THG acquires Moo Ltd, operators of Preloved.co.uk

25-04-2014

The Hut Group acquires Moo Ltd, operators of Preloved.co.uk

The Hut Group Limited, one of the fastest growing online retailers in Europe, is delighted to announce that it has acquired Moo Ltd, operators of Preloved.co.uk. Preloved is amongst the largest online classified advertising portals in the UK.

Founded as a part-time project by Ian Buzer in 1997, the website has grown in its fourteen year span into one of the pre-eminent online classified sites in the UK, achieving 15 million page views per month, with over 1.7 million active users and over 100 million page impressions per month.

Alongside the websites significant traffic, Preloved boasts high levels of data capture, facilitating excellent cross-marketing opportunities for the group.

The acquisition further broadens The Hut Group’s growing profile of websites and expands upon its proven strategy of using its first-class technology platforms to operate a wide portfolio of branded websites, primarily focused around selling fast moving consumer goods with high levels of repeat purchase.

Matthew Moulding, Chief Executive of The Hut Group commented: “Preloved, with over 120 million visits to the site every year, provides the ideal shop window for buyers and sellers to come together.”

“Our group has a track record of disrupting key markets using data driven consumer insights to create leading global brands across beauty, weight management and sports nutrition and we are committed to similarly transforming the online property market.”

Notes to Editors:

About The Hut Group

The Hut Group is a ‘multi-category, multi-website’ specialist on-line retailer and brand owner, selling high repeat purchase goods direct to consumers across the sports nutrition; health and beauty; entertainment; gifting; clothing and accessories markets. In June 2011, the Group launched a new division (Technology Services), focused on the provision of business to business software and ecommerce platform services.

The Hut Group launched its first website in 2004 and now operates 15 individually branded websites across product categories which share specific defining characteristics: non-perishable, high repeat purchase, one-man delivery and low levels of customer returned products.

The Group’s ‘multi-category, multi-website’ ecommerce model is an evolution to the traditional ‘single’ site ecommerce model, enabling the Group to showcase branded products in bespoke retail environments, as required both by the brands and informed consumers.

The Group’s proprietary technology platform is central to the business model. The platform functionality ranges from the presentational layer through to all back office functions including an in-house data centre, whilst also generating in-depth consumer behavioural insight. The technology platform facilitates highly effective data-driven retailing, manifesting as optimised website content and bespoke marketing content generating high levels of consumer loyalty and cross-selling.

In 2009, The Hut Group was ranked no.1 in the ‘Sunday Times Tech Track 100 of the UK’s fastest growing companies’ and ranked the 3rd fastest growing digital company in Europe at the ‘GP Bullhound Media Momentum Awards’ in May 2010.

For further information, please visit www.thg.com

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