BHS to relaunch as online operation
BHS is to relaunch in the UK as an online retailer with a range of lighting and home furnishing products.
With a focus on best sellers, the new ranges will constitute around 75% of the most popular online items sold before BHS went into administration earlier this year.
BHS.com will open for business on 29 September and over the coming weeks will add new ranges to its offering including kitchen and dining ware, and clothing items.
In June 2016, BHS International, which was formed by The Al Mana Group, acquired BHS.com, the international franchise business, and the BHS brand.
The new owners said lighting and home furnishing used to make up over 50% of BHS’s online revenue. Some of the former best selling products that have been secured for the relaunch include items from BHS’s former bedroom, bathroom, cushion and lighting ranges.
The retailer has also developed a new online platform.
With its headquarters in London, the new BHS has 84 employees, the majority of whom worked for the retailer before it went into administration.
Under the new operation, David Anderson will remain as managing director of BHS International supported by buying director Sara Bradley and head of creative Dave West.
Anderson will be overseeing the launch of the new UK online business with a view to recruiting an executive at a later date to run the operation.
He said: “We are thrilled to be relaunching this iconic brand back into the UK. It had a loyal customer base with around 1.2 million British shoppers who bought from us online, and for our relaunch we have managed to secure many of the products they liked the most.
“In addition to this, we have developed a new specially designed online platform for our UK business so we are not inheriting any legacy systems, and we were able to recruit the majority of people who worked on the profitable online and international operations of BHS before it went into administration.
“So although we are starting again in the UK, we have a number of advantages over a typical start-up. We are nimble and efficient, but with a great brand, strong customer base and a proven and dedicated team.”
