The Future Retail Challenge student competition has become an established and popular part of the World Retail Congress. Now in its 8th year, the Future Retail Challenge seeks to promote the future talent in the retail industry across the world. The World Retail Congress partners with retail colleges around the world that are in turn supported by the industry. The Future Retail Challenge aims to promote future retail talent, the work that these colleges do, the range of talented students they are preparing for careers in retailing and to bring the students’ fresh thinking and new ideas on retail into the Congress itself.
2017 CHALLENGE
The competing teams in the 2017 Future Retail Challenge were asked to select a “Pureplay retailer” from their country that has been successful and has no "Bricks and Mortar” stores. They then had to develop a plan to launch a store reflecting the brand and positioning of the “online business”. It could be food, fashion or general merchandise.
The Judges were asked to consider:
- How well the teams established and marketed the expanded Bricks and Mortar store and how it interfaced with the online offer.
- How well the plan was thought out
- How they selected the Pure-play operator to work with
- How well the offer was differentiated
- How well the business case was presented
- How they planned to build a profitable and sustainable business
2017’s WINNING TEAM:
Fashion Retail Academy, London
SPONSORED BY:
TEAMS:
Fashion Retail Academy, London
Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong
Manipal University, Dubai
Faculty of Economics, University of Porto, Portugal
NY Institute of Technology, Abu Dhabi
2017 JUDGES:
Bernie Brookes
CEO
Edcon Group
Robin Sackin
Chairperson, Fashion Business Management Department
Fashion Institute of Technology
Jodie Fox
Co-Founder & Chief Creative Officer
Shoes of Prey
