Notonthehighstreet warns suppliers to stop using Joules' new online marketplace

By

Barbara Santamaria

Published
Nov 12, 2019

Notonthehighstreet has reportedly told a string of suppliers to stop selling products on Joules’ new online marketplace Friends of Joules.

Country-inspired fashion and lifestyle brand Joules quietly launched the online rival in September, partnering with hundreds of small independent businesses from across the UK.

The site is designed to be a marketplace of everything that is complementary to a country lifestyle, including homemade candles, personalised leather goods and fashion jewellery. 

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This puts the platform in direct competition with Notonthehighstreet, which has sought to be the “home of thoughtful gifts” and connect independent creators with consumers since it was founded by Holly Tucker and Sophie Cornish in 2006.

According to the Mail on Sunday, Notonthehighstreet has found that more than 20 suppliers are listing their products on both sites, which is a contravention of its policy.

About 37 products have been identified as violating the policy, with some suppliers asked to remove them from Friends of Joules or risk being delisted from Notonthehighstreet.

A spokesperson said that the company’s policy was there to ensure the site continues to be the best place to find unique gifts, and insisted that businesses are allowed to sell with large retailers as long as the products have  a “point of difference”.

“A small number of our partners have been asked to make changes to the products they sell with us to ensure they’re compliant with our terms and conditions,” the spokesperson added.

According to a study from GlobalData, a data and analytics company, online marketplaces are set to enjoy a boost over the next five years as consumers turn to the likes of Asos, Amazon and Depop to find new products. Retailers selling third-party brands such as Next also stand to benefit, with online marketplace spend expected to increase by 50.1% to £39.3bn by 2024.