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The Resurrection of <span style="text-decoration: line-through;">Christ</span> Woolworths will be online

2 February 2009
By Paul Smith

Woolworths rises from the dead. Sort of.

Just when you'd given up on finding another high street outlet that sold both swing-bin liners and A1 posters of Del Amitri, a ray of sunshine breaks through the wintry clouds on this Siberian Monday afternoon.

News reaches Bitterwallet via cnet that the Barclay brothers, who own both Littlewoods and the Telegraph, have snapped up the Woolworths brand. While there are no plans to re-open any high-maintenance shop fronts, they are planning to cash in on the massive brand awareness Woolies enjoys and relaunch Woolworths as an online retail store later this year.

No word yet on what the product lines will be, or indeed whether the online offering will mirror the bricks and mortar version of Woolworths in any way beyond the name.

[cnet] thanks Joff!

13 comments

  • Netizen
    It'll be a Littlewoods clone + Ladybird clothing won't it? Nothing to get excited about, I reckon.
    Reply ·
  • Dave P.
    Exactly, and its the final nail in the coffin. The old woolworths is officially dead n buried. Tony Page might have salvaged something, Shop Direct just look like twats
    Reply ·
  • Liddle m.
    Is the name really worth that much? Apart from a bit of nostalgia-value for the older generations, surely its a brand that should be buried and forgetting about? Look at all the trouble that's been caused by the powers-that-be bringing Jesus the 'Christ' back to life. Will we have Woolworths and Littlewoods fighting holy wars in the future? They do say shopping is the new religion...
    Reply ·
  • Liddle m.
    erm ... I meant "buried and forgotten about" (damn BW not allowing edits!)
    Reply ·
  • Magical T.
    Finally! Pick'n'mix available to order online!
    Reply ·
  • Kevin
    So all they've bought is the name 'Woolworths' and 'Ladybird clothing'. Wonder how much that cost?
    Reply ·
  • Joff
    I'd imagine the Woolworths brand would carry a fair bit of nostalgia value but how that translates to online sales is anyone's guess. Hopefully something good will come out of all this. Oh and if it's online pick 'n' mix you're after then http://www.aquarterof.co.uk (6% Quidco too) is where you want to be for bags and bags of luvvery sugary goodness.
    Reply ·
  • steve p.
    apparently the name cost £1
    Reply ·
  • Brendon
    It probably cost them a lot, and will probably end up costing even more. Woolworths isn't a brand that will work well online -- it just isn't "cool" enough for the web. -Brendon.
    Reply ·
  • jaysexy212005
    I think it will be a huge failure.
    Reply ·
  • Velios
    I am looking forward to seeing what they can come up with for Woolworths online. It will be an interesting case study.
    Reply ·
  • Woolworths B.
    [...] told you last month about the online resurrection of Woolworths after the Barclay brothers, who own both Littlewoods and the Telegraph, bought the rights to the [...]
    Reply ·
  • Woolies B.
    [...] 2 February, we mentioned that Woolworths would become an internet retailer starting this summer, after the Shop Direct Group [...]
    Reply ·

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