WH Smith has acquired
Gadgetshop.com from toy retailer The
Entertainer. In a letter sent to its suppliers, The
Entertainer said the sale was part of its “strategy to
focus on our core business and proceeds of this sale will be
reinvested in our new store opening programme”. The online
store has been closed since 1st September as Gadgetshop moves to
a new warehouse. WHSmith confirmed the acquisition, but declined
to comment further.
Profits slipped 2.4 percent at Thorntons. The
confectioner delivered flat sales of £214.6 million in the
year ended 26th June, whilst profits fell to £6.1 million
compared with £6.3 million the previous year. Its online and
catalogue division Thorntons Direct, however, grew sales by 15.1
percent to £9.2 million.
Gross sales at online grocer Ocado increased
29.5 percent to £126.5 million in its third quarter. What’s
more, in its first statement to the City, Ocado delivered sales
of £372.2 million, a 29.8 percent sales increase for the 36
weeks to 8th August.
Sales at luxury group Richemont rose 37 percent
in the five months ended 31st August. At constant exchange rates
and excluding the impact on sales of the acquisition of fashion
etailer Net-a-Porter.com in April, sales
increased by 22 percent. The company, which divides its business
into “jewellery maisons”, “specialist
watchmakers”, “writing instruments maison”, and
“others”, saw sales in the “others”
category rise 62 percent at actual exchange rates, largely thanks
to strong sales at Net-a-Porter.
Sportswear retailer Intersport.co.uk has
selected The Hut Group to create its new online
store in a bid to become one of the largest online retailers in
the sports market. As part of its new features, Intersport.co.uk
will offer free delivery as standard.
The Bookseller reports that
Blackwell’s will close its head office, shifting
power to stores and emulating the John Lewis model whereby the
staff own the business. The plan put 25 jobs at risk.
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