There’s now less than a week to the Internet Retailing Awards 2013 and this latest in our series of stories focusing on commended retailers who have been shortlisted in each category looks at the international and global awards.
These two categories recognise both UK and international retailers, operating online or multichannel businesses, who have performed on the international stage, successfully tapping into new markets to turbocharge their growth.
The International award recognises merchants who have taken strides to move into new markets through their digital commerce systems. “The determinant of success,” says the judges’ guidance, “is the way they’ve incorporated international growth and performance into their ongoing business as usual.” Criteria for the award include significant sales made through a targeted international operation that takes into account the news of individual markets, operating through “compelling destination venues with presence in the customer’s mind.”
Asos, Net-a-porter/Mr Porter, Wiggle and Zalando are all commended in this category. Asos is the most highly-nominated in the category. The nominations recognise its striking international success, with 60% of all sales now made abroad. Net-a-Porter and sibling site Mr Porter are recognised for the pioneering work done in taking a sector that used to be ecommerce averse into online trading, while cycle website Wiggle won attention for its strong focus on international sales.
The global award, meanwhile, looks further afield, recognising UK and European retailers that operate across the world. Commended businesses are feted for, in the words of the judges’ guidance, “their capabilities, competitiveness and commercial performance. “This award,” it continues, “gives our international judges the floor and allows them to choose the retailer that, viewed from their global perspectives, stands out as a business to be admired and emulated.” The judges’ criteria adds that these are retailers who stand out as an example of the ability of UK and European retailers. While they may not be selling globally, they “must be seen as an exemplar across the world”.
The retailers who have been commended in this category are Asos, H&M, Net-a-porter with sibling site Mr Porter, and Tesco.
Asos, with its 60% of sales originating in international markets, has a worldwide reputation for its business model. The company, founded in 2000, says it is now on track to turn over £1bn.
Meanwhile Swedish business H&M has won plaudits for its relatively recent move into international ecommerce. The trader launched its first UK website in 2010, and is now selling in more than 50 countries around the world.
Net-a-Porter and Mr Porter win recognition for their pivotal role in encouraging UK fashion to trade online. This is, says judges, “the UK’s most recognisable pureplay.” The final business shortlisted in this category is Tesco, a “global retailing force” in the words of the judges, which makes 34% of its sales outside the UK. This is one of the most searched for companies on InternetRetailing.net as others from the industry look to see what the supermarket group is doing – and how.
A final winner in each of eight categories will be named at the awards evening, to be held at SushiSamba, 664ft up at London’s Heron Tower, on June 26. The judges will also name their overall winner, who will take the Judges’ Award, while Internet Retailing readers will vote for their overall winner, in the Internet Retailing Award 2013.
There are 18 judges on the Internet Retailing Awards judging panel, which includes ecommerce leaders from across the online and multichannel industry. The panel is: Andy Harding, executive director, multichannel at House of Fraser; Tanya Lawler, vice president, UK trading at eBay; David Walmsley, director of multichannel development at Marks & Spencer; Michaelle Vanzella, consulting director, business development at Westfield; Simon Forster, multichannel director at Selfridges; Alison Lancaster, CMO at Kiddicare and marketing director, online non-food at Wm Morrison Supermarkets; Peter Fitzgerald, country sales director, Google UK; Donna Chen, group strategy, international online development, Alliance Boots; Eric Abensur, chief executive, Venda; Siobhán Géhin, associate partner at Kurt Salmon; Jon Kamaluddin, international director at Asos.com; Jonathan Wall, group ecommerce director at Shop Direct Group; Shivani Tejuja, ecommerce and multichannel director at New Look; Alan Giles, chairman at Fat Face; Steve Robinson, customer director at B&Q; Guy Hipwell, coowner of Fashion156; Artemis Berry, senior director, content and community at Shop.org; and Ray Fowler, executive director, advisory, at Ernst & Young.
The overall winners in all of the categories will be named at the Internet Retailing Awards on June 26 and later on Internet Retailing. For more details of the Internet Retailing Awards and party click here. Ticket information can be found here.
