Shop Direct is likely to spend more on promoting the breadth of its range as it seeks to reinforce its status as a general retailer rather than a fashion specialist.
The retailer, which trades primarily as Littlewoods, spent£20 million on ads last year – mainly focused on its fashion offer – and wants to up its marketing budget this financial year, chief executive Mark Newton-Jones said.

“We are an online department store, a one-stop shop for everything, not just fashion. It is important to show more of a broad spectrum,” he said.
In the 53 weeks to April 30, Shop Direct’s EBITDA soared 130 per cent to£60.9 million. Newton-Jones said tightening credit scoring a year ago helped lift performance. It still made an unspecified loss at the pre-tax level.

In the 26 weeks to the end of October sales rose 2.2 per cent.

Topics