Marks & Spencer has finally taken control of its online store from Amazon, bringing its high street outlets and website a step closer together.
The retailer has hired a creative and editorial team of about 17 people, led by former FT and Times fashion writer Nicola Copping, to produce daily magazine-style content for the site. Laura Wade-Gery, multi-channel and e-commerce director for M&S, said that shoppers were 24% more likely to buy from the website if they had viewed editorial content first. "That's why we have put publishing and browsing at the heart of the site," she said.
Shoppers will be able to get tips and advice on putting outfits together, see video and close ups of individual pieces and see how M&S is interpreting the latest fashion trends.
However, M&S's new site will not be supported by better services, such as same day delivery, until after June when the company's new £900,000 sq ft distribution centre is up to speed. Wade-Gery insisted it was not behind schedule.
Items ordered online for collection in store, meanwhile, will be delivered from the warehouse, even if that item is already on the shop floor. Although it is more costly for M&S, the retailer's outdated IT systems do not have an accurate enough picture of stock levels in stores to cope with the demands of online shoppers. The system is due to be updated later this year.
