June 25, 2009

By By Andre Paine, London

Following the demise of the 800-plus store Woolworths retail chain in the U.K., the brand has been reborn online with a product range include music CDs, DVDs and games.

The Web site Woolworths.co.uk launched today (June 25). It is operated by online and home shopping Internet brand Shop Direct Group, which bought the Woolworths name from the administrator.

Alongside the 'main shop' section, there is a 'party' store and the 'entertainment shop.' The entertainment section boasts a "huge back catalog of music" and is selling chart titles such as Black Eyed Peas' "The E.N.D." for ?8.97 ($14.60).

"We're delighted to be bringing back Woolworths in its 100th year," said Shop Direct Group chief executive Mark Newton-Jones in a statement. "We are launching today with a significantly better selection of products that would have been sold in a Woolies high street store and better still, many of the product categories will double in size between now and Christmas."

Woolworths had an 8% market share by value of the U.K. albums market in 2008, according to trade body the BPI. All the stores ceased trading by January 2009.

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