Easter in July ?

I thought Easter was the traditional time for resurrections but this month, in July, we have witnessed the online rebirth of two of the recessions most high profile casualties.

Woolworths, a seemingly permanent fixture on most British High Streets closed last year amongst debts and falling sales, taking Zavvi with them. Zavvi was the rebranded, management buy-out that had previously been Virgin Megastores, the music, DVD and games store.

Zavvi bought most of their stock from a wholesaler owned by Woolworths and so were left without stock in the run-up to Christmas, the usual sales high-point. Unable to fulfill orders or even stock shelves, they closed.

Now both brands are back as online sales points, Zavvi offering their previous lines and Woolworths offering electricals, clothes, toys and what must bed the 21st century equivalent of pick n mix, click n mix.

Aside from the warm feeling that comes from seeing the dead rise the significance of these brands to affilikate marketing is important. Prior to their collapse last year both Woolw0rths and Zavvi ran affiliate programs. Zavvi are back with theirs, now on the www.buy.at network. Woolworths are yet to launch theirs but as the brand is now owned by Shop Direct it can't be long in coming.