Asos is poised to launch foreign-language versions of its web site as it sets its sights on international expansion to continue market-leading growth.

The online retailer, which this week revealed it had doubled its sales and profits for the year to the end of March, will translate its site into an as yet undisclosed number of languages within the next 18 to 24 months.

Asos delivers to 37 countries worldwide and accepts payment in five currencies in addition to sterling – the US dollar, Swedish Kronor, Danish and Norwegian kroner and the euro. International sales represent 10 per cent of turnover.

Chief executive Nick Robertson said: “We see it as the next big thing. The UK is only 4 per cent of global internet traffic.”

Robertson said growth at the retailer – which recorded its fifth consecutive year of annual compound growth of more than 77 per cent – has shown few signs of halting during the credit crunch.

In the first 13 weeks of the new financial year, the retailer posted a 95 per cent jump in sales versus an 85 per cent uplift during the same period last year. In May, Asos attracted 3.4 million visitors, a rise of 60 per cent year on year.

Robertson said: “It’s not that we are immune to the credit crunch, but what we are seeing is a seismic shift to online shopping.”

In September, Asos will launch its discount site, Asos Red, which will be a tab on the main web site, according to Robertson. It will launch with 20 brands before expanding to offer 50 brands within six months.

He added that, despite internal resistance to launching the discount site, he is confident that it will be successful. He said: “I know where my traffic goes [when visitors leave the Asos site]. They go to eBay etc. We should give customers what they want under one roof.”

In the year to the end of March, pre-tax profits at Asos soared 117 per cent to£7.3 million on sales up 90 per cent to£81 million.

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