Amazon.co.uk is creating 950 jobs in Scotland
across two distribution centres. The majority of the jobs, 750
positions, will be based at a fulfilment centre in Dunfermline,
and an additional 200 posts will be created at Amazon’s existing
facility in Gourock. The new build replaces Amazon’s fulfilment
centre in Glenrothes, and will see all permanent staff transfer
to the new site.
Flying Brands, the multititle catalogue group
that operates Gardening Direct, Flying
Flowers and Listen2, has issued a
profit warning after the adverse weather conditions affected
trading in the last quarter. Like-for-like sales in the three
months to 31st December fell from £5.7 million to £5
million. Important catalogue mailings were disrupted, fulfilment
was hampered by the worst of the weather, and delivery delays
damaged the company’s perishable goods. As a result, Flying
Brands suffered a returns and replacements rates six times higher
than last year and much more than it had budgeted for.
It wasn’t all bad news, though, overall group sales actually rose
12.3 percent to £6.4 million in the final quarter of the
year largely thanks to a boost in the gifts division were sales
were £4.5 million compared to £3.6 million in the last
fiscal year.
In related news, the company has signed up TV gardener Charlie
Dimmock to be the “face” of its Gardening Direct
brand. As part of her duties as brand ambassador, Dimmock will
write the introduction to the expanded monthly Gardening Direct
catalogues, write and present exclusive seasonal videos on what
to do in the garden, and contribute regular articles for the
Gardening Direct website.
According to a company statement, fashion brand Ted
Baker delivered a “pleasing performance”
during the festive trading period despite the bad weather. In the
period from 14th November to 8th January sales rose 7.6 percent,
with profit for the full year in line with expectations.
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