Retail

Woolworths is to make a Lazarus-like return as an online brand after it was bought by Shop Direct. Shop Direct is the UK’s biggest internet and home shopping retailer, and also owns brands such as the Littlewoods catalogue and plans to launch Woolworths online in the summer following a deal …

GAME Group may be centralising its key management and cutting back on overhead, but the good news for the market is that it remains committed to opening more stores this year. Around 20 sites have been earmarked for launch either as GAME or Gamestation. Some stores may close this year, …

The joint Administrators of Zavvi UK have today announced the immediate closure of a further 15 stores. The closures will lead to the redundancy of 295 employees, bringing the total number of jobs lost since the firm went into administration to 889. Administrator Ernst & Young closed 18 stores on …

Asda has announced it will create 7,000 new jobs in the UK over the course of 2009, through a combination of opening new stores and extending existing ones. The supermarket has become the latest in a line of retailers creating new positions despite the ongoing economic recession, with Tesco planning …

Konami has told MCV of the turbulence in the Australian games distribution sector and challenging economic times” following the recent news that distributor Red Ant has been placed into administration . The publisher, one of many to enjoy partnerships with Red Ant, has reaffirmed its ties with Atari’s distribution arm. …

Online retail giant Amazon.co.uk has hired internet veteran Chris Poad as director of software and video games Poad was previously employed as head of e-commerce at the UK subsidiary of German company OTTO, where he was responsible for the online retail strategy for home shopping businesses such as Grattan and …

Games made up 21 per cent of the record revenues taken by HMV in its ‘best ever Christmas’, MCV can reveal. As revealed by Mcvuk.com last week (14/01/09), the retailer defied the odds on the High Street to pull off its biggest ever Christmas – enjoying a three per cent …

The planned UK invasion by Best Buy continues this week, as the firm finalises its games team. Former GAME exec Marc Spence has joined the US electronics retailer as head of domain for entertainment, where he will cover all games systems and console software. Spence joins from Home Retail Group, …

Eidos has confirmed to Develop that it has close its Rockpool Games studio in Manchester. Around 14 Rockpool staff have been made redundant as part of the move. The publisher bought the studio in February 2007 to boost its presence in the casual games sector. Developmag.com has the full story …

The UK High Street is battling to prevent a nationwide games stock shortage – as credit insurers cut cover against the industry’s biggest retailers. MCV understands that credit insurers including Atradius, Coface and Euler Hermes have slashed cover on stock sold in to some retailers – including Toys R Us, …