Chapter 310 Duke of Devonshire
According to the plan after acquiring Argos last year, online sales will be strengthened.
Since last year, they have enabled the domain name Argos.com as the official website of the Argos online mall.
Over the past year or so, online ordering has become the largest method for Argos department stores, while the proportion of traditional phone calls, text messages, and in-store orders has continued to decrease.
Since acquiring the Primark clothing chain, this strategy has also been applied to this cheap clothing brand.
Not only does Primark have its own separate online mall, but it also has a dedicated clothing area for display on Argos.com.
Although Argos Retail Group is still increasing the number of their stores, after evaluation, they believe that the e-commerce model can greatly reduce the company's operating costs and allow them to display part of the full categories that each city previously required. The warehouse stores will be changed to more drive stores and pick-up points with wider coverage.
For example, when expanding in the French market, Argos department store used this method - opening full-category warehouse stores in important business districts of each city, and then matching drive stores and pick-up points in other areas. Able to complete coverage of a city in the shortest time.
And compared with full-category warehouse stores that have larger needs for area, whether it is a drive store or a pick-up point, the required floor space is greatly reduced. Often, full-category warehouse stores require more than 500 square meters of display area alone. For dirve stores, only stores with an area of less than 100 square meters are enough. As for pick-up points, even small stores with an area of 20-50 square meters can be used.
This allows you to have more choices for store branches and greatly reduces rent costs.
The use of this flexible approach is the biggest reason why Argos department store has been able to complete coverage of cities above the entire French scale in such a short period of time.
Therefore, in order to encourage users to use the Argos website to purchase products, starting from New Year’s Day this year, Argos Retail Group has launched a free shipping campaign for users over 99 euros...
Well, in the UK and France, users who choose to pick up the goods themselves need to pay a part of the packaging fee. If it is delivered to their home, they have to pay a delivery fee - currently the Argos website only supports delivery and self-pickup in cities with its outlets. , and does not support postal services in other areas of the country.
For example, in the UK, Argos has covered all cities and most towns, but in more remote areas, we can only apologize.
As for France, delivery is currently only provided within city limits.
However, at the same time that Argos Retail Group began to enter the German market, DS Holdings also invested 50 million pounds in "Subida", a logistics and warehousing company that was previously spun off from Argos, to continue to increase its scale and open personal services covering the UK and Ireland. Express delivery business.
At this time, the largest express logistics giant in the UK was the Royal Mail. This state-owned company had monopolized the British postal industry for 350 years. It enjoyed various privileges in the UK, including being exempt from paying value-added tax, and the company's postal delivery vehicles were not subject to parking restrictions. wait.
Royal Mail's business now occupies 97% of the British postal service market. It handles an average of 80 million mail deliveries every day at home and abroad in the UK - you must know that Zhongtong, the world's largest express delivery company in 20 years, will not be around. 60 million pieces of mail on average.
However, Barron knows that the current situation will soon change, and a big turning point will be reached on January 1, 2006.
At that time, the British postal regulator will begin to implement new rules, allowing various postal companies to compete openly and "share" the cake of the British postal service market.
Before then, the British postal regulator will issue long-term operating licenses to 13 postal companies, a move that will clear the way for them to compete fairly with the Royal Mail.
Therefore, "Subida" at this time needs to be prepared in advance to "grab the cake" when the time comes.
On July 25, the Argos website launched a membership program.
After users register as members on Argos.com and shop through the website, they will be able to accumulate points and use the points to deduct service fees including packaging fees and delivery fees.
After the launch of this plan, the number of registered members of the Argos website began to increase rapidly, with more than 5 million new users in just one week...
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The Barron team has made great progress in finding a large passenger aircraft to convert into a private jet.
This development comes from Boeing. The other party responded that an airline has reduced orders for Boeing's 747-430. It is likely that it is preparing to purchase Airbus's upcoming A380. Therefore, the main body of a Boeing 747 has been completed. The -430 passenger aircraft can be delivered to Barron in advance and the interior space and decoration can be customized for him.
If this is the case, it is expected to be completed within three months, which means that delivery can be carried out before September 20.
It is estimated that including the internal decoration costs, the total funds required will be around US$250-270 million.
If you want to get an airplane in the shortest possible time, besides buying other people's second-hand airplanes, I'm afraid this is your only chance.
Therefore, Barron immediately made the decision to acquire this Boeing 747.
Barron had also learned from Abramovich before that he had just ordered a private jet, but it was a Boeing 767.
Although the Boeing 767 seems to be a later model than the 747, in fact, the Boeing 767 is much smaller than the 747.
Before the advent of Airbus's A380, the Boeing 747 held the record as the world's largest passenger aircraft.
For example, Prince Walid’s Boeing 747 private jet is a 747-400. The 747-430 that Barron is about to buy is a newer model than his.
Next, the final version of the Boeing 747, the 747-8, will not be announced for development until the end of next year, and will not be rolled off the production line until after 2011 - that is a project started by Boeing to compete with Airbus's A380.
For Barron's order, Boeing sent a team to London to help Barron finalize his modification plan for the Boeing 747.
An oversized bedroom inside is a must, and it also needs to be extremely luxurious...
In addition, it is also necessary to leave a garage on the bottom floor of the aircraft that can park the fleet, so that Barron's entourage can leave directly by car wherever they go.
The aircraft will be named the Duke of Devonshire, with the Devonshire family crest and the aircraft's name spray-painted on the fuselage.
The aircraft is purchased and held by DS Asset Management, and its companies share the daily maintenance costs - these can be counted as company expenses and reduce tax.
Barron's previous Gulfstream G450 also operated in this way.
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According to Manchester United's plan, starting from the end of the European Cup in mid-July, they will lead the team to Asia and start their first trip to Asia.
The first stop of the Asian tour is to China. Three friendly matches will be held in China's Magic City, Qindao and HK, respectively against Shenhua, Luneng Taishan and HK regional teams...
In addition, a series of activities to communicate with Manchester United fans will be held in these three cities.
At the same time, Manchester United will also cooperate with Alibaba to set up an official Manchester United store on Taobao to sell genuine Manchester United peripheral products to Chinese fans.
It can be said that this trip to China is entirely a business event organized by Manchester United Brand Management Company to establish a brand image for fans in China. After Manchester United management, including head coach Ferguson, were able to obtain a part of Manchester United's commercial operating income , head coach Ferguson has also changed his attitude, and is no longer so opposed to players participating in these activities without affecting the team's normal competitive state.
After all, in addition to these, during this trip to China, many Manchester United players and the Manchester United club also received sponsorship from many Chinese companies and entered into advertising cooperation with them, earning a lot of money.
Well, during this process, we will also pay attention to the commercial image of the players. Anyway, we will not accept the kind of endorsement for Cristiano Ronaldo who has a golden voice...
