The Hut Group, owner of
Lookfantastic.com and
Myprotein.com, saw sales in the six months to
30th June rise 54 per cent to £66.2 million, while EBITDA
soared to £4 million from £300,000 in the first half of
last year. During the period, The Hut completed its exit from the
low-margin music and books categories and from its white-label
operations, which it says led to “enhanced margin
performance”. The company also confirmed the launch of an
internal payment gateway, integrated with additional payment
options, that will help it support international sales
growth.
In related news, the Hut Group appointed Martin O’Grady as group
operations director. He joins the business with more than 20
years’ operations experience having previously worked at 20:20
Mobile Group, Kuehne & Nagel and Exel Logistics.
Online bathroom retailer Victoria Plumb is
launching its first TV ad campaign. Airing on 1st October, the
commercial represents Victoria Plumb’s first investment in
above-the-line advertising. The six-figure campaign forms part of
Victoria Plumb’s overall investment in its aggressive marketing
strategy, which will continue into 2013.
In more TV news, Littlewoods is unveiling its
new autumn advertising campaign. The company invested £2.3
million into a multimedia campaign based around the concept of
“the Littlewoods touch”, which it says
“demonstrates how spreading the cost of purchases with
Littlewoods can help to turn shoppers’ dreams into
reality”. The first ads aired on Tuesday, 25th September,
and will run for six weeks from across TV, print and digital
channels.
German mail-order firm Neckermann is set to be
closed down after administrators failed to find an investor to
rescue the business. Most employees are to be let go as of 1st
October.
American Greetings Corp, the new owner of
Clinton Cards, has confirmed it received an
offer from its chief executive and members of the founding family
to take the business private. The offer values the greeting-cards
business at about $580 million.
Having already opened 13 new stores this year,
Hotter’s retail director John Nicholas says the
footwear retailer has “identified a further 15 locations
for stores”, likely to open in 2013. The retailer, which
specialises in comfortable footwear for the over-50s, currently
has 38 stores, with two more set to open in October. Four more
stores will open by the end of the year.
Struggling sportswear retailer JJB Sports is
getting close to a deal with SportsDirect, but
according to Sky News, Adidas says it
wants to be paid in full for the value of its stock held in JJB
stores before any agreement is made.
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