Cotton On launches UK webstore, opts for digital-only in Britain

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
May 13, 2021

Australia’s Cotton On is entering the UK via a digital-only offer that it hopes will help it make the most of the biggest growth channel in British retail. As well as its own webstore launching now, the brand is also selling on ASOS.

The 30-year-old company usually operates an omnichannel model and it currently has over 1,500 stores in 20 countries so the digital-only approach in Britain is a first for it.

There had been rumours several years ago that it would open stores in the UK but with the changing nature of retail in Britain and the impact of the pandemic, online-only makes more sense.

The company, which is part of the same group that owns Typo, operates a variety of brands, including Rubi, Factorie and Cotton On Body. 

Its CEO Peter Johnson said it has received feedback from UK customers via its marketplace partners in recent years that suggests it’s a good time to launch into Britain. He added that the debut is “a significant milestone for our brand and our business”.