Leading high street fashion retailer French Connection has expanded its digital market.

The popular fashion label has announced the activation of a new online service that allows customers to rate its products.

Utilising the social commerce platform Bazaarvoice, French Connection hopes that by encouraging consumers to go online and rate their offerings, customers will be able to share their shopping experiences with their peers to enable the public to make better-informed decisions, while the initiative will also have the added benefit of a likely reduction in the number of returns.

The retailer can also keep abreast of what its customers are saying and tailor their services accordingly, such as using descriptions from reviewers to shape their own presentation and description. The move is the first of several new marketing strategies from French Connection, which is also looking at the addition of an online video sharing service for customers to model items in addition to other digital engagement such as a soon to be released mini-series that will feature on You Tube.

The digital revolution is part of the present ‘The man and the woman’ advertising campaign that will use a series of short films to showcase the forthcoming autumn collection, where viewers can click on the featured items to purchase online. The move is all part of a greater push to bring in-store facilities to in-home, as many customers do not have the time or opportunity to spend hours trying on sizes and models in fitting rooms to make their decision.

For the third day running, Bangladeshi garment workers have clashed with police over wage rates.

UK fashion retailers such as H&M, Tesco, Marks and Spencer and Zara are among the world’s leading companies that source much of their clothing from the factories in the Southeast Asian nation.

Despite the proclamation of a new, improved minimum wage for garment makers being announced by the government on Friday, union leaders have rejected the deal as being well below what was asked. The government has offered 3,000 taka (£27) per month to workers, almost double the previous minimum wage. The unions are holding out for 5,000 taka (£45) which they argue matches the rising cost of living.

With no work being done, the predominantly female labour force in Bangladesh’s second-largest industry have taken to the streets, where, urged on by union leaders, they have protested with bitter abuse and throwing stones – in some cases bricks – causing authorities to respond with batons and rubber-bullets. Around 80 people have been injured in the latest clashes, which are taking place across the country, taking the total number close to 300. Police have also claimed that in the outskirts of the capital Dacca, where at least 20 factories have closed, protesters have looted shops and blocked roads.

Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has called on workers to prevent major damage to the industry and livelihoods by accepting the new offer. A peaceful resolution is seen as crucial to sustaining the £10bn export sector, which makes up close to 80 per cent of the country’s annual income.

Looking for that exotic or erotic accessory to spice up your love life?

The leading specialised retailer in gifts for grown-ups, Ann Summers, is currently offering a massive 75 per cent of selected items in its huge summer sale.

The retail group is renowned for its high quality adult products, with everything from toys to oils, sexy to kinky on sale now. Highly respected in an industry which traditionally sees shady operators and poor quality products, Ann Summers claim they personally test and retest all of their items in what must be a fun job. With discounts on all of the classiest bedroom finery, including teddies, camisoles, suspenders, thongs nightwear, hosiery, briefs and even bondage clothing there is sure to be any number of sale items that will ensure you look and feel your sexiest.

Right now you can find some sultry lingerie deals including 50 per cent off selected bra sets, chic lace corsets reduced down £25 from £55, camisole and brief sets at just £8 and the online featured product – the gorgeous Cami-Suspender set from Florence which is on a steal at just £5, down from the normal £30. Still not satisfied? Spend more than £40 and you can add an intimate ‘bullet’ toy for just £5, or choose from the latest remote-controlled ‘rampant rabbits’. There’s also plenty of titillating items for the guys too, from brief sets to gels and lotions, adult DVD’s to videos. Everything is delivered via registered post in discrete packaging and comes with a money-back guarantee, so start shopping and discover the world or sensual wonders at AnnSummers.com

The great summer sales have arrived, so get ready to spend at Britain’s leading high street retailers. Prices have come tumbling down as the sale signs have gone up, meaning now is the ideal time to grab that chic summer wardrobe item or get in on old stock before the cold arrives.

In even better news for shoppers, official figures have shown that the price of clothing fell by a record margin in the month of June, with retailers wielding the axe earlier than expected. This has analysts worried that the coming months could result in a raft of profit warnings, as Britain’s leading retail chains look to sacrifice immediate profit for the sake of sales. While this may be bad news for business, it is nonetheless great news for consumers.

Chancellor George Osborne’s so-called ‘austerity’ Budget has not yet hit shoppers where it matters most – in their pockets, as retailers steady themselves for an excepted economic downturn as consumer spending will be reduced in the months ahead. The result is that right now is the best time to find the best bargains, with fashion stores offering a huge range of incentives and promotions to tempt the last remaining pennies from the public.

Debenhams, Next and Marks & Spencer are all featuring great deals on fashion-wear at the moment, with customers being openly wooed to spend and save. These stores are just some of the group which saw price-slashing of around 3.4 per cent last month, with women’s wear leading the way in cost reductions.

The slow pace of economic recovery has not appeared to have slowed down spending on fashion.

That is the verdict according to the latest just-style Apparel Industry in 2010 report, which found that fast and value fashion operators will be the most likely businesses to succeed in 2010, leading the way in profit forecasting.

The report  claimed that retailers who offer fashion collections at low prices are in the best position to take advantage of the current consumer climate in the UK, with organisations such as Primark set to  boom thanks to their strategy  of high volumes at low prices.

 The just-style survey also found that in the value fashion sector, where Primark is joined by the likes of New Look, the growth rate was at a high 59 per cent, while respondents also suggested that chains such as Mango and Zara, which are classified as fast fashion, could also expect to see growth of 56 per cent.

However, it was traditional favourite H&M that was seen as being the retailer who will see the greatest levels of growth in the remainder of 2010. 26.5 per cent of those polled said they expected H&M to top growth tables, while Zara was second with 20.6 per cent of the vote. In the five company query, Primark was third on 14.4 per cent, ahead of New Look on 7.5 per cent and Mango at 6.6 per cent.