TheMoodieReport.com

TheMoodieReport.com: "It lists only fragrances and customers cannot yet reserve or buy online, but World Duty Free�s (WDF) new website (www.worlddutyfree.com) still generated over 10,000 visits in its first week.

That underlined the huge potential of online shopping for travel retailers, according to WDF Managing Director Mark Riches.

Speaking during the annual MEDFA conference in Dubai where he was the first day keynote speaker, Riches admitted that the company had entered the internet arena late but said it was now making up for lost time. He revealed that WDF is looking at ways to develop the medium further.

The fragrances website lists the prices as well as the range (and type) of fragrances stocked in WDF�s various outlets. While potential customers can print out a list of products they are interested in, the actual ordering and purchasing has to be done in the shops.

�How do we develop it? Do we take it to a selling channel?� Riches asked, noting that retailers must also guard against the internet eroding footfall rates.

Riches was speaking during a well-received and often feisty question and answer session with conference moderator Martin Moodie.

Taking up Riches� challenge for the press to be more critical of the retail sector, Moodie suggested that the average standard of travel retail websites was �lousy'.

He said: �Of all the websites that we have listed on our new consumer site (www.DutyFreeShoppingIndex.com), those airport or airline retailers that even show their product offer online is in the minority; the number that show their prices is in the tiny minority; the number that offer pre-order is miniscule and the number that even do a mildly good job of promoting the offer"