Electricals retailer Dixons has confirmed that it is to close down its online offering Dixons.co.uk as it seeks to streamline its multichannel and in-store presence.
As part of its increasing focus on online the group, which also owns retailers Currys and PC World, believes that closing its e-commerce business will in fact boost its proposition.
Last month, Dixons reported a strong first quarter, boosted by the popularity of TVs ahead of a summer of sporting events and like-for-like (LFL) sales jumped seven per cent with multichannel sales in the UK & Ireland rising 48 per cent over the period .
However e-commerce company Pixmania, which the group bought a controlling stake in in August, saw LFL‘s decline by three per cent while Dixons.co.uk saw a similarly challenging period.
It appears that the group is looking to continue its assault against pure-play e-tailer Amazon, having recently announced its partnership with US bookseller Barnes & Noble to sell its e-books across its stores.
A spokesperson for Dixons played down suggestions that the move signalled trouble for the retailer, noting that the decision was about strengthening its position in a difficult market.
The spokesperson said: “We are continuing to focus our efforts and innovation on multichannel, with superb results (+48 per cent UK multichannel sales in our recent Q1, and similarly strong through the second half of our FY.)
“It‘s the way customers shop and more so all the time.”
