Twitter users abandon website after one month
More than 60 per cent of Twitter users stop using the social networking site one month after signing up for the service, says new research. In no small part to celebrity exposure and media coverage, use of Twitter continues to skyrocket, growing more than 100 per cent since March, but new research shows the microblogging website is having trouble convincing users to stick around. Data from Nielsen Online found that Twitter has a “retention rate”... [Read More...]
New boss for Woolworths online shop
Shop Direct Group has brought in a new boss for its online Woolworths store which launches this summer.Matthew Hardcastle, a former eBay executive, started at the home shopping group this week. He was formerly managing director of eBay’s shopping comparison site Shopping.com. Hardcastle said: “I am really excited about being part of the Woolies revival. It is a much-cherished British brand and 700,000 people have already registered.” Shop Direct... [Read More...]
John Lewis to revamp online fashion area in major web repositioning
Retailer John Lewis is to revamp its online fashion offering. David Walmsley, head of web selling at John Lewis Direct, said: “The strength of John Lewis online has traditionally been in the home and technology verticals, but we want to turbo-charge the fashion offering. It’s about having the same experience you get in-store when online.” He added the site revamp was due for completion later in the year and will be promoted by an integrated... [Read More...]
Low-cost airlines fare poorly in website usability
The websites of low-cost airlines like Ryanair and Monarch are among the most difficult to use in the online travel sector, possibly leading to customers going elsewhere and jeopardising the recent push in online check-ins, according to a new study. The 2009 Flights Online Report from user experience consultancy Webcredible revealed that Ryanair finished bottom of the study of 20 leading carrier and travel agent websites with a score of just 41... [Read More...]
Ministry develops in-house ecommerce platform in six weeks
Dance music, club and lifestyle brand Ministry of Sound, whose site was forced to shut down when its ecommerce provider ceased trading in February, has developed and launched its own ecommerce platform in only six weeks. Ministry of Sound has relaunched its direct-to-consumer website ministryofsound.com, after the site was closed down on 13 February when Trinity Street, the company originally providing its ecommerce platform, collapsed and went... [Read More...]
BBC appoints first online access champion
The BBC has appointed its first online access champion in a bid to get more people to use its online services. BBC Online controller Seetha Kumar has been tasked with encouraging more people to use the broadcaster’s online services. The role will sit alongside her existing position. The position was announced at last week’s Digital Britain summit by the BBC’s COO Caroline Thomson along with the launch of a new BBC online access forum.... [Read More...]
Pirate Bay founders guilty of illegal online content distribution
The four founders of download video site The Pirate Bay have been sentenced to jail and fined $3.6 million for distributing illegal content online. A Swedish court found the co-founders Fredrik Neij, Carl Lundström, Gottfrid Svartholm Warg and Peter S Kolmisoppi guilty of allowing its users free access to music, movies and TV shows. Kolmisoppi posted the guilty verdict on Twitter today, but remained defiant. He said: “Stay calm. Nothing will... [Read More...]
Random House adds extra content to leading ebooks
The Random House Group has revealed a list of ten ebook titles that will be made available with enhanced content today. The titles come with a range of additional digital content such as games, photos, author interviews and graphics. Readers will also have access to audio featuring readings of the books. The first list includes titles from bestselling authors such as James Patterson, Danny Wallace and Jacqueline Wilson. A further list, set to include... [Read More...]
Orange Romania chief tipped for T-Mobile UK role
Orange Romania chief executive Richard Moat has been tipped to take on the managing director’s role at T-Mobile in the UK. Moat, who resigned from his role at Orange last month, is expected to replace Jim Hyde, who left T-Mobile at the end of March. News of his imminent appointment comes as the mobile operator seeks to find a replacement for its former marketing director Phil Chapman, who is now group marketing director for Kerry Foods. It is understood... [Read More...]
Stuart Flint appointed director of digital at Virgin’s IDS
Stuart Flint, the former Hearst Digital UK sales director, is to join Virgin Media-owned sales house IDS in the newly created role of director of digital. Flint left the NatMags-owned outfit, along with managing director Alex Ballantyne, as part of a company restructure which led to Hearst Digital being folded into the wider NatMags’ operation. Flint was responsible for agency sales, sponsorship and operations. At IDS, he will hold a bigger... [Read More...]