Marks & Spencer, a British retailer, announced on Monday that it had launched 46 new websites in new markets, bringing its total online scope to over 100 countries. The company said the expansion, which included countries ranging from Argentina and Brazil to South Korea and Pakistan, was part of its plan to grow its online business.
M&S announced a 75 percent rise in foreign e-commerce revenues in its first-half results in November, highlighting the change in online spending during the COVID-19 pandemic.
M&S’s international director, Paul Friston, said, “We’re focused on turbocharging our online business both in the UK and globally, and as part of that, we see a real opportunity in expanding the number of countries where we operate an online channel further.”
M&S clothes and home items will be available on the websites.
In January, competitor John Lewis announced that it would no longer pursue international expansion and that its online distribution service would be discontinued.
M&S, which also sells food, has been hard hit by the pandemic, with much of its clothing space being shut down due to lockdowns.
As a result of this online growth, the company’s stock was up 0.5 percent as of 11:16 GMT, bringing its year-to-date losses to 5%.
M&S is yet another global household name that has recently expanded its scope into Pakistan. Spotify, the world’s largest music streaming service, revealed late last month that it would launch its services in over 80 countries, including Pakistan.