Partner Article

Play.com close direct retail business

Entertainment retailer Play.com will shut down its retail business and become a solely marketplace platform.

The change in model comes in response to the closure of the Low Value Consignment Relief (LVCR) loophole in 2012.

The firm said around 214 redundancies would result from the move.

A statement from Play.com read: “Following a strategic review of our business operations we have today announced a company restructure. Moving forward we are intending to focus exclusively on our successful Marketplace, which is our main business area, and to phase out the direct retail part of our business.

“The removal of Low Value Consignment Relief (LVCR) implemented in April 2012 has been the determining factor in this decision. As a result, we will be entering into consultation with staff on the proposed changes, which include the redundancy of 147 employees from our Finance and Warehouse teams in Jersey by the 31st March 2013. In addition to this, it is proposed that 51 permanent and 16 temporary staff will be made redundant across our Cambridge and Bristol offices.

“We would like to reassure our customers that they can continue to shop with us, purchase from an expanding range of products, and still receive the great quality of service they have come to expect.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Tom Keighley .