As M&S reports an 8% jump in food sales and clothing, home and beauty increasing by nearly 2%, a case study in the RetailX UK 360° report looks at how the retailer has invested in building up its online business in order to enable customers to buy in the most convenient way.
Founded as a market stall in 1884, M&S has been selling online since 1999. In recent years, the food, fashion and homewares business has invested in multichannel retail.
As part of its Reshape for Growth plans, the retailer is working towards having 600 stores, of which 180 will be full-line stores selling clothing and home products alongside food, and 420 will be food stores.
Marks & Spencer delivers its groceries to online shoppers through Ocado Retail, its joint venture with Ocado. Its own online business, M&S.com, is dedicated to its clothing and homewares range.
The retailer is working towards 50% of its clothing and home sales through its own website taking place online. It will invest in its mobile app customer experience and engagement as part of its ambition to move to a “truly personalised customer experience” as well as growing its work with partner brands.
“All of this will help to retain customers within our M&S eco-system,” it said in a statement. The retailer plans to make improvements to fulfilment, while a supply chain modernisation programme is already underway.
This profile is one of eight in our first UK 360° report. Argos, Asos, Currys, John Lewis, Schuh, Screwfix and Tesco are all looked at in detail.
The wider report offers a briefing on the UK market as a whole, how shoppers buy and want to buy, the retailers, brands and marketplaces that are succeeding in this market, and the services that the most successful provide to their customers.
Stay informed
Our editor carefully curates two newsletters a week filled with up-to-date news, analysis and research, click here to subscribe to the FREE newsletter sent straight to your inbox and why not follow us on LinkedIn to receive the latest updates on our research and analysis.
