Verdict Research
Encyclopedia
Verdict Research is a United Kingdom
-based company founded by retail analyst Richard Hyman in 1984. It conducts research into all aspects of retailing
and consumers producing both syndicated publications and tailored consulting projects and is headquartered in London.
Verdict specialises in analysis of the UK and global retail markets, with a particular focus on the clothing, grocery, furniture, homewares and electricals sectors, retail forecasting, consumer insight and analysis of retail channels and locations.
for a maximum consideration of £4.7m in cash. Datamonitor was itself subsequently acquired by Informa in 2007.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
-based company founded by retail analyst Richard Hyman in 1984. It conducts research into all aspects of retailing
Retailing
Retail consists of the sale of physical goods or merchandise from a fixed location, such as a department store, boutique or kiosk, or by mail, in small or individual lots for direct consumption by the purchaser. Retailing may include subordinated services, such as delivery. Purchasers may be...
and consumers producing both syndicated publications and tailored consulting projects and is headquartered in London.
Verdict specialises in analysis of the UK and global retail markets, with a particular focus on the clothing, grocery, furniture, homewares and electricals sectors, retail forecasting, consumer insight and analysis of retail channels and locations.
Acquisition by Datamonitor
In September 2005, Verdict was acquired by DatamonitorDatamonitor
Datamonitor is an international company providing market intelligence, data analysis and opinion via a worldwide network of in-house analysts. According to the organization's website in 2011, Datamonitor assists over 6000 of the world’s leading corporations in making strategic and operational...
for a maximum consideration of £4.7m in cash. Datamonitor was itself subsequently acquired by Informa in 2007.
Company timeline
- 1984 - Started in September 1984 by Richard Hyman who was previously a director of MintelMintelMintel Group Ltd is a privately owned, London-based market research firm. The corporation also maintains offices in Chicago, New York, Belfast, Shanghai, Tokyo and Sydney...
. The company’s mission statement was "to be the best in retail research and analysis" and it differentiated itself by writing opinion rather than merely reporting retail facts. Unlike many other firms operating in the research arena, the company only employed in-house analysts, not freelancers. The first report was on grocers and was published in January for £250.00; the first customer was Panmure GordonPanmure GordonPanmure Gordon & Co. is a British corporate and institutional stockbroker and investment bank. The firm operates in three businesses: investment banking, research and institutional sales and trading...
. - 1985 - The company moved to Britten Street and the first employees (a secretary, an analyst and a marketing manager) were employed. The company produced 12 reports in first year with two analysts.
- 1986 - The company sold its first consultancy project for £4,750.
- 1987 - The company moved to High HolbornHigh HolbornHigh Holborn is a road in Holborn in central London, England. It starts in the west near St Giles Circus, then goes east, past the Kingsway and Southampton Row, and continues east. The road becomes Holborn at the junction with Gray's Inn Road....
and added more reports, including those focusing on consumer, forecasting and retail issues. The first Verdict conference was also held; these were held ever year for the next four years. - 1990 - The company added Fieldforce, a range and price auditing company, based in CoventryCoventryCoventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
. - 1992 - The first European Report were produced. The company also launched the Retail Verdict Newsletter, 136 subscribers in first year. Followed a year later in 1993 by European and US Newsletters.
- 1994 - The company celebrated its 10th Anniversary. Champagne reception held after annual conference at Connaught Rooms.
- 1996 - Retail Daily News was launched.
- 1997 - The company moved office to Berners Street just off Oxford StreetOxford StreetOxford Street is a major thoroughfare in the City of Westminster in the West End of London, United Kingdom. It is Europe's busiest shopping street, as well as its most dense, and currently has approximately 300 shops. The street was formerly part of the London-Oxford road which began at Newgate,...
in London. - 1999 - The 40th employee was taken on and the number of off-shelf reports exceed 40 per year for the first time.
- 2000 - All Verdict’s publications were made available over the internet.
- 2005 - The company was acquired by DatamonitorDatamonitorDatamonitor is an international company providing market intelligence, data analysis and opinion via a worldwide network of in-house analysts. According to the organization's website in 2011, Datamonitor assists over 6000 of the world’s leading corporations in making strategic and operational...
, which was then acquired by Informa in 2007. - 2006 - Verdict expands its series of non-UK retail analysis.
- 2009 - The company moves into the Guardian's former building on the Farringdon Road on the eve of its 25th birthday.
- 2010 - Verdict's off-shelf reports exceed 150 per year.