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Rigby & Peller sold to Belgian luxury group
Upmarket lingerie retailer Rigby & Peller sold the majority stake in the business to Belgian luxury apparel group Van de Velde for £8 million. The Kenton family retains a minority 13 percent holding with June Kenton and son David Kenton remaining with the company as board members.

M&S sets wheels in motion for ecommerce relaunch
Marks & Spencer has embarked on the first steps to relaunch its ecommerce operation by appointing SapientNitro to create its new online platform. This will see Marks & Spencer move away from its Amazon-built platform when its contract ends in 2014.

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Direct sales up at Mr Fothergill’s
Mr Fothergill’s Seeds, a cataloguer of seeds and plants, has seen strong growth in all its mail order brands in 2010/11. Its three brands, Mr Fothergill’s Direct, DT Brown and Woolmans, each recorded year-on-year growth in excess of 20 percent. This is 6 percent ahead of budget, leading to an improved divisional contribution 21 percent above budget.

Debenhams rewards engagement with Facebook credits
Department-store retailer Debenhams is offering Facebook credits to consumers who sign up to its enewsletters or “like” its Facebook page. Facebook credits can be used to pay for online games and application, and will soon be available as a currency to vote on TV shows including Celebrity Big Brother and the X Factor.

TopMan broadens product range
After five years of research and development, Arcadia-owned menswear retailer TopMan has launched a range of fragrances and bodycare products. The retailer worked independently from the major corporate licensing agencies, opting for an in-house team alongside Azzi Glasser, the creator of the Agent Provocateur scent. The fragrance will retail at £15.

ECMOD Direct Commerce Show - Conference programme unveiled!
This year's multi-track conference covers a vast range of up-to-the-minute topics geared to helping all b2b & b2c multi-channel merchants to optimise business performance. With names including Amy Africa (Eight By Eight), Matt Curry (Lovehoney), Peter Harris (Hotel Chocolat), Rick Kelley (Facebook) and Stuart Paver (Pavers), the conference will offer delegates a choice of high impact sessions, plus special feature content for CatEx DCA members. To download the full programme and rates click here. All delegates attending on Wednesday 30th November will be invited to our networking drinks reception on the exhibition floor, sponsored by Chase Paymentech.

The latest suppliers to sign up for this year's exhibition are Bray Solutions, Maginus, MEDOC Computers, Mohn Media, Royal Mail and Williams Commerce. You can now register online for FREE here or call +44 (0)1271 866112 for further information.

Print Master Class
If you’re interested in learning more about maximising your print ROI and would like an introduction on how to perform your own print purchasing audit, book your place to attend the Print Master Class. Led by print procurement consultants Blue Buffalo, the event has an option of 7 dates (including one at the ECMOD Show), the first one being on 5th September. Rates start at £295 per person, with discounts for members of CatEx DCA. Contact Jenny Squire for more details on how to book on 01271 866112 or email jenny@ecmod.com.

Sales and profits up at Oka
According to published reports, Oka, the upscale furniture retailer/cataloguer owned by Lady Astor, saw underlying profits rise 24 percent to £472,000 and sales up 9 percent to £15 million in 2011.

Google moves into catalogues
Google is tapping into the catalogue market by bringing together names like Anthropologie, Bare Escentuals, Crate and Barrel, LL Bean, Lands’ End, Macy’s, and Neiman Marcus onto its new tablet app in digital format. Available for US customers, Google Catalogs is a directory of sorts that allows users to browse digital editions, zoom in on products, tap on tags to learn more about an item or, in some catalogues, view photo albums and videos.




A guide to lifecycle marketing
The terms triggered messaging and lifecycle messaging are routinely substituted for one another, and in reality they are very similar in essence and in practice. But what exactly is lifecycle marketing and how can it be incorporated into your existing marketing programme? Click here for some steps to help steer your brand in the right direction.

Get the Buzz
Direct Commerce Buzz is a new free fortnightly enewsletter from the editorial team behind Direct Commerce magazine. In each issue we’ll keep you abreast of what your colleagues and competitors are doing, providing you with the knowledge you need to better compete. To read the latest issue click here, where you can also add your name to list to ensure you receive our future communications.

Did you also know that we produce Cross-Atlantic Insight—a fortnightly newsletter focused on news and tactics for international businesses? If your company is considering expanding its overseas business, or if you simply want to stay abreast of what UK, European, and American direct marketers are doing beyond their own borders, click here to subscribe to receive Cross-Atlantic Insight in your inbox every other Tuesday.

To subscribe to our print edition, contact Jill Sweet on 01271 866112 or at subs@catalog-biz.com. To advertise, contact the Direct Commerce sales team on 01271 866112 or at sales@catalog-biz.com


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