BHS to reopen this week under new owner

Collapsed British department store BHS is set to relaunch this week as an online retailer with a range of the most popular items sold online before it fell into administration.

Opening for business on Thursday 29 September, BHS.com will feature a smaller range of products than it did before, focusing on items that are ‘best-sellers’. The online platform will launch with the brand’s lighting and home furnishing products, which used to make up over 50% of the company’s online revenue.

Further ranges such as kitchen and dining ware and clothing items will be added in the coming weeks.

Now owned by Al Mana Group since June 2016, the business will be based in London with 84 employees - the vast majority of who worked for the retailer before it went into administration.
David Anderson will be overseeing the launch of the new UK online business, with a view to recruiting an executive at a later date to run this operation.

He said: "We are thrilled to be relaunching this iconic brand back into the UK. It had a loyal customer base with around 1.2 million British shoppers who bought from us online, and for our relaunch we have managed to secure many of the products they liked the most.”

"In addition to this, we have developed a new specially designed online platform for our UK business so we are not inheriting any legacy systems, and we were able to recruit the majority of people who worked on the profitable online and international operations of BHS before it went into administration.”

BHS International said its new online platform will be one of the most customer-friendly in the market. The shopping experience was streamlined with customers now able to order and checkout with just two clicks, and purchases can be continued on mobile phones, laptops and tablets.

The relaunch marks a new era for BHS, the iconic department store that went into administration in April this year after attempts to secure a rescue deals failed. The company’s international franchise business and brand were acquired by Al Mana in June.

The Qatari group operates in a number of sectors and represents a range of high profile brands including: Zara, Mango, Armani Exchange, United Colors of Benetton and Reebok.

BHS to reopen this week under new owner

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