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Next boosted by Directory sales
Next Directory, the home shopping and online division of retailer Next, experienced double-digit growth in the third quarter, compared with a decline in retail sales. Directory sales grew 16.9 percent in the quarter, while retail sales fell 3.3 percent in the period to 29th October. Total Next brand sales, exclusive of VAT, were up 3.3 percent. 

Ironmongery Direct embarks on first TV campaign
Tools and fixings supplier Ironmongery Direct is launching its first ever national TV and radio campaign as it pushes ahead with its plans to reach a turnover of £50 million in four years’ time. The concept of the 30-second ad, created in conjunction with MostlyMedia and produced by PangaeaTv, is a tradesman talking about his favourite tools of the trade—including the Ironmongery Direct catalogue.

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Other News...

Winners of ECMOD conference places announced
The ECMOD team are offering a 2-day conference pass to every 200th person who registers to visit the Show, taking place on 30th November and 1st December 2011. With the event only 4 weeks away, registrations are flying in thick and fast! Earlier this week, ECMOD announced the latest winners: Arun Mundle, Marketing Manager of Easylife Group & Deborah Atkinson, Catalogue Production Manager for Traidcraft. Congratulations to Arun & Deborah! For further details of the conference programme and how to book, click here. To register for the exhibition - free of charge - click here.

Wayfair rebrands UK sites
Following its rebrand in the US earlier this year, online retailer Wayfair is revamping its UK websites. The move sees FurnitureByCSN.co.uk, TVStands.co.uk and LightingByCSN.co.uk rebrand under one larger site, Wayfair.co.uk, in line with global branding.

Hainsworth launches b-to-c brand
Textile manufacturer Hainsworth, which has a 228-year heritage, is launching a direct-to-consumer brand called Scarlet & Argent. A website for the new brand is due to go live at the end of November. The launch will be supported by a sales and marketing campaign including PR, advertising and social media.

Duke opens new division
Duke Marketing, a direct marketer and wholesaler of motorsport, sport and special interest DVDs, books and print, has launched a new division following the success of its relationship with fellow Isle of Man firm, gaming website PokerStars. Duke has expanded to launch Duke Logistics, which will provide storage, process and delivery on behalf of PokerStars and other clients. The new division coincides with a two-year contract extension to provide logistical support and deliver merchandise to PokeStars’ 49 million registered players worldwide.

My-wardrobe hunts for chief executive
My-Wardrobe, the luxury-apparel etailer, is looking for a chief executive to spearhead the company’s international growth, according to reports.

Ray Evans to join JJB
Sportswear retailer JJB Sports has hired former Kitbag managing director Ray Evans as director of football. Evans takes up his new position in the New Year. In the 26 weeks to 31st July, revenue at JJB fell 22.6 percent from £184.0 million to £142.4 million. Pretax losses widened from £24 million to £66.5 million, during the period.

Lovefilm delivers maiden profit
According to published reports, DVD and games rental service Lovefilm has reported its first ever profit. In 2010, seven-year-old Lovefilm saw sales rise 15.2 percent from £79 million to £91 million. The company made a profit of £6 million, compared with a loss of £22 million in 2009.
 
OFT clears Book Depository takeover
The Office of Fair Trading has cleared Amazon’s takeover of The Book Depository. Its investigation concluded that existing levels of competition in the bookselling market “will be preserved after the merger”. The acquisition therefore did not need to be referred to the Competition Commission.
 






Tis the season to supercharge your emails
It’s that time of year again; mince pies are on the shelves, pubs and restaurants are advertising for festive party bookings and Christmas marketing campaigns are underway. So how can you capture a bigger share of market this year? Here are some top tips to help you maximise the success of your email marketing campaigns during the Christmas period. Read more here…

Coming up in our next issue…
November/December issue: ECMOD in focus and a look at supercharged marketing: our close-up on marketing will explore how you can drive sales without blowing the budget.
 
January issue: Making sense of data and new year, new career—achieving the perfect work/life balance and much more.

To subscribe to our print edition, contact Jill Sweet on 01271 866112 or email 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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