Jos. A Bank stitches together an international web plan
Jos. A Bank is thinking international. Though the multi-channel retailer of men’s professional and casual attire isn’t releasing details, Jos. A Bank Clothiers Inc., No. 207 in the Internet Retailer Top 400 Guide to Retail Web Sites. will develop an international e-commerce presence within six months, says chief financial officer David Ullman.
The company is working with an undisclosed third-party to facilitate international e-commerce, Ullman says, and will make some site upgrades. In 2006, Jos. A Bank may also look at adding more international language capability to JosABank.com.
“We’re looking at the first phase of selling more online overseas,” Ullman says. “We’re putting the nuts and bolts together now.” Currently JosABank.com does process some international orders. “When we launched our site redesign a couple of years ago, the first customer was from Germany,” Ullman says.
Jos. A Bank is expanding its e-commerce operation to a broader international market because, company executives say, it has an established brand, competitive pricing and inventory that appeals to online male shoppers. “The men’s apparel segment is still driven by touch and feel,” Ullman says. “But we’ve succeeded online in a retail segment where a lot of other brands and merchants haven’t.”
An international e-commerce expansion will also help Jos. A Bank to sustain more e-commerce sales, which totaled $25 million in 2005, a 25% increase from $20 million in 2004. “Our direct sales and e-commerce channel are growing nicely,” Ullman says.
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