Marks & Spencer opened its new flagship store on Tuesday. Unlike its predecessors it’s built not of bricks and mortar, but of bits and bytes.

Marks & Spencer opened its new flagship store on Tuesday. Unlike its predecessors it’s built not of bricks and mortar, but of bits and bytes.

Software developers and editors, rather than store merchandisers and shopfitters, were behind it.

It’s easy to see why online rather than ‘The Arch’ is now seen as M&S’s flag bearer. Its digital business has been growing fast - over the Christmas quarter sales climbed 23% - and the new site brings a greater opportunity to cash in on changing shopping habits.

Freed from the strictures of the Amazon platform that it previously used, M&S has been able to create a website more suited to its business - and most importantly, more suited to its customers.

It’s easy to see why online rather than ‘The Arch’ is now seen as M&S’s flag bearer

The online store now has much more personality, reflected in a magazine-style sensibility, and makes it easier for shoppers to see product features and put together outfits.

Tuesday’s launch - on time and within budget - was a milestone, not an end-point. Multichannel boss Laura Wade-Gery was at pains to point out that the site will constantly be enhanced.

Assuming M&S can continue to improve its general merchandise offer - womenswear in particular - then it has a great prospects online.

There are 14.5 million M&S customers who shop general merchandise in its stores but who purchase online elsewhere. Converting them will be the priority and the revamped site should strengthen its appeal to that key constituency.

The Co-op’s pioneer spirit

The Co-op’s illustrious founders, the Rochdale pioneers, would no doubt have winced to see the state of the business that newish boss Euan Sutherland took on.

But they might like Sutherland’s latest initiative, an extensive public consultation that will help shape the Co-op’s future. It takes in everything from its role in society to retail nitty-gritty such as prices and service.

With nearly 3,000 shops, retail sales of £8.3bn and positioned in the fast-growing convenience market, the Co-op has bags of unrealised potential.

A renewed focus could make the Co-op a much more powerful force. Perhaps it might even once again make the sort of impact achieved by the original pioneers.