RE: Europe mostly higher in premarket ahead of PMI reports23 Sep 2024 09:20
The new websites for Ireland and Australia will launch before Christmas with "hundreds of local and international brands", followed by a Nasty Gal marketplace in the US.
It is also introducing a fulfilment service later this year, which its UK brand partners can opt into. Stock will be stored and dispatched from Boohoo Group’s automated distribution centre in Sheffield, with the option of next-day delivery for customers.
This week, the company appointed Sarah Gilchrist to the newly-created role of chief customer officer. She moves from JD Sports Fashion where she has spent eight years, most recently as group digital marketing director.
Drapers caught up with Debenhams CEO Dan Finley about the international roll-out and future plans for the business.
Why are you launching Debenhams internationally?
We are excited to launch and bring back Debenhams to Ireland in the coming months. There have been lots of demands with the consumers and with our partner base. In Australia, we have had Debenhams stores there historically, and we think there is a great opportunity to bring our new Debenhams business back to the Australian market this year.
Advertisement
Debenhams CEO Dan Finley
Also, through our [Boohoo Group] family of brands, we see an opportunity to operate further afield to introduce our marketplace through Nasty Gal in the United States in the months to come.
What will the new websites bring to brands and consumers?
We have seen the opportunity to be bi-directional as we internationalise, and essentially that means it is an opportunity for our existing partners through services that we offer to reach consumers in other territories and provide another avenue for growth.
Equally, we see it as an opportunity for international and overseas brands to sell through our Debenhams platform to the UK consumer too.
What are Debenhams' bestselling brands?
Estee Lauder, Prada, Valentino, YSL, Benefit, Mac, Coast, Karen Millen, Whistles, Phase Eight, Hobbs, PLT, Dune, Kurt Geiger, Monsoon, Ann Summers and Ray-Ban.
How has Debenhams evolved since Boohoo Group’s acquisition in 2021?
We have been very busy over the course of the last few years, and we are making progress, and there is still lots of progress to make, from the initial acquisition to doubling-down on our marketplace strategy, introducing new technology and new features for our consumers.
Advertisement
That has culminated in the last couple of weeks with us welcoming 10,000 brands to our Debenhams marketplace platform. As we go into peak, we are excited about the strength of those brands and assortment across fashion, home and beauty.
It is about the experience that we can provide to the consumers through, for example, our virtual advisors or virtual try-on service. It is through the new technologies that we are leveraging and bringing to market, such as our AI room builder [which launches next week].
Warehouse AW24 campaign with model and presenter H
Sign In
Follow the stocks
