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Get ready to celebrate independent Record Store Day

18 Apr 2024

Independent record stores around the country are preparing to celebrate all things vinyl for this year’s Record Store Day on Saturday April 20th. 
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Indies encouraged to put themselves forward for Retail Business of the Year award.

18 Apr 2024

BIRA, the British Independent Retailers Association, has announced its partnership with this year’s SME National Business Awards., joining the 2024 awards as a leading sponsor, backing... Read more…

Family-run Polesworth fish and chip shop celebrates 40 years in business with half-price chips.

18 Apr 2024

A Midlands fish and chip shop is celebrating 40 years in business and offering half-price chips to mark the milestone.
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Assault of shop workers to be made specific criminal offence

18 Apr 2024

Assaulting a shop worker is to be made a separate criminal offence in England and Wales as part of a government response to a wave of retail crime. 
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New stores helping Cardiff arcades buck retail trends.

18 Apr 2024

Eleven new businesses that have opened in the last year in the historic arcades of Cardiff city centre’s Morgan Quarter, made up of the Morgan and Royal arcades, have helped the arcades... Read more…

Study highlights impact of rising staff costs for convenience retailers.

3 Apr 2024

Research by the University of Stirling and the Scottish Grocers’ Federation has shed light on the impact of rising staff costs on the convenience retail sector in Scotland.
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Independent department stores hitting a sweet spot on local high streets.

3 Apr 2024

With large national chains increasingly disappearing from the high street, Drapers magazine has been looking at how independent department stores are stepping up their offerings to... Read more…

Entries open for 2024 Baking Industry Awards

2 Apr 2024

The Baking Industry Awards return for their 37th year and are once again ready to recognise and reward the very best people, products, and businesses in the sector. The awards showcase the... Read more…

Family-owned cycle shop celebrates 90 years trading in Walsall.

2 Apr 2024

Walsall's cycling community has been celebrating a family-owned business which celebrates its 90th anniversary this year.
 
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Payment-processing outages at UK retailers raise reliability issues for cashless transactions.

2 Apr 2024

Recent payment disruptions at supermarkets and fast-food outlets have raised questions on the need for improved reliability.
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Businesses offering retail finance can now save hundreds of pounds per year with ActSmart's new initiative

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ActshoppingSmart subscribers will be able to save time and money when offering retail finance with the new Retail Finance Appointed Representative initiative, meaning they get all the benefits of offering regulated finance with no Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) involvement.

Over the past year retail finance has played a key role in sales throughout the pandemic; when comparing Jan 2020 to Jan 2021 applications to purchase items through retail finance have increased by nearly 50%.

With more businesses realising the value that retail finance can bring to their business, ActSmart has now transformed the process to make it easier and cheaper than ever before. The brand new Retail Finance Appointed Representative service will save ActSmart subscribers both time and money on a yearly basis by removing the FCA acceptance and renewal processes.

Key benefits of the new service include:

  • Offer regulated finance to your customers
  • No initial FCA application fee - save £100
  • No FCA yearly renewal fees (except any incurred prior to being appointed) - save a minimum of £150 per year
  • No FCA paperwork - save time and effort
  • Liaise directly with ActSmart not the FCA
  • Offer finance with no subsidies

For more information and to apply for the Retail Finance Appointed Representative service please visit the ActSmart website here or get in touch at info@actsmart.biz.

Please note: Owing to the FCA fee structure and process for changing from a directly authorised business to an Appointed Representative ActSmart will currently be prioritising non-authorised businesses. Businesses that are already directly authorised by the FCA can still take advantage of the cost and time savings by becoming an Appointed Representative but the process will be completed nearer the next FCA reporting period.

All interested businesses should register using the form on this page and we will contact you in due course.

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