High Profile Mail Order and Internet Retailer of Women's Underwear, Swimwear and Accessories
Ref.AB010 Location RelocatableAsking Price �275,000Confidential offered for sale
Finance available to buy this business subject to status. All regulated business is passed to independent financial advisors who are regulated by the FSA | |
Asking Price Includes
Asking price includes office equipment valued at approx £5,000 together with the current stock which is valued in excess of £120,000
Well established, high profile niche market mail order and Internet business
2003 E-business of the year award
High repeat UK customer base of over 26,000
2003 turnover £272 000, 2004 turnover £458,000, 2005 turnover £487,000
Excellent growth opportunities
Excellent reputation
Superb central location with good transport links
Computerised administration system
Excellent customer service team
Custom built office and warehouse available on new fully repairing lease.
Excellent PR and advertising in place.
Superb in-house IT resource
Director - Finalist in ‘Business Woman of the year’ competition, and featured on Sky TV.
Directors interviewed on ITV business program
Excellent review of web site on Channel 4 show
Products featured many times on ITV’s ‘This Morning’ television show
Highly organised warehouse team
Hard-to-find products | Business profile: | Established in 2000, this business initially started out as an Information Technology consultancy business and has since grown in size and stature to become one of the largest UK mail order and Internet companies selling high quality underwear, swimwear and related accessories. The main selling point of the business is the focus on providing healthy, safe and comfortable alternatives for women looking to increase their bust size and shape, by offering a wide range of different bust enhancing products.
In today’s society there is much emphasis on looks and many woman resort to surgery to gain a higher self- esteem. The business offers a safer, less painful solution to all women as they offer many safer and affordable options of increasing their bust size. The business has an excellent and thorough knowledge of the extensive range of quality products it offers. The business understands women’s feelings and concentrates on providing the very best selection of safe and natural products on the market.
The business is an award winning e-commerce business and has a customer base of over 50,000 customers in the UK alone, with several thousand based overseas from Japan to New Zealand. The business is the exclusive distributor in the UK for several of its products, and its customers value the fact that a great deal of effort is put into sourcing new and innovative products.
The business has invested extensively in technology and employs an up to date computerised administration system. Each PC in the office is currently equipped with Windows 2000 and is fully networked. A high percentage of the business’s revenue is due to the very successful web site that has been built in-house. It is updated on a regular basis to add new product lines and reorganize themes and categories. All credit card information is well protected, allowing the customer to purchase items in complete security.
The business has designed and implemented a unique, scalable, easy to use, in-house back office system that runs on the company intranet. It stores customer and stock management details and makes them available to the staff via a standard web browser.
The company has an advanced database driven web site, which has been designed and developed in-house using industry standard technology. The technology used for this is unique and specifically designed for the business.
The business has ensured that all the staff it employs have excellent customer care skills and they encourage all staff to try and build strong relationships with every customer.
The business has proved to be highly popular with the general public, and their web site has even been recommended on Channel 4’s the “Big Breakfast Show”. Also the products have been reviewed and displayed several times on ITV’s ‘This Morning’ TV program, Sky TV and in a multitude of national newspapers and women’s glossy magazines.
In short, the business offers excellent opportunities for any investor seeking a highly successful business with a difference.
Customer Service
• Highly skilled and professionally trained staff
• Personal and friendly service
• First hand knowledge of all products sold
• Knowledge of the industry and trends in the market
• Well presented and neatly packaged products
• Competitive prices
• High level of quality control
• The business ensures a high level of customer satisfaction
Key Strengths
• High level of repeat business and solid customer base
• Database of Approx. 50,000 customers and prospects
• Excellent links with the press and media
• Strong advertising base
• Comfortable working atmosphere
• Excellent customer and supplier relationships
• Wide range of popular ‘hard to find’ products
• In house Information Technology resource available to make website changes
• Fully equipped and well managed warehouse
• High quality promotional brochure
• Efficient delivery service
• Custom designed stock and customer information system
Key Opportunities
• Excellent opportunity to continue rapid growth of the company
• Invest in additional strategic forms of marketing and public relations
• Expand the business internationally
• Open high street shops, and go into the trade market both nationally and internationally
• Scope to further develop and market already existing brand names
• Improve on product packaging
• Scope to invest in further quality control
| Premises
The business operates from high quality premises in a newly constructed business park, which is centrally located, and has good access to transport links. It covers an area of circa 1200 sq ft, split into office and warehouse space. The owners of the business privately own the premises and if required, upon sale of the business can prepare a new fully repairing lease. There is plenty of scope for expansion of the current premises as there is an option to extend the mezzanine floor in the current space. The business is shortly due to expand operations into the adjacent unit, which will provide an additional 900 sq ft of space. | <>Advertising and Marketing
The business has built up a strong, high quality marketing base from which to grow further, and promotes its products in high profile women’s magazines, national press, and local press on a regular basis. Working closely with a well regarded firm of public relations consultants, they issue frequent press releases and maintain excellent public relations. The business is in the fortunate position of having many strong links with the media and has in the past been featured on both ITV and Channel 4 and Sky TV.
