Marks & Spencer online sales power ahead

Marks & Spencer (M&S) has reported online sales up by 28 percent in its first quarter trading, to 27 June.

Group wide sales for M&S were up by 2.9 per cent and UK sales up by 1.7 per cent, although like-for-like sales were down in the UK by 1.4 per cent.

In May M&S announced that it would invest £400m into its IT and supply chain infrastructure, shifting investment plans away from its property.

In January 2009 it signed a deal with IBM to implement SAP retail applications that promised the retailer improved stock visibility and dat management.

Last year it relaunched the M&S online store and in 2007 it invested in a major radio frequency ID (RFID) programme. These are part of a three year £405 million technology overhaul plan. M&S is introducing new point-of-sale systems and 2000 new tills as part of this plan.

Earlier this year the retailer extended its contract with Fujitsu Services to prove IT support to the 600 M&S stores. Damone Quigley head of infrastructure for M&S said they expect Fujitsu to identify cost savings. Computacenter has also recently joined the M&S IT team, providing operational support to the head offices.

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