Year, Supplier of the Year, and the much coveted National Store of the Year Award.
In relation to the Store of the Year Award, this year the selection process has been modified. External advisors EchoChamber have been contracted to assist with the competition. EchoChamber track global retail trends in order to help some of the world’s biggest retailers to innovate and futureproof their businesses.
The process involves the entrants being whittled down to the top 100 stores who will then all be subjected to a rigorous mystery shop visit. The stores will then be invited to submit evidence pertaining to the 10 pillars of Retail Excellence, which vary from visual merchandising to store design.
Head of public affairs and communications at Retail Excellence, Lorraine Higgins, said: “We are delighted to be celebrating the 20th year of the Retail Excellence Retail Awards, which is a significant milestone in the history of largest retail representative body in Ireland.
“There is no doubt the Retail Awards are the largest, most prestigious and recognised event in the Irish Retail Industry calendar, and we are delighted to be working to ensure the 2017 awards are our best yet. The core objective of the awards is to recognise and reward retail stores, companies, websites, people, and suppliers who deliver exemplary standards within the Irish retail industry.”
The closing date for entries is June 16 and early entry is advised.
For more information see www.retailexcellence.ie