Each change of season, the company sends out a high quality, colourful and well-designed brochure to all their customers in the UK to inform them of new products and developments. The business also makes use of a customer e-mail newsletter, which gets sent out to over 20,000 customers every two weeks.
The business is conveniently located near a graphic design and printing company that are able to help and give advice about the development of brochures and leaflets.
The business has invested in other forms of marketing and advertises itself in a variety of different ways. As well as having their own web site, the business also has additional supporting web sites. The business also has a trademark on their name to discourage other companies from using it.
The business also benefits from a high level of ‘word of mouth’ recommendations, bearing strong testimony to the high reputation the business enjoys. | | | Financial profile: | The business is being offered for sale on a going concern basis, all financial discussions will take place directly between the vendor and all interested parties under the auspices of Turner Butler.
Current year sales are circa £500,000 per annum with gross profits around 50%. Sales of products have grown steadily in the last four years. | Employees
The business employs a number of loyal and dedicated staff, which includes the customer care director, the technical director, customer care advisors, the warehouse supervisor, and flexible part-time workers. | | Support and Training
The owners of the business are happy to assist with full handover and training. | | Turner Butler Disclosure Statement: This statement applies to information relating to any company or other undertaking or business advertised for sale by Turner Butler (a 'Business') The information supplied by Turner Butler on its website or in any other promotional material ('the Information') is not and is not intended to constitute an offer for sale of the Business or any assets of the Business or of the shares of any company which owns the Business. For the avoidance of doubt there is no intention to create a legal relationship which will only come into existence when a written contract for sale and purchase of the shares in or the Business has been entered into The Information provided is not intended to address your particular requirements. Further the Information does not constitute any form of advice recommendation representation endorsement or arrangement by Turner Butler and is not intended to be relied upon in making (or refraining from making) any specific decisions. Any agreements transactions or other arrangements made between you and any client of Turner Butler are at your sole risk and responsibility. The prospective sellers of the Business have provided the Information to Turner Butler. The Information has not been verified by Turner Butler. You must carry out your own due diligence and satisfy yourself as to the accuracy of all matters. In the case of the sale of shares in a Business the Information has been prepared on the basis that the shares will consist of or include more than 50% of the voting shares and that both the seller and the buyer is either a body corporate, a partnership, a single individual or a group of connected individuals so as to fall outside the scope of regulated activities as defined by the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. If you are considering a transaction which falls within the scope of such regulated activities you cannot do so through Turner Butler. Appropriate professional, legal and accountancy advice should be obtained before making or refraining to make any decision. Turner Butler does not accept any responsibility or liability for loss or damage of any nature that may occur by reliance on the Information. Neither Turner Butler nor any of our employees or agents makes any representation as to the completeness or accuracy of the Information nor do we accept any liability for any losses, costs, liabilities or expenses which may arise directly or indirectly from your use of, or reliance on the Information. This document is governed by and shall be construed in accordance with English Law and any dispute arising in connection with it shall be subject to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts Turner Butler
The Manor Sweetcroft Lane Hillingdon Middlesex
Telephone 01895 25 6000 Facsimile 01895 20 6666
info@turnerbutler.co.uk
www.turnerbutler.co.uk Turner & Co (GB) Limited registered in England and Wales under company no. 2477988 of registered office Savoy House Savoy Circus London W3 7DA, trading as Turner Butler � Shaun Sweeney October 2006 |
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