PRIMARK

SHOPS AND E-COMMERCE,   P

PRIMARK IS AN IRISH COMPANY THAT SPECIALIZED IN THE SALE OF LOW-COST CLOTHING

It was 1969 when Arthur Ryan opened the first Primark store in Dublin. Located on Mary Street, the store debuted under the name Penneys. Ryan’s goal was to create a store that could satisfy the needs of fashion lovers with trendy pieces at affordable prices. The success was such that in 1973, the first store in the United Kingdom was opened in the town of Derby.

However, the store changed its name and was called Primark for the first time, to avoid unpleasant cases of homonymy with the already existing J. C. Penney warehouses, a registered trademark. Although in Ireland, the name remains Penneys. The expansion continued and new stores were opened around the world: Spain, the Netherlands, Italy, Germany, Belgium, the United States, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, and Poland. Primark stores offer a large selection of clothes and accessories for women, men, and children as well as a selection of very affordable products for home, personal care, and hi-tech accessories.

Importantly it became a stock company, and in 2005 it bought the Littlewoods retail stores for 409 million pounds, maintaining 40 of the 119 stores.

The chain of stores is headed by the London-based Associated British Foods.

THE PRIMARK STORES

Primark store’s environment plays an important role in inspiring its customers. The development of the in-store experience has been a key factor in differentiating Primark from its competitors. The products are arranged in very large spaces and sorted by categories so that they can be easily viewed. Moreover, the outlets offer special services such as free Wi-Fi, relaxation stations, coffee shop services, and beauty salons.

As of 2021, the Primark store in Birmingham High Street is the brand’s largest store with a sales area of 14,800 m², spread over five floors. The store features three dining options, including the first Primark Café in partnership with Disney. There is also a beauty salon and a hairdresser.

PANDEMIC EFFECTS

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, on the 23rd of March 2020, the company announced the temporary closure of 189 shops in the UK. On the 15th of June 2020, 153 stores were reopened but the company registered a loss of more than 1 billion pounds.

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