Future Plus launches WorldStores' first customer mag

by Fiona Ramsay, Media Week 14-Dec-07, 14:45

LONDON - Online retailer WorldStores is launching its first customer magazine, WorldStores Essentials, produced by customer publishing agency Future Plus.

WorldStores Essentials is a 32-page mini-magazine, produced to boost awareness for the company's portfolio of websites and to drive direct sales.

The title is being distributed with Future's consumer electronics magazines, including gadget bible T3. A total of 242,000 copies of the magazine will be distributed by insertion in Future's electronics titles and by targeted direct mail to WorldStores' mailing lists.

Founded in 2003, WorldStores is privately owned by founders Richard Tucker and Joe Murray. It owns and operates 13 different websites, which include iWorld.co.uk, laptopstuff.co.uk and headphoneworld.co.uk. The company plans to launch a further 20 niche websites by the end of 2008.

Murray said: "WorldStores Essentials is our first major foray into acquiring new customers away from our established online acquisition methods. By having our own magazine, WorldStores has an excellent opportunity to show existing customers what other items we have on offer across our growing network of online stores."