Asos revenues boosted by same-day delivery option

Online fashion retailer Asos saw strong sales over the key Christmas period, both in the UK and abroad.

Total sales rose by 30% to £790m in the final four months of 2017 compared with the same period the year before.

Sales in the UK climbed 23%, while international sales rose 35%.

The performance at Asos, and that of online rival Boohoo, underline how the fashion sector is being transformed by the internet and piling pressure on the likes of Marks and Spencer and Next.

Asos said in its trading update that total of 20.2 million orders were placed during the four months, up 30% year-on-year.

The retailer said its UK sales benefitted from the launch of same-day delivery and "Try Before You Buy".

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Asos chief executive Nick Beighton called the trading figures "a strong performance".

He said: "We achieved an exceptional performance in the UK, whilst momentum in international sales continued.

"We acquired 2.6 million active customers year-on-year and saw encouraging movements across all key customer KPIs."

Fellow online fast fashion retailer Boohoo has also had much to cheer about.

The Manchester-based firm, which also owns the PrettyLittleThings and Nasty Gal brands, saw revenues double to £228m in the four months to the end of December.