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Dunelm completes shift to new digital platform

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Dunelm says it has now moved all of its customers to its new digital platform, completing a technology shift that started three years ago with its 2016 acquisition of Worldstores. 

The retailer, ranked Top50 in IRUK Top500 research, says that its customers have responded well to its new website, and that it will be able to use its new flexible platform, built on the cloud, to develop its customer proposition more quickly.

“We are delighted that during this critical transition period we did not see any adverse impact to our performance, maintaining our strong sales growth both online and in stores,” said Dunelm in today’s trading update. 

Full-year pre-tax profits are now expected to be higher than expectations, thanks both to stronger than expected gross margins and and controlled operational costs. 

Dunelm bought Worldstores and subsidiaries including Kiddicare out of administration for £8.5m in November 2016. The deal was aimed at doubling the size of its internet business, thanks to the Worldstores ecommerce technology, developed in house. 

Since then Dunelm has built its own website on the Worldstores platform, moved Worldstores and Kiddicare business to its own website before closing down those websites. It has also improved the multichannel services it is able to offer its customers, which now include online home delivery, click and collect and using in-store tablets to place orders. Over the past year it has said that its new platform would help it to ‘catch up’ on convenience, not only by offering click and collect, but also by introducing the ability to buy a basket of items online with a range of different fulfilment options.

Dunelm, founded in 1979 as a market stall business selling ready-made curtains, now sells online through Dunelm.com, and through 170 superstores, of which most are out of town. 

Image courtesy of Dunelm

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