Asos retail sales rocket 50% in six months

Asos, the online retailer, has seen its retail sales rise by 50% in the first half of its financial year, following its launch in the US last month.

Asos: first-half profits up 50%
Asos: first-half profits up 50%

The fashion retailer recorded a 26% rise in UK sales and a 120% rise in total international sales in the first half of its financial year, which spans April to September.

In its second quarter, Asos took £69,697,000 in overall retail sales, compared to £47,456,000 for the same period in 2009.

Asos, which stands for As Seen On Screen, offers women's and men's fashion inspired by Hollywood and celebrity fashion.  

The company is aiming to expand its international reach, having previously driven international profit through its British website, by launching French and German websites by the end of October 2010.

Nick Robertson, chief executive of Asos, said: "I am pleased to report continued strong sales growth, both in the UK and internationally.

"With retail gross margin ahead of the prior year and costs tightly managed, we expect our full-year results to be in line with market expectations."

In January, the retailer , when it appointed Mother as its first agency of record, having previously managed its activity in-house.

Asos also sponsored Living TV's 'Next Top Model' series. The sponsorship deal, brokered by Carat Sponsorship, spanned all four of 2010’s 'Next Top Model' series filmed in Britain, America, Canada and Australia, targeting its core audience of 16 to 34-year-old women.

Asos, which celebrated its 10th anniversary in April, announced it would move its distribution operation from Hemel Hempstead to Barnsley in South Yorkshire next year, creating up to 1,000 new jobs.

The retailer made a pre-tax profit of £20.3m in the year to 31 March.

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