Pretax profit at Marks & Spencer declined by 8
percent, from £348.6 million to £320.5 million, in the
26 weeks ended 1st October. Sales of general merchandise remained
broadly flat in the six months, dipping 0.8 percent. Food sales,
however, were up 3.9 percent during the period, leading to a 1.6
percent overall UK sales increase during the half-year.
Meanwhile, M&S Direct sales were up 11.7 percent
with over 3 million website visits per week. In addition,
international sales were up 9 percent with strong like-for-like
growth in M&S’s “priority markets” of India and
China.
Online florist SerenataFlowers.com has expanded
with the launch of two new divisions.
SerenataHampers.com and
SerenataPlants.com were launched last month
following a strong growth in sales. Serenata is currently on
track to hit 50 percent growth in 2011 and to facilitate this
rapid rise in consumer demand, the company is building a new
fulfilment centre to triple its current capacity. Based at
Heathrow, the new premises will enable gift delivery from one
central hub. The site will be operational in December.
Fashion etailer Missguided has launched an ad
campaign spanning TV and press advertising. Based around the
concept “drop dead gorgeous” the company is taking
ads in magazines including More and during The Only
Way Is Essex on ITV2. This follows the news that other
direct sellers are testing TV advertising, including
Ironmongery Direct and
Lovehoney.
High street jeweller Ernest Jones has launched a
new online personalised jewellery service allowing consumers to
choose from a variety of design and engraving options.
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