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Boticca secures £1.5 million investment
London-based luxury-accessories etailer Boticca has secured £1.5 million financing from France-based ISAI. The fund, backed by 70 retail entrepreneurs including the founders of Links of London and Vente-Privee, will help Boticca to expand its marketing efforts, enhance the customer experience and grow the team.

Vente-Privee crosses the Atlantic
Secret-sales website Vente-Privee is to enter the US market through a partnership with American Express. The joint venture opens up Vente-Privee to American Express’s 40 million members and sees the French company cross the Atlantic for the first time. Vente-Privee has 13 million members in seven European countries. In 2010 it had sales of £823.6 million.

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Brand Alley seeks investment for growth
Brand Alley, an online retailer of discounted designer goods, has appointed Merrill Lynch to raise €100 million (£87 million) in order to fund its acquisition strategy, according to reports. The France-based etailer recently announced that in the year to 31st December 2010, revenues increased by 64 percent to £86.9 million. In the UK, the company doubled revenues to £18.1 million and says it will seek further European expansion this year.

GetLenses says Ciao Italia
GetLenses, a UK-based online retailer of contact lenses, has expanded into the Italian market with the launch of GetLenses.it. The website is priced in euros, offers a free local customer support telephone number and adheres to Italy’s ecommerce regulations—for example, unlike the UK, Italian customers do not need to provide a prescription in order to buy contact lenses online. The company is fulfilling Italian orders from its main delivery hub in York.

Dash puts Wickedelic on the market
Dash Publishing has announced it is exiting the retail lingerie market to concentrate on its Dash Direct Wholesale Lingerie business. In a statement, the company said it is looking to “totally withdraw from the retail market so as not to compete with our trade customers” and as a result has put a for-sale sign on its Wickedelic Lingerie website and database of 54,000 buyers and enquirers of “sexy, budget” lingerie.  

Your last chance to bid in the ECMOD Direct Commerce Silent Auction!
With the ECMOD Direct Commerce Awards now a distant memory, blurred by a succession of long weekends, you may have forgotten to place your bid for this year’s Silent Auction in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support. But it’s not too late to dig deep for this great cause – you have until 5pm tomorrow – 20th May. With prizes including an Extreme Sailing Experience from Pindar, Four-Page Pull Out in Direct Commerce (formerly Catalogue e-business), International Dance Supplies VIP Experience Day, Catalogue Consultancy donated by DJH Advertising and 10 hours of printing time from Garnett Dickinson Print, this is an opportunity not to be missed! For the full list of prizes and to see the current bids visit www.ecmod360.co.uk/Awards/SilentAuction or call Jenny on 01271 866112.

Mothercare slims down store portfolio after profits slump 
Mothercare says it will close approximately 110 in-town stores by March 2013, which will help the business reduce costs and allow it to focus on its growing multichannel and wholesale business in the UK without the associated overheads. The announcement comes as Mothercare reports a 73 percent decline in profits from £32.5 million in 2009/10 to £8.8 million in the 52 weeks ended 26th March 2011. Total UK sales in the year were down slightly--0.5 percent--to £587.2 million. In contrast, direct sales at the company rose 10 percent during the year to £129 million, accounting for 22 percent of the retailer’s UK business.  

New recruits at Evans Cycles, Habitat and Stanley Gibbons
Bicycle retailer Evans Cycles has hired Nick Wilkinson as chief executive. Wilkinson was formerly group managing director of ecommerce and emerging markets at Currys and Dixons. Joining furniture retailer Habitat as chief executive is Kevin Styles, the former marketing director of electricals retailer Best Buy. At Stanley Gibbons, the stamps and autograph specialist, Tony Grodecki is promoted to business development director, retaining his responsibilities as managing director of Stanley Gibbons-owned collectibles business Benham. Guy Barrett is promoted to group head of IT.

Wiggle, the Hut prepare to float?
According to reports, bicycle etailer Wiggle has appointed financial advisers ahead of a potential float. Also gearing up for a possible IPO is online retailer the Hut Group, which is said to have appointed Rothschild to advise on a listing. 

CatEx Annual Summit just three weeks away 
Customer Recruitment is the theme for this year’s hugely popular Catalogue Exchange Annual Summit, which takes place at Kensington Town Hall in London on Tuesday 7th June. A number of speakers have been lined up, including Stuart Paver of Pavers Shoes, Pete Mills of The Broadcast House, Tuesday Porter of Charles Tyrwhitt, Emma Devlin of Direct Wines, Nick Rawlings of Lands’ End, Natasha Cubitt of Handpicked Collection and Simon Rigby of CLP Discount Office Supplies. Data co-operative specialist Abacus will also be presenting the findings of its newly published Annual Trends Report. Tickets for the summit are £155+vat for CatEx members and £255+vat for non-members. A '3 for 2' deal is also available on ALL delegate places. For tickets and further information please visit the CatEx website here or email naomi@catalogueexchange.co.uk.



Three tactics to help you make the most of email
Even in 2011, marketers are still not making the most of email as a sales channel, despite it having been a staple of the marketing mix for a decade or so. Use of basic segmentation is in decline, along with regular list cleansing. Far too many companies are sending out untargeted, irrelevant messages. Some email too often, some not often enough. It’s plain to see that marketers and online retailers need some further training to fully exploit email’s potential. With that in mind, click here for three top tips to help you make the most of email in 2011.

Lower subscription rate!
This month sees Catalogue e-business relaunch as Direct Commerce. As part of the revamp, we’ve reviewed our subscription rate—and lowered it! A year’s subscription is now just £65. That’s our best price yet and a £20 saving on the previous annual rate.

To subscribe and take advantage of our new lower rate, call 01271 866221, or email subs@catalog-biz.com.

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Marketing Manager, PR Manager & Customer Services Manager Roles
at The Handpicked Collection

ECMOD award winners, The Handpicked Collection are recruiting for three key positions within their fast-growing business.  Ideal candidates will have experience within the ecommerce and mail order industry and will be looking for a challenging role in which they can make a significant impact during an exciting period of growth within the company. 

For more information please email jobs@handpickedcollection.com 

         

UK Sales and Marketing Manager

Map Marketing, the leaders in business mapping and map-related consumer gifts are looking to recruit a UK Sales and Marketing Manager to expand their B2B, B2C and B2E product sales within the UK.

Direct marketing experience and an energetic self-driven approach are essential.

Based in Wandsworth, the position offers a starting salary of £28k reviewable after 6 months. An incentive bonus package is also offered. Please email CV in the first instance to rogereh@mapmarketing.com

         

International Sales and Marketing Manager

Map Marketing, the leaders in business mapping and map-related consumer gifts are looking to recruit an International Sales and Marketing Manager to expand the online and offline overseas sales of their B2B and B2C products.

Experience of selling into overseas markets (especially into northern Europe), a good understanding of direct marketing, self motivation and entrepreneurial flair are essential.

Based in Wandsworth, the position offers a starting salary of £28k reviewable after 6 months. An incentive bonus package is also offered. Please email CV in the first instance to rogereh@mapmarketing.com

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