Positive figures posted by ASOS and William Hill

Thursday, January 20, 2011 - 12:05 by Simon Crisp

Online fashion retailer ASOS has announced strong figures for growth both in the UK and abroad, while bookmaker William Hill is also doing well as a result of increased online revenues.

ASOS saw a 23 per cent rise in the number of sales made to UK consumers enjoying safe shopping online via its e-commerce site. Internationally, it grew by 156 per cent in 2010, thanks to the opening of various new ventures in the US and elsewhere in Europe.

ASOS also attributes its strong growth to the fact that it offered free shipping to its customers in the weeks leading up to Christmas 2010, which encouraged many more people to part with their cash rather than surfing elsewhere for bargains.

Forty-four per cent of ASOS' total sales are now attributable to the international market and the firm's CEO, Nick Robertson, said that the future looked promising, with the retailer expected to live up to market predictions and retain its reputation for offering safe shopping online to consumers around the world.

William Hill, which operates on the high street as well as online, said that in the final three months of last year it continued to grow, with an eight per cent overall increase in revenues measured during this period, even as many matches and events were cancelled as a result of the snowy weather.

Almost half of all horseracing events were postponed in December because of the conditions but William Hill was not negatively affected by this loss of business.

William Hill's CEO, Ralph Topping, said that it was by using e-commerce tools and clear interfaces that the firm was able to keep pace with its rivals and remain competitive. He said that many William Hill customers had turned to its online portal rather than heading to the high street.