Royal Mail and CWU close to agreement
The Communications Workers Union’s national executive committee is due to meet today (Wednesday) to consider the latest proposals which aim to end the modernisation and pay dispute between the union and Royal Mail.

Shoe-shop.com mergers with Pavers
Etailer Shoe-shop.com has been acquired by Pavers. The new owner is Catherine Paver, the mother of Shoe-shop.com founder Stuart Paver. The merger sees Pavers - which operates a retail chain including more than 100 high-street stores, discount concessions, and designer outlets - cement its plans to become a multichannel retailer.

Staples, Office Depot release financial results
Office supplies merchant Staples recorded an annual sales increase in its international division of 13 percent in US dollars and 14 percent in local currency to $5.3 billion compared with the full year 2008. Total sales were up 5 percent to $24.3 billion (£16.19 billion) in 2009, but income decreased 8 percent year-on-year to $739 million (£492.5 million).
At Office Depot’s international division, which includes the UK’s Viking Direct catalogue business, sales declined 16 percent (or 9 percent in local currency) from $4.24 billion to $3.55 billion. Full year sales 2009 also declined 16 percent to $12.1 billion (£10.5 billion).

Strong online performance at QVC
TV-shopping business QVC reported that net sales for 2009 were £367.9 million, a 2.3 percent increase on the previous year. Online sales were particularly strong—in December, the company’s qvcuk.com website took approximately 20 percent of all sales during that month.

Trutex bought by Endless
Schoolwear supplier Trutex has been acquired by private-equity house Endless. The turnaround specialist teamed up with HSBC to refinance the £17 million Yorkshire-based wholesaler and business-to-business cataloguer.

Digital Window buys rival
Affiliate marketing network Digital Window has acquired Perfiliate, the operator of rival network Buy.at, for approximately £11.3 million ($17 million).

Combating customer churn
If you're looking to reduce customer churn, consider employing interaction analytics at the contact centre. To find out how it can help your business click here.

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