In this bonus episode, Radio 2's Jeremy Vine discusses whether the minimum wage for under 21s should be raised or if that is a disincentive for firms to hire them. I had things to say.

If you're a boutique retailer limiting yourself to fashion, you're leaving money on the table.

Hi, I’m Clare Bailey, founder of Retail Champion.

In this episode of Retail Reckoning, I’m joined by Steph Briggs.

She's a former boutique owner turned e-commerce expert—to reveal how carefully curated homewares and fragrances can elevate basket size and boost profits without diluting your brand.

Discover:

• Why homewares remove the friction that fashion creates (no size, no fit issues)

• The "good, better, best" pricing strategy for impulse buys to premium treats

• How scent creates powerful brand memory (Steph's customers could smell her shop from 100 yards away!)

• Real case study: How stocking gin brought new customers through the door

• The secret to translating in-store magic to online sales

• Visual merchandising techniques that help customers imagine products in their homes

Whether you run a fashion boutique, homeware shop, or gift store, this episode delivers honest, commercial insights on extending your range strategically—not randomly. Learn how to test small, scale deliberately, and create a cohesive brand experience that makes your business stronger, more profitable, and more memorable.

Take a listen and let’s get your Retail Reckoning together.

Useful links:

Subscribe to the Retail Reckoning Newsletter

https://retailreckoningpodcast.co.uk/newsletter

Retail Champion

https://theretailchampion.co.uk

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Making Tax Digital is scary.

If you don’t understand it.

And most people don’t.

Hi, I’m Clare Bailey, founder of Retail Champion.

In this episode of Retail Reckoning, I’m joined by accountant Rachel Parker, someone I trust with my own business finances.

We’re talking about Making Tax Digital.

What it actually means.

Why so many small business owners are panicking unnecessarily.

And what really matters if you want to stay compliant without losing sleep.

This isn’t an episode about jargon, scare stories, or buying expensive software you don’t need.

It’s about understanding how your business structure, reporting habits, and routines affect your tax, your cash flow, and your stress levels.

We talk about why Making Tax Digital feels overwhelming, why spreadsheets aren’t the enemy, how business structure choices quietly shape your tax position, and why monthly financial routines are where calm actually lives.

This episode isn’t about becoming an accountant.

It’s about feeling more in control of your business.

This episode breaks down:

What Making Tax Digital really is (and what it isn’t)

Why your business structure matters more than you think

How VAT and reporting decisions create knock-on effects

Why people cost more than just salaries

Why businesses fail on cash flow, not profit

How monthly financial habits reduce panic and penalties

If you’ve been quietly stressing about tax, deadlines, or whether you’re doing things “right”, this episode will help you breathe a bit easier and see the bigger picture.

Less panic.

More clarity.

Better decisions.

Let’s get your Retail Reckoning together.

Useful links:

Subscribe to the Retail Reckoning Newsletter

https://retailreckoningpodcast.co.uk/newsletter

Retail Champion

https://theretailchampion.co.uk

Mentioned in this episode:

Retail Reckoning Podcast Insights Newsletter

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Your retail sales are fine.

Your profits aren’t.

Here’s why.

Hi, I’m Clare Bailey, founder of Retail Champion.

In this episode of Retail Reckoning, I’m joined by Graeme Sharp from Sharper Margins.

We'll be unpacking where retail profits really disappear and why it’s rarely down to one big dramatic mistake.

This isn’t an episode about paranoia, security theatre, or treating your team like suspects.

It’s about the small, everyday losses that quietly erode margin and add up far faster than most retailers expect.

We talk about why shoplifting is only part of the story, how mispricing, admin errors, poor stock control, and broken processes quietly drain profit, and why relying on instinct alone stops working as your business grows.

This episode isn’t about complicated systems or expensive tech.

It’s about awareness, consistency, and simple controls that actually protect your margin.

This episode breaks down:

Why retail profits leak even when sales look healthy

The hidden losses most retailers underestimate

How poor stock accuracy quietly destroys margin

Why trust and control aren’t opposites

What retailers should focus on in the next 90 days to protect profit

If your business looks busy but the money never quite stacks up, this episode will help you understand what’s really going on behind the scenes.

Fewer leaks.

More clarity.

Healthier margins.

Let’s get your Retail Reckoning together.

Useful links:

Subscribe to the Retail Reckoning Newsletter

https://retailreckoningpodcast.co.uk/newsletter

Retail Champion: https://theretailchampion.co.uk

Mentioned in this episode:

Retail Reckoning Podcast Insights Newsletter

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Most retailers don’t lose sales because email doesn’t work.

They lose sales because they send the same message to everyone.

