New chairman at Catalogue Exchange
House of Bath managing director Dara O’Malley and Lands’ End UK and Europe managing director Tim Curtis have been appointed chair and deputy chair of Catalogue Exchange respectively. O’Malley succeeds White Stuff's Alison Lancaster, who steps down from the not-for-profit trade body’s advisory board after approximately two years as chair.

Sales up but operating profit down at Home Retail Group
The good news is that sales at Home Retail Group, the parent company of Argos and Homebase, grew by 2 percent to £6.02 billion in the year to 27th February 2010. During the period, DIY retailer Homebase increased its benchmark operating profit by 177 percent, from £26 million to £41.2 million. The bad news is, however, that overall benchmark operating profit for the period fell 4 percent to £290 million, with a 12 percent decline at Argos.

Findel warns on profit
Multititle mailer Findel has warned of lower than expected profits for the year ended 2nd April, as it continues its investigation into accounting discrepancies at its educational division. The group’s full-year results will also include “intangible impairment charges” of £61 million relating to its I Want One of Those, Confetti, and Webb businesses.

Littlewoods seeks VAT refund
Shop Direct, the parent company of Littlewoods and Very, is involved in a High Court battle with Revenue & Customs “as it attempts to reclaim a value added tax rebate that could exceed £1 billion,” reports the Financial Times. According to the article, the retailer is one of a number of companies that claim to have overpaid VAT to HMRC—in Shop Direct’s case from 1973 to 2004—and that refunds should be calculated using compound, rather than simple, interest.

International sales up at Amazon
International sales at Amazon, representing the company’s UK, German, Japanese, French, and Chinese websites, were up 45 percent to $3.35 billion (£2.18 billion) in the first quarter 2010, compared with the same period last year. Excluding the favourable impact from year-over-year changes in foreign exchange rates during the quarter, sales grew 37 percent.

Online retailers win Queen’s Award
Congratulations to online book retailer The Book Depository and maternity cataloguer/etailer Isabella Oliver for winning a 2010 Queen’s Award. Both companies received recognition for their international efforts.

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