SImon Calver prepares to start his new job as Mothercare’s chief executive on Monday, tasked with turning around the company’s falling UK sales. Required background reading for this task should be a current Mumsnet thread in which parents spell out their opinions of the retailer. This isn’t just a lesson for Mothercare – but for other retailers as well in a week that the UK entered a double dip recession.

More than 60% of Asos’ sales are now made abroad, its latest financial figures show. International sales doubled in a year that saw three new overseas websites launch.

Aurora Fashions, owner of the Coast, Oasis and Warehouse brands, is expanding its online operations to the US and Australia in the first part of a major push into new international markets. The company plans six new sites, each featuring all three of the brands this year.

Complying with the new EU ‘cookie law’ could cost the UK economy up to £10bn if it’s not implemented correctly, according to new analysis. QuBit says its ‘worst case’ figure comes from lost sales, damage to technology businesses, and the migration of online businesses overseas.

The IMRG has teamed up with Trusted Shops to create a new European trustmark, aimed at giving consumers ‘absolute confidence’ to buy online.

The Dixons, Currys and PC World websites are back up after being out of action for much of Monday, apparently following damage to cables as a result of roadworks.

Supermarket Tesco is planning “significant improvements” to its dotcom businesses as part of £1bn plans, unveiled today, to “raise its game” in the UK. The move, announced in its full-year results, comes as the multichannel retailer looks to reverse a fall in its UK sales.

Online sales performed well in March, according to figures from both the IMRG and the ONS out this week. The IMRG figures also showed that mobile sales are starting to rise very strongly.

Debenhams today reported online sales up by more than a third after six months in which it said its multichannel business grew strongly. The company now aims to grow online sales to £500m, with a third of that coming from international sales.

Grocery comparison site mySupermarket has won $10m in investment. The money comes as the company is looking to expand to new international markets.

Strong online growth at Marks & Spencer compensated for falling UK and international sales in the fourth quarter of its financial year. The retailer said today that ecommerce improvements such as its digital outlet store had been well received by customers.

Luxury fashion retailer Burberry today said its Facebook following had doubled to more than 12m in the second half of its latest financial year. The company also said retail sales had grown by 18% to more than £1bn in the period.

John Lewis reported online sales up by close to 40% in the week leading up to Easter, the retailer said today. The sales lift was part of a pattern that also saw sales rise strongly in its shops.

JD Sports, which this January spent £20m buying leading outdoor retailer Blacks out of administration, said it had invested significantly in multichannel as it looks to develop its business for the future. The company today reported growing sales but a fall in profits as it unveiled its full-year results.

Mothercare has announced a three-year turnaround programme, starting today, which will focus on delivering ecommerce and multichannel services and starts with the closure of some 111 Early Learning Centre and Mothercare stores. The company’s sales in its latest full year fell both online and off, but the company is growing strongly overseas.

Online sales rose by 13.9% last month, according to the latest BRC-KMPG Retail Sales Monitor. That was the strongest rise since December’s Christmas shopping and came thanks to sunshine which also prompted higher spending in shops.

UK fashion designers can now cut out the middleman when selling to customers around the world, says new US launch Cityblis, which aims to make it easier for small businesses to sell internationally.

Mobile accessories retailer Mobile Fun has unveiled a range of improvements to its websites. The company says the move is aimed at improving the customer experience, boosting conversions, and thus sales.

JJB Sports has found investors willing to put £30m into helping the lossmaking company, currently in turnaround, transform itself into a multichannel company. Reporting its full-year results the company said multichannel sales rose by 77% in the second half of its financial year.

HMRC is investigating Amazon’s UK tax affairs, according to reports. The way the company organises its business means it is not liable for UK corporation tax.