The Hut Group, which last year bought beauty and grooming products websites Lookfantastic and Mankind, has added to its health and beauty roster with the acquisition of MyProtein.com. The Manchester-based sports nutrition company currently operates in the UK and four other European countries including Germany, France, Ireland, Italy, and Spain. It has a projected turnover for 2011 of £25 million, up from £16 million last year. With the addition of MyProtein, The Hut will now achieve 40 per cent of sales from outside of the UK.
Online retailer ASOS has reported another successful year with retail sales up 58 per cent to £324.1 million and profit up 41 per cent to £28.6 million in the year ended 31st March. In a statement, chief executive Nick Robertson said the etailer’s international expansion remains “firmly on track” with international sales up 142 per cent on last year. He also announced plans to launch three more country-specific websites during this financial year, rumoured to be for Australia, Spain and Italy.
A new study has found that a third of customers abandon their online baskets before completing a purchase. According to research commissioned by Royal Mail, the lack of clarity around delivery charges, lead times, and lack of delivery options are to blame. The Delivery Matters study found that the gap between what customers expect and the service that is provided is getting wider too. Online retailers lost an estimated £4 billion in 2010 due to abandoned baskets-up from £2.7 million in 2009.
Sales at Screwfix for the first quarter 2011 were up 5.4 per cent, boosted by new ranges and the introduction of trade counters for plumbers and electricians at Screwfix outlets. Retail profit was up £4 million to £9 million, thanks to “distribution efficiencies and tight cost control”, said a company statement.
Alison Jones, the daughter of former Next chairman and ECMOD Lifetime Achievement Award winner Sir David Jones, is joining Marks & Spencer as brand director for general merchandise, reporting to marketing director Steve Sharp, writes the Telegraph. She was previously at Arcadia and Debenhams.
Collectibles specialist Stanley Gibbons has relaunched its flagship philatelic and investment website Stanleygibbons.com. An online trading platform is scheduled for launch later this year.
Share