Sosandar pens deals with Next and John Lewis as sales surge during lockdown

The online fashion business said revenues rocketed 62% between April 1 and May 31 compared with the same period a year ago, despite a “significant” reduction in marketing spend during the coronavirus crisis.

Order numbers jumped 44%, while new customer acquisition accelerated 15%. The etailer said its losses halved year on year during the period.

Sosandar said it achieved the sales growth despite slashing its marketing outlay 69% as a result of lockdown measures being introduced in the UK.

The business has struck deals with John Lewis and Next which will allow Sosandar to sell its clothing, aimed primarily at shoppers aged 50 and above, through the retailers’ respective websites from this autumn.

The new partnerships come as Sosandar seeks to emerge stronger from the coronavirus pandemic.

The etailer said it has benefited from a 98% spike in traffic during lockdown and a shift to “more casual ranges” as shoppers seek comfort, rather than items to wear at social events.

Sosandar said it expects to reveal that revenues more than doubled to £9m in the year to March 31 when it unveils its prelims in the coming months.

During that 12-month period, repeat orders ballooned 144%, its active customer base swelled 111% and the number of new customers using its website jumped 67%.

However, Sosandar cautioned that losses during the fiscal year are expected to come in “slightly higher than anticipated” when it updated the market in mid March.

The retailer said that discounting during the initial lockdown period, planned first order discounts as part of its “intense” customer acquisition strategy and “higher than anticipated” customer returns immediately prior to the announcement of lockdown on March 23 would all hit its bottom line.