German retailer Douglas has reported sales growth of €1.95bn (5.5%) in the first six months of this fiscal year.
E-commerce activities helped boost sales by 36.8% to €327m.
Meanwhile, its reported earnings before interest tax, depreciation and amortisation climbed 3.5%, bolstered by its #ForwardBeauty strategy.
The group’s CEO Tina Müller said: “Propelled by #ForwardBeauty we grew in all markets, further expanding our position as a European market leader.
“We will utilise this momentum to press ahead with our successful growth strategy and continue to focus on profitable growth.”
According to the retailer, the online business is the most important growth driver for the company’s long-term success.
At the core of its digital strategy is the expansion into an open online marketplace, on which Douglas customers can receive products and offerings from external partners.
Müller added: “By opening our infrastructure to partners, we can scale our platform further, offer customers an unprecedented range of products and create new revenue streams for Douglas - all with extremely efficient use of capital.”
She also hopes to create a “beauty ecosystem”, which will reinforce the brand’s growth momentum.
The first partners are expected to be integrated before Christmas sales begin.