Timscris buys CSS Fulfilment
Timscris Holdings, which specialises in creating reader-offer catalogues, has acquired the trading of Kent-based CSS Fulfilment through its fulfilment business Templar Marketing Services. Timscris has been a CSS customer for the past 20 years and will continue to use its services for its reader offers, Lifestyles Direct, and LifeStylesatHome brands. CSS had filed for creditors’ voluntary liquidation last month.

Sales up at Laura Ashley
Total sales at homewares and apparel cataloguer/retailer Laura Ashley are up 3 percent to £268.4 million, for the 52 weeks to 30th January 2010. Total UK retail sales, which include in-store and direct sales, rose 3.6 percent to £243.6 million, with like-for-likes up 3.5 percent. Ecommerce and mail order sales were up 7 percent on the previous year, and now account for 12 percent of total UK retail sales. The new fiscal year has started off well too—for the eight weeks to 27th March, total UK retail sales increased by 5.6 percent.

Direct sales boost Mothercare
In a trading statement covering the 52 weeks to 27th March 2010, nursery and maternity retailer Mothercare reported that UK sales rose 2 percent during the year. Direct in Home sales, the company’s mail order and ecommerce sales, jumped 16.3 percent. In the fourth quarter, adverse weather conditions in the UK affected the company’s in-store sales—UK like-for-like sales for the quarter were down 1.6 percent. Conversely, the weather aided the retailer’s home-shopping division, which saw revenues increase 15.3 percent during the period.

Sales up but profits down at Lush
Lush, the purveyor of handmade beauty products, saw worldwide turnover increase by 40 percent to £215 million in the fiscal year ending 30th June 2009. Profit, however, plunged 28.4 percent from £19.4 million to £13.9 million. For the first eight months of this financial year, the company says it has improved profitability and that turnover is 10 percent ahead of the previous year.

Positive EBITDA for Liberty
London department store Liberty posted positive EBITDA for the first time in ten years—£100,000 last year against a negative £3.9 million for the 2008 period. In the 12 months to 31st December 2009, Liberty recorded a 20 percent rise in revenues to £59.6 million, compared with £49.9 million the previous year.

Tips to improve your catalogue
According to Royal Mail’s Home Shopping Tracker 2009, almost two-thirds of shoppers consult a catalogue before buying products or services online or in-store. In light of this, direct sellers must ensure their catalogues are working hard to capture attention and grow sales. Here are 15 tips on how to make the most of your catalogue. 

The April issue of Catalogue e-business hits desks this week. Here’s a taste of what you can expect:

• Special focus on email marketing, with advice on using trigger marketing, making the best use of transactional emails, and measuring campaign success.
• Bonus supplement on software and systems including Ernie Schell's annual order management systems roundup as well as articles on content management and ecommerce systems.
• Plus the latest news, a website review, Q&A with…, and much more.

The only way to guarantee you receive a copy is to subscribe. To have the print edition of Catalogue e-business magazine delivered to you, or for more information, contact Jill Sweet on 01271 866221 or subs@catalog-biz.com.

To advertise, contact the Catalogue e-business sales team on 01271 866112 or at sales@catalog-biz.com.