GetLenses, a UK-based online retailer of contact
lenses, has expanded into the Italian market with the launch of
GetLenses.it. The website is priced in euros, offers a free local
customer support telephone number and adheres to Italy’s
ecommerce regulations-for example, unlike the UK, Italian
customers do not need to provide a prescription in order to buy
contact lenses online. The business is already active in the UK
and Ireland, but this marks GetLenses’ first foray into mainland
Europe. The company is fulfilling Italian orders from its main
delivery hub in York.
Dash Publishing has announced it is exiting the
retail lingerie market to concentrate on its Dash Direct
Wholesale Lingerie business. In a statement, the company said it
is looking to “totally withdraw from the retail market so
as not to compete with our trade customers” and as a result
has put a for-sale sign on its Wickedelic
Lingerie business. Up for sale are the
wickedeliclingerie.co.uk domain and a database of 54,000 buyers
and enquirers of “sexy, budget” lingerie.
Mothercare says it will close approximately 110
in-town stores and negotiate 40 rent reductions by March 2013,
which will help the business reduce costs and allow it to focus
on its growing multichannel and wholesale business in the UK
without the associated overheads. The cost-cutting comes as
Mothercare reports a 73 percent decline in profits from
£32.5 million in 2009/10 to £8.8 million in the 52
weeks ended 26th March 2011. Total UK sales in the year were down
slightly–0.5 percent–to £587.2 million. Direct sales now
account for 22 percent of the retailer’s UK business, having
grown almost 10 percent during the year to £129 million. To
grow its direct business further, Mothercare has recently
launched mobile websites for its Mothercare and Early Learning
Centre (ELC) brands. It has also relaunched the ELC website, with
plans to relaunch the flagship site next year. In addition, it
has set out plans to rapidly grow its international business,
opening 150 new stores each year and doubling sales to £1
billion by 2013/14.
BikeBiz reports that bicycle retailer
Evans Cycles has hired Nick Wilkinson as chief
executive. Wilkinson was formerly group managing director of
ecommerce and emerging markets at Curry and
Dixons.
Stanley Gibbons, the stamps and autograph
specialist, has promoted Tony Grodecki to business development
director. Grodecki will retain his responsibilities as managing
director of Stanley Gibbons-owned collectibles business Benham.
Guy Barrett is promoted to group head of IT.
Furniture retailer Habitat has appointed the
former marketing director of electricals retailer Best Buy, Kevin
Styles, as chief executive, reports the Independent.
Luxury-goods retailer Harrods has unveiled an
iPhone app designed to help guide shoppers around its
Knightsbridge store. The retailer says a Blackberry app will be
released soon.
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