Next, the UK's largest clothing retailer, has been quietly expanding its wings globally, leaving its rivals in the dust. The brand, known for reliable work clothes, kids' clothing, and home furnishings, has undergone a significant transformation over the past five years.
The store on London's Oxford Street is a testament to this shift. It now houses not only a giant children's department but also a men's suiting section and womenswear. Many parents shopping there are waiting for their teenage daughters to browse the Victoria's Secret section upstairs, alongside Bath & Body Works and Gap stores.
Next has snapped up several brands over the past five years, including Cath Kidston and FatFace, as well as furniture group Made. The company also controls the UK rights to distribution of popular brands like Victoria's Secret, Bath & Body Works, and Gap through joint ventures with their US parent groups. These brands are now being sold online.
Under the leadership of Simon Wolfson, Next has taken majority stakes in Reiss and Joules, as well as smaller investments in Sealskinz, Swoon, Rockett St George, and others. The company has also built a plethora of licence deals with brands like Ted Baker, AllSaints kids ranges, Laura Ashley homeware and fashion.
Last year, sales of non-Next brands online in the UK topped £1bn, up from £434m five years ago. Overseas, non-Next products made up a fifth of the group's £930m international sales last year. This growth has been attributed to more effort on design, quality, and marketing, which has improved the appeal of Next and its smaller labels.
The company booked £930m of sales overseas last year, more than double the figure in 2020. Next also expects to make annual profits of £1.14bn this year, a 39% surge from the previous year. The brand's range of brands and price positions allows it to cater to a wide range of consumers, including those who are focusing on quality and trading up.
Next's performance was boosted by problems at its rival Marks & Spencer, which was forced to close its online business for several weeks after an Easter cyberattack. Next also benefited from improved stock flow from its Asian suppliers compared to last year.
Despite closing about 40 stores in the past five years, taking its total to 457 in the UK, Next's focus has shifted away from physical stores. Instead, the brand is investing in online sales and logistics to reach new customers.
Next's multi-channel offer is leaving competitors behind, according to Retail Economics research firm CEO Richard Lim. The company's ability to operate websites and a delivery network smoothly has been key to its success.
The brand's history has also played a role in its current success. Next was founded in 1982 as the men's tailoring firm J Hepworth & Son bought up the Kendalls rainwear stores to create a womenswear chain. The company has been steeped in home delivery from its early days and has invested heavily in logistics systems, allowing it to make the transition to online shopping smoothly.
Next's strengths lie in its "fast, automated logistics" and "well-developed customer loyalty and analytics," according to retail analyst Richard Chamberlain.
The store on London's Oxford Street is a testament to this shift. It now houses not only a giant children's department but also a men's suiting section and womenswear. Many parents shopping there are waiting for their teenage daughters to browse the Victoria's Secret section upstairs, alongside Bath & Body Works and Gap stores.
Next has snapped up several brands over the past five years, including Cath Kidston and FatFace, as well as furniture group Made. The company also controls the UK rights to distribution of popular brands like Victoria's Secret, Bath & Body Works, and Gap through joint ventures with their US parent groups. These brands are now being sold online.
Under the leadership of Simon Wolfson, Next has taken majority stakes in Reiss and Joules, as well as smaller investments in Sealskinz, Swoon, Rockett St George, and others. The company has also built a plethora of licence deals with brands like Ted Baker, AllSaints kids ranges, Laura Ashley homeware and fashion.
Last year, sales of non-Next brands online in the UK topped £1bn, up from £434m five years ago. Overseas, non-Next products made up a fifth of the group's £930m international sales last year. This growth has been attributed to more effort on design, quality, and marketing, which has improved the appeal of Next and its smaller labels.
The company booked £930m of sales overseas last year, more than double the figure in 2020. Next also expects to make annual profits of £1.14bn this year, a 39% surge from the previous year. The brand's range of brands and price positions allows it to cater to a wide range of consumers, including those who are focusing on quality and trading up.
Next's performance was boosted by problems at its rival Marks & Spencer, which was forced to close its online business for several weeks after an Easter cyberattack. Next also benefited from improved stock flow from its Asian suppliers compared to last year.
