Sex shop stiffens e-commerce offering

Self-described 'Pleasure retailer' Ann Summers is stiffening its online presence with a three-way split of its online e-commerce offerings.

Spring 2007 will see the first of the new enhanced online entrants with the opening of a new annsummers.com site. Ann Summers party plan and knickerbox websites will follow.

The firm is going for a total overhaul of its e-commerce offerings in a bid to double up on web generated revenues, which currently stand proud at around seven per cent of its £144m turnover.

Situl Thakrar, head of e-commerce at Ann Summers, said in the 10 years since the site was launched it had evolved but had never been totally revamped beyond server upgrades.

"What is happening now is part of our five-year plan to expand internationally through online business," said Thakrar.

The firm plans to roll out multiple language websites but these won't be available at launch.

Ann Summers.com currently gets 1.1 million hits a month and says that of the 2.5 million sex toys it sells annually the Rampant Rabbit remains a firm favourite.