BHS Relaunches in the UK as a New Online Retailer

BHS is set to relaunch in the UK as an online-only retailer, selling a range of home furnishing products, which represented around 75% of the most popular online items sold before the company went into administration earlier this year. BHS.com will be open for business from Thursday 29^th September, and will be adding new ranges over the upcoming weeks, including kitchen and dining ware as well as clothing.

Lighting and home furnishing made up over 50% of the previous BHS’s online revenue, and some of the former best-selling products have been secured for the relaunch, including items from BHS’s bedroom, bathroom, cushion and lighting ranges.

Managing Director of BHS International, David Anderson commented: “We are thrilled to be relaunching this iconic brand back into the UK.  It had a loyal customer base with around 1.2 million British shoppers who bought from us online, and for our relaunch we have managed to secure many of the products they liked the most.

“In addition to this, we have developed a new specially designed online platform for our UK business so we are not inheriting any legacy systems, and we were able to recruit the majority of people who worked on the profitable online and international operations of BHS before it went into administration.”

Back in June this year, BHS International (UK) Limited – formed by The Al Mana Group, (a group operating in a number of sectors including retail, real estate, media and technology and represents a range of high profile brands) acquired BHS.com and the BHS brand.

At the time of BHS going into administration, its international and online businesses were profitable and growing, and many of the key people running these have been retained by The Al Mana Group, including David Anderson, Sara Bradley – Buying Director and Dave West – Head of Creative.

The new BHS is set to be headquartered in London and has 84 employees – a large amount of whom worked for the retailer previously. David Anderson will be overseeing the launch of the new online business with a view to recruiting an executive later on to run the operation.

David continued: “Although we are starting again in the UK, we have a number of advantages over a typical start-up. We are nimble and efficient, but with a great brand, strong customer base and a proven and dedicated team.”