// M&S launches 46 flagship ecommerce websites in new markets overseas
// The expansion means M&S’s online reach now covers over 100 countries
// It marks the next stage in M&S’s commitment to drive international growth through online channels via its MS2 division
Marks & Spencer has expanded its global ecommerce footprint with the launch of almost 50 new websites in new overseas markets.
The British high street stalwart has launched 46 flagship ecommerce websites in new markets, instantly expanding its online reach to over 100 countries and enabling millions more customers to purchase M&S products.
The online expansion is part of M&S’s focus to turbocharge its online business under its Never the Same Again transformation scheme, and nearly doubles the number of international markets where it has a pureplay online presence.
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The expansion is also the next stage in M&S’s commitment to drive international growth through online channels under its recently-established online, digital and data division, MS2.
At its most recent interim results, M&S reported a 75 per cent increase in international ecommerce sales, underlining the recent acceleration in online customer spend throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.
In a statement, M&S said it was “focused on maximising the online opportunity and setting itself up better to deliver for customers both in the UK and internationally”.
The 46 new international flagship websites offers customers a range of products from M&S’s clothing and home division.
Insight from its UK-based M&S.com store indicates strong underlying demand from these territories, which the retailer is now able to explore without significant upfront investment.
M&S said the online expansion was achieved using “a low cost approach” which combines an adaptable website platform designed for its international business, with orders from these overseas websites fulfilled through the retailer’s established distribution network.
“This means that ongoing costs mirror customer demand, and by having an adaptable website platform M&S can further increase the localisation of its offer quickly and efficiently in response,” M&S said.
M&S added that its international online channels were now also available in 10 additional languages and a wider range of currencies.
M&S international director Paul Friston said the expansion meant M&S could possibly further extend the number of countries where it runs an online channel.
“Launching in an additional 46 markets means we can now reach a number of new customers who can purchase online with M&S for the first time and receive our fantastic M&S products in a few short clicks, as well as enabling us to explore underlying demand in these markets without significant upfront investment,” he said.
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