Most read articles from 2011

With 2011 coming to a close the FashionUnited.co.uk team have gone through the archives to see what the most popular stories of the year have been. Footwear brands and retail expansion featured, with Sarenza.com’s record

breaking year taking the top spot in our top ten articles of the year. This was followed by the news that Japanese bank Nomura was putting its support behind Spanish retail group, Inditex.
 
In third place, FashionUnited highlighted how retailers were struggling with new payment technologies, in the light of consumer spending being down. The article particularly focused on how smaller retailers were struggling with the new version 2.0 of PCI DSS, the security standard that all firms which handle cardholder information for major debit, credit, prepaid, e-purse, ATM or POS cards must meet. As well as the gamble all retailers face on whether to embrace new means of payments, like contactless and prepaid technologies.
 
Major fashion chains featured in the top ten: Primark came in at fifth spot with its decision to open concessions in Selfridges. The news that nautical footwear and clothing brand, Sebago was to open its first flagship store on Regent Street in London was ranked 7th. Taking the tenth spot was the reports of Abercrombie & Fitch’s sister brand, Hollister helping to drive group net sales by 22 per cent to $1.75 billion (£1.08 billion) for the first half of the year.
 
Two stories from the turn of the year, regarding the predicted value of the footwear industry and a look at how consumers would spend in 2011, took fourth and sixth spot respectively. Market research company, Mintel, predicted that UK consumers would spend 20% more in the technology, communications, clothing and adornment sections in 2011 than in 2010.
 
Facebook also made into the best read articles with the news that the social networking giant was to offer Facebook Deals, which offers discounts when you check in using Facebook Places.
 
Top 10 best read articles of 2011: 
1. Sarenza.com: 3 million shoes sold in Europe to date
2. Nomura and Banco Sabadell back Inditex
3. Retailers struggle with new payment technologies
4. Global Footwear Market to Reach US$195 Billion by 2015
5. Selfridges to open Primark concession
6. How consumers will shop in 2011
7. Sebago opens first UK flagship
8. Fashion via Facebook
9. Bravissimo launch Pepperberry
10. Hollister lifts A&F sales and takes the UK by storm


Photo 1: Primark
Photo 2: Hollister