Despite closing about 40 stores in the past five years, taking its total to 457 in the UK, Next's focus has shifted away from physical stores. Instead, the brand is investing in online sales and logistics to reach new customers.
Next's multi-channel offer is leaving competitors behind, according to Retail Economics research firm CEO Richard Lim. The company's ability to operate websites and a delivery network smoothly has been key to its success.
The brand's history has also played a role in its current success. Next was founded in 1982 as the men's tailoring firm J Hepworth & Son bought up the Kendalls rainwear stores to create a womenswear chain. The company has been steeped in home delivery from its early days and has invested heavily in logistics systems, allowing it to make the transition to online shopping smoothly.
Next's strengths lie in its "fast, automated logistics" and "well-developed customer loyalty and analytics," according to retail analyst Richard Chamberlain.
they've been quietly crushing it globally and now their online sales are making up a big chunk of their overall sales 
like what's not to love about reliable work clothes, kids' stuff, and home furnishings? plus they're investing in logistics which is so important for any brand wanting to make the transition to online shopping smoothly 
i'm also loving how they've been snapping up smaller brands and licence deals with popular ones too 
I'm lowkey impressed Next is snapping up brands left and right like it's a fashion treasure hunt 
! Simon Wolfson's got game, no cap 
! They're crushing the online sales, logistics, and customer loyalty game 
. Who needs physical stores when you can have an army of automated logistics machines 
? And let's be real, who doesn't love a good Victoria's Secret section upstairs from the kids' clothes department? 
... they must be sucking up all the UK customers with their fancy online shopping and decent prices. And now they're buying up other brands like it's going out of style 
The real tragedy is that they're still closing physical stores, so people won't even have a reason to support their actual brick-and-mortar locations anymore 
... Next's growth is probably just a sign of the impending doom for traditional retail.
. The fact that they're investing so much in online sales and logistics is genius, it's like they're getting ahead of the curve 
. And let's be real, who doesn't love browsing the Victoria's Secret section alongside Bath & Body Works? 
.
️. Anyway, I'm just glad my old mates at Gap are doing alright for themselves online 
they're just giving people more options when it comes to work clothes and stuff. and yeah, Simon Wolfson is a solid leader 
he's clearly done his research on what people want in terms of quality and price points. plus, the fact that they're taking risks with smaller labels like Sealskinz and Swoon shows they're not afraid to innovate 
. i mean, who doesn't love browsing through the Victoria's Secret section at a Next store? 
it's all about catering to different customers and meeting their needs. and let's be real, Marks & Spencer's cyberattack was no picnic for them either... 
. their focus on online sales and logistics is definitely paying off 
.
. like, we all know how important logistics are in the online shopping game 
. so yeah, next uk is definitely on my radar now 
They're definitely not just a workwear brand anymore 
. The fact that they've been able to acquire so many other brands and joint ventures is impressive 
. I love how Next is focusing on quality and design, it's definitely paying off for them 
.
. And let's be real, their online sales are 
. It's like they're sayin', "Hey, we know you want to look good, but also feel good about yourself 
." And that's somethin' we can all get behind 
.
. We did this crazy trail that had so many twists and turns, I swear we must've hiked for hours not knowing where we were going 
️ – have you tried that new café downtown?
I think it's just clever business strategy. They're adapting to the changing retail landscape by investing in e-commerce and logistics. Meanwhile, their rivals are struggling with cyberattacks and stock flow issues 
. Next is just playing catch-up and using the opportunities created by others' failures to their advantage 
Next is absolutely killing the game right now! I mean, they're basically taking over the UK clothing market with their online sales and multi-channel offer 
. And let's be real, their design and quality have always been on point 
I'm loving how Next is adapting to the changing retail landscape by investing in e-commerce and logistics 
It's all about creating a cohesive brand experience that makes customers feel valued and supported. 
taking control of popular brands like victoria's secret, bath & body works, and gap online... talk about a smart move! 
!
! i mean, who would have thought that next would be the one taking over the market? 