Karima Graham’s Post

Very enjoyable evening spent with the Premier League of sellers and the B&Q Marketplace Team at the Trading House bar and restaurant on Gresham Street, London. Positioned as a ‘B&Q Seller Celebration and evening of Festive Networking and 2025 Opportunities’ it truly delivered on its name. You know I speak with many suppliers, brands, sellers and retailers and the conversations always fall into two very clear camps. Camp 1 - Times are very tough, not getting any easier and there are few signs of growth. We’re having to cut costs and pull back on investment. Camp 2 - The Market’s tough, but we’re growing double digit year on year and investing in our range and service. And the difference between the two? The companies in Camp 2, sell on marketplaces and dropship with customers like Screwfix, Toolstation, wilko, Robert Dyas and very shortly Homebase through the Virtualstock platform and Camp 1 companies don’t. It really is that simple. #retail #ecommerce #marketplace #commerce

Amidst the allure of Central Business District (CBD) shophouses, often regarded as the pinnacle of the commercial shophouse market, transactions are dwindling even as prices are resilient. In light of these trends, Clemence Lee shares insights in The Business Times on the future trajectory of the shophouse market. Read more: https://cbre.co/3PNSZSv #CBREInsights #realestate #shophouse #markettrends

This is a story of strength and vision from within. To recognize evolving needs that lead to market changing solutions. Team Prologis you continued to push the evolution in order to fulfill the needs of your end users. Cheers on continuing to recognize those market trends and needs. #IoT #smartbuildings #smartcities

Amidst the allure of Central Business District (CBD) shophouses, often regarded as the pinnacle of the commercial shophouse market, transactions are dwindling even as prices are resilient. In light of these trends, Clemence Lee shares insights in The Business Times on the future trajectory of the shophouse market. Read more: https://cbre.co/3PNSZSv #CBREInsights #realestate #shophouse #markettrends

"Dreaming of owning a business in the heart of Fairhope? This thriving consignment shop is up for grabs, and the motivated seller is ready to make a deal! Don't miss this rare opportunity to dive into Fairhope's vibrant retail scene. 🌟 #Fairhope #BusinessForSale #EntrepreneurLife #RetailOpportunity #ConsignmentShop"

Amidst the allure of Central Business District (CBD) shophouses, often regarded as the pinnacle of the commercial shophouse market, transactions are dwindling even as prices are resilient. In light of these trends, Clemence Lee shares insights in The Business Times on the future trajectory of the shophouse market. Read more: https://cbre.co/3PNSZSv #CBREInsights #realestate #shophouse #markettrends

3Z Brands Acquires Southerland, Inc. 3Z will begin integrating Southerland’s four facilities, with its Nashville location serving as the company’s East Coast e-commerce hub. Get the scoop at https://ow.ly/CWHc50UrIkp #MattressRetail #3ZGrows #SleepProducts

HEB is not well known outside Texas, which is too bad. This is an outstanding company, thriving in a tough low margin retail business. Part of their strong culture is willingness to try new things and change. Change includes niching out new brands, the original HEB (what every middle market supermarket should be), Central Market (foodie for customers who are not price sensitive) and Joe V's (for lower income demographic). Their principled choices are impressive. HEB fans are clamoring for more HEBs in North Texas. But instead of focusing on that, they are also expanding Joe V's to the neighborhoods who would otherwise be "food deserts." If more corporations were like HEB we'd have fewer laws and lawyers. https://lnkd.in/g6Fb6UT4

If Canadian convenience store operator, Alimentation Couche-Tard (Circle-K) is allowed to acquire Seven & i Holdings (7-Eleven Inc), this would be the biggest M&A deal in the history of convenience stores space at U$38bn. Just 3 years back, in 2021, Seven & i holdings acquired Speedway for U$21bn, largest ever North American M&A deal in convenience stores space. I no longer cover or follow the equity markets. But this news caught my eye. And I just had to do some idle musings (force of habit). I keep thinking, how the top ranked company is getting an M&A offer from the second-largest company in this industry, that too at a time when interest rates have not yet moved down in the US. Perhaps they are planning on borrowing/raising funds for this acquisition from outside of US or they are betting on Fed rate cuts before the deal is closed (if that becomes an eventuality).

What stops an entrepreneur from setting up a network of dark stores that can serve all these qcommerce players? Do supply-side optimisation, achieve efficiency in warehouse management, reduce real estate costs (for these players)… kind of D-mart but for qcommerce?