Mothercare announces strategy overhaul and UK store closures

May 27, 2011 - PRLog -- Mothercare has announced that it is to close 110 UK stores as part of a plan to overhaul its strategy. The company which has its Head Office based in Hertfordshire is closing the stores as part of their strategy to concentrate on international and multichannel growth. Mothercare acquired the Early Learning Centre (ELC) brand in 2007 and their overall strategy aim is to build “the world's leading specialist retailer of parenting and children's products”.

The planned closure of a third of their UK stores is due to add add £4 - 5m to its UK profit from March 2013. As part of their strategy development Mothercare are launching a new online platform to complement the Early Learning Centre website, as well as mobile sites for both retailers. This would suggest that the retailer will be investing heavily in the creation of new online marketing jobs at their Hertfordshire Head Office to support the new strategy.

Mothercare has plans to expand its international business and is launching in Latin America later this year as well as developing their international ecommerce operations.  Ben Gordon, Chief Executive of the Mothercare Group, said: "In the new financial year, we expect International to continue to grow retail sales at 15%-20% with 150 new store openings.”  Mothercare plan to continue their partnership with Boots to sell their clothing range in selected stores.

Mothercare reported a significant decrease in profits last year, from £32.5m to £8m. The overall group revenue increased by 3.6% to £793.6m, this increase was boosted by a rise 17% rise in international sales. The retailer has announced cost reduction plans to save £5m a year in an attempt to improve future profits.

Brand Recruitment recruits for a number of large retail clients and is currently working on a number of online marketing jobs in Hertfordshire and the Eastern Region. “Here at Brand Recruitment we are continually looking for candidates with strong digital marketing skills to fill online marketing roles in Hertfordshire and throughout the rest of the Eastern region,” commented Louise Ashford-Hodges, Managing Consultant at Brand Recruitment.

For more information on current online marketing jobs in Hertfordshire and across the Eastern region, please visit: http://www.brandrecruitment.co.uk/jobs/show/7/Online-Mark...

Brand Recruitment is the only specialist PR and Marketing recruitment agency in the Eastern Region. With the widest variety of online marketing jobs in the area, we work with clients ranging from boutique marketing agencies to global FMCG giants.

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Brand are the only specialist PR and Marketing recruitment firm in the Eastern Region. With the widest variety of marketing jobs in the area, we work with clients ranging from boutique marketing agencies to global FMCG giants.