Hi, I’m Clare Bailey, founder of Retail Champion.

In this episode of Retail Reckoning, I’m joined by email marketing, CRM, and paid ads specialist Sophie Walton to unpack why email blasting is quietly costing retail businesses sales.

Email isn’t dead.

But bad email habits are expensive.

We talk about why blanket emails damage engagement, how poor segmentation wastes time and ad spend, and why your email list is often more valuable than chasing new customers through paid ads.

This episode isn’t about complicated funnels or marketing jargon.

It’s about making your marketing calmer, more human, and far more effective.

This episode breaks down:

1. Why emailing everyone backfires for retailers
2. How simple segmentation improves sales and retention
3. Where most retailers waste money with paid ads
4. How email, CRM, and ads should actually work together
5. What to focus on first when marketing feels overwhelming

If your marketing feels noisy, exhausting, or expensive, this episode will help you simplify what you’re doing and focus on what genuinely moves sales forward.

Less blasting.

More relevance.

Better results.

Let’s get your Retail Reckoning together.

Subscribe to the Retail Reckoning Newsletter

https://retailreckoningpodcast.co.uk/newsletter

Retail Champion: https://theretailchampion.co.uk

Sophie Walton on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophie-walton-3877b221/

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Most retailers don’t need another social media platform.

They need traffic that actually shows up ready to buy.

Hi, I'm Clare Bailey, founder of Retail Champion.

In this episode of Retail Reckoning, I’m joined by Pinterest and visual search specialist Frances Brown to unpack why Pinterest works so differently for ecommerce retailers, and why so many businesses overlook it.

Pinterest isn’t social media.

It’s a visual search engine built around intent, planning, and discovery.

We talk about how shoppers use Pinterest when they already have a problem to solve or a purchase in mind. Not for doom-scrolling, but for ideas, inspiration, and decisions. And why that makes it such a powerful platform for independent retailers with visual products.

This episode breaks down:

1. Why Pinterest content lasts months, not minutes
2. How visual search changes buyer behaviour
3. What boards and pins actually do behind the scenes
4. How Pinterest integrates with ecommerce and Shopify
5. Why planners beat algorithms when it comes to long-term traffic

If you’re tired of posting constantly, watching content disappear, and feeling like visibility is getting harder instead of easier, this episode will help you rethink where your effort belongs.

Less noise.

More intent.

Better quality traffic.

Let’s get your Retail Reckoning together.

Subscribe to the Retail Reckoning Newsletter –

https://retailreckoningpodcast.co.uk/newsletter

Useful links:

Retail Champion: https://theretailchampion.co.uk

Pinterest Business: https://business.pinterest.com

Most retailers don’t need more data.

They need clearer signals.

Hi, I'm Clare Bailey, founder of Retail Champion.

In this episode of Retail Reckoning, I’m demystifying AI for independent retailers. Not the scary, Silicon Valley, robots-taking-over kind. The practical, everyday kind that quietly helps you get better at the basics.

We talk about how AI can act like a calm assistant in the background. One that spots slow sellers, flags missed opportunities, highlights margin issues, and taps you on the shoulder before small problems turn into expensive ones.

This episode is about using AI to support your judgment, not replace it.

I share real retail examples. From forecasting demand more accurately, to spotting underperforming ranges earlier, to making better pricing and promotion decisions without panic discounting.

If margins feel tighter, time feels shorter, and retail feels heavier than it used to, this episode will help you see where AI can earn its place. Calmly. Practically. On your terms.

Let’s get your Retail Reckoning together.

https://retailreckoningpodcast.co.uk/newsletter

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Shall we take a brutally honest look at the highs and lows of the 2025 festive retail season?

Hi, I'm Clare Bailey, founder of Retail Champion.

In this episode of Retail Reckoning, we dig into what worked, what flopped, and what business owners should focus on to ensure 2026 doesn’t leave any cash on the table.

This episode is packed with straight-talking advice: from sellout items that vanished too soon, to stubborn shelf-sitters that eroded your margins.

I've got some practical checklists to share with you for reviewing customer feedback, staffing woes, and digital visibility—making sure you don’t miss a thing.

Whether you’re a seasoned shop owner or an ambitious start-up, this episode is your guide to turning post-Christmas chaos into clarity, actionable strategy, and a winning 2026.

Let’s get your Retail Reckoning together—no dusty shelves allowed!

Subscribe to the Retail Reckoning Newsletter – https://retailreckoningpodcast.co.uk/newsletter

Mentioned in this episode:

Retail Reckoning Podcast Insights Newsletter

Get Retail Reckoning Podcast Insights and Goodies - https://retailreckoningpodcast.co.uk/newsletter

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