More than 800 technical workers at Royal Mail are planning to stage a three-day walkout next week, beginning at 6am on Tuesday, 23rd September. The members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU), who are employed by facilities management firm Romec, handle security and maintenance at Royal Mail sites. But Royal Mail is not expecting the service hold-ups it experienced during last year’s series of postal worker strikes. "Royal Mail is confident that its letters services will be maintained should any industrial action by Romec go ahead,” said a spokesperson, “and we are working closely with Romec to ensure backup services for the entire mail operation are maintained."

Cataloguer/retailer Argos isn’t immune to the credit crunch. It reported a 1.6-percent decline in second-quarter sales, to £927 million for the 13 weeks ended 30th August. Like-for-like sales fell 5.8 percent. For the first half of the year, however, sales were up 1.1 percent from 2007, to nearly £1.86 billion. Sister company Homebase reported a 0.3-percent decline in second-quarter sales, to £389 million, while its first-half sales were down 2.9 percent, to £829 million.

Half-year sales at John Lewis’s direct division were up 30 percent over last year. Combined retail and direct sales were up 0.5 percent for the same period, to £1.24 billion. Like-for-like sales fell 1 percent, however, and operating profit tumbled 34.4 percent, to £40 million.

Electronic components cataloguer Premier Farnell boasted of a 15-percent rise in profits for the first half of the year, to £38.5 million for the six months to 3rd August. Revenue rose 5 percent, to £395.1 million. The company is now looking to expand into Taiwan and Korea, following strong sales in China, India and Eastern Europe.

Confectioner Thorntons reported an 11.9-percent rise in annual revenue, to £208.1 million for the year ended 28th June. Profit before tax climbed 19.6 percent, to £8.5 million. The direct division enjoyed sales growth of 26.6 percent, to £8.6 million.

Although Ideal Shopping Direct reported a 2.6-percent rise in sales for the first half of the year, to £47.5 million, its gross profit fell 6.2 percent, to £18.1 million. Worse, it posted a loss before tax of £1.2 million, a reversal from the £1.2 million profit before tax it had enjoyed for the first half of 2007. The company relaunched its core website and its Create and Craft site during the summer, leading to sales increases of more than 50 percent on both. Web sales now make up 28 percent of total revenue, with its TV shopping channels and wholesale division accounting for the rest.

At £1,017 million, Woolworths Group’s half-year sales are down 3 percent from the first half of 2007. Retail like-for-like sales fell 3.2 percent, and the total loss before taxation widened from £63.8 million last year to a record £99.7 million for the first half of this year.

In response to an increase in the number of site visitors already searching for Christmas presents, discount-code website MyVoucherCodes has already unveiled its holiday marketing campaign, two months earlier than originally scheduled. Its website now includes a Christmas Gifts Ideas Page.

Gadgets and gifts marketer Firebox.com was voted Retailer of the Year by readers of “Stuff” magazine. What’s more, its Ego Electric Street Scoota was named Best Eco gadget.

You’ll really like Insight, a free fortnightly enewsletter from CataloguesCatalogues sister publication Catalogue/e-business magazine. Insight offers the expert advice and industry research you need to grow your business. To sign up for your free subscription, go to www.catalog-biz.com/insightsub.aspx. Or check out the article archive at www.catalog-biz.com/insight.aspx.

To celebrate its rebranding and revamped website, creative agency TA Design is running a competition for a free catalogue makeover. B-to-c and b-to-b companies can enter at the TA Design website (www.tadesign.co.uk/freedesign/) or at the company’s stand at ECMOD, where the winner will be announced on 2nd October.

ECMOD2008 is fast approaching! Kicking off on 1st and 2nd October at Earls Court Exhibition and Conference centre this event has an action packed agenda not to be missed! If you are aren’t already registered as a visitor or a delegate then visit www.ecmod.com to sign up now!

Be sure to check out our top notch conference programme featuring expert speakers from the UK, Europe and the USA. It costs just £145 per person for a half day module. Now that is great value!

More and more exhibition stands are being snapped up by the day. The latest exhibitors to confirm their involvement at ECMOD include MGt plc, paysafecard.com, CreditCall eKashu, EC2i, Gilchrist, K3, Virtual Bureau Technology and MBP. Be sure to secure your involvement and reach all your potential customers in the catalogue, home shopping and multi-channel sector. Call the ECMOD team on 01271 866112 for more info. Visit www.ecmod.com for the full list of exhibitors.

Don’t miss out on the free seminar theatre sessions taking place over the two days. Sessions will be presented by Webmarketplace Solutions, Webmart UK, Database Group, Marketing Databasics, DJH Catalogues and Express KCS.

The Catalogue Exchange has come up with a fabulous free ECMOD offer for its members. A dedicated Advice Centre has been provided, courtesy of sponsor WWAV, to offer member company executives completely free 30 minute sessions with leading independent consultants. As it only costs £245 for a full year's membership of The Catalogue Exchange for businesses with sales of less than £1 million this represents an amazing added value. There is also a saving of ten per cent for all Catalogue Exchange members on conference places. For more info register to visit here and follow the link to the Catalogue Exchange site.

Celebration Bubbles

Come & partake of a celebratory glass as we toast the winners of the Catalogue e|business Supplier of the Year Awards. The winning companies will be revealed for each of the seven fiercely contested categories at 5.45pm on 1st October in the Exhibition Hall. A record number of nominations have been received for more than 75 different supplier organisations. Register to visit ECMOD here and join in the fun.

 ECMOD PartyParty!

It may sound corny but the ECMOD Party is so good we named it twice (OK so we stole the idea but you get the picture). Not only have we doubled up the name we are also offering double value with a fabulous two-fer aka BOGOF offer. The ECMOD PartyParty takes place on 1st October at the Copthorne Tara - just what we need after a hard day in the conference sessions and exhibition hall. Enjoy a welcome drink, great food, music and dancing in fabulous company. We sold out last year so don't delay book your tickets here !

Giftware/Graphic Designer

Giftware/Graphic Designer looking for additional assignments and new challenges.
Many years experience in the Giftware industry originating ideas, writing captions, creating designs, producing finished products etc. Products have sold through well known Retailers, Mail Order Companies and Online Shops.

For further information email: karen@ecmod.com

Are you looking for a new challenge?

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