News roundup--Marks and Spencer, cookie law, more

Marks & Spencer saw pretax profit plunge almost 16 percent from £780.6 million last year, to £658.0 million in the year ended 31st March. Despite the decline, chief executive Marc Bolland said the business performed well in a challenging economic climate, “growing group sales by 2 percent and holding market share”. He added, “We are well on track to become a truly international multichannel retailer” and said that by the end of the current fiscal year, Marks & Spencer will be trading from 10 websites worldwide and opening around 100 international stores per year. Multichannel was also a bright spot, with direct sales up 18 percent to £559 million. On average, M&S receive 3.4 million weekly visitors, 11 percent up on last year, while its mobile site experienced a 300 percent growth in visits on last year.

With just four days left until the deadline, nearly  three in five (57 percent) of marketers have failed to develop and execute an action plan to deal with the impact of the cookie law. New research by the Direct Marketing Association also revealed that 45 percent have yet to draft an updated cookie policy; and 79 percent have not communicated the changes they are planning to make to their website’s visitors. Not surprising then that 47 percent of marketers say that they aren’t confident their efforts to gain consumer consent to place cookies on their devices will meet the new requirements of the ePrivacy Directive. To find out what some marketers have done, click here.

Consumer exhibition the Ideal Home Show has made its first foray into ecommerce with the launch of its new website. The Ideal Home Show Online Shop showcases more than 1,000 carefully selected products including indoor and outdoor furniture, homewares, garden gadgets and tools, and gifts.