Is this the next ASOS?

This could be an opportunity to get in early as the company builds on it's web presence and sales. Very few people are aware of this one and it is only now that they are starting to get noticed in the national press after achieving record sales in the run up to Christmas.
The company sells music related fashion to customers who want to get "the look" of their favourite bands.
With internet retailing growing at the rate it is and the massive market for this type of product, in time this could be a real winner.

www.ebtm.com



RNS Number:3459C

EBTM PLC

03 May 2006


EBTM PLC

3 May 2006


EBTM Plc
TRADING UPDATE - APRIL SALES 60% HIGHER THAN DECEMBER 2005

The Board of EBTM Plc, the AIM quoted online retail operation, announces that trading in the period to end April 2006, its year end, was above expectation.

The Company has integrated rapidly into the former e-retail business and its management is currently expanding its warehouse and distribution facilities and systems.

It also reports that sales in April were some 60% ahead of those of the previous record month of December 2005, encouraging the Board to be confident of achieving its current expansion plans.

Chairman Mark Watson-Mitchell commented

"The sales figures for April were excellent, way ahead of our previous record month, which was that leading up to Christmas 2005. Since March the Company's management, under Richard Breeden and Grant Calton, has moved apace in getting to grips with creating its ability to cope with the significant sales increases that are a major part of the expansion strategy."

For further information:


EBTM PLC 020 8704 0034


Richard Breeden (Chief Executive) 07973 563 529


Notes to Editors

EBTM Plc (AIM: EBTM) is the result of the reverse acquisition of e-retail plc in February 2006. That company acquired EBTM Limited, which was formed in April 2005 as a new online specialist retailer of music merchandise and related clothing and fashion.

The online retail operation, EBTM.com, was launched in July 2005. It currently sells licensed products from over 175 bands (from The Rolling Stones to Razorlight, from Bob Marley to Motorhead). Products include clothing, jewellery, bags and shoes. EBTM also sells several a range of associated fashion brands, (which have an association with music), including Atticus, Vans, Eastpak and Amplified.

EBTM continues to broaden and expand its sales retail offering and, over the coming months, will continue to develop its branded fashion offering.


This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange



END


A bit more info found by foo ninja on the iii discussion board.



The man who's got the T-shirt

By Emma Vickers

3 March 2006

Retail Week

English

Copyright 2006. EMAP plc. All rights reserved.

Newly floated e-tailer EBTM is convinced band T-shirts and posters can be big business. Emma Vickers meets founder Richard Breeden

In his City-boy uniform, EBTM chief executive Richard Breeden looks more anything, rather than everything, but the music - the name of his recently floated internet fashion business.

His sharp suit, expensive watch and blue and white striped shirt are a far cry from the Led Zeppelin and Iron Maiden T-shirts that comprise the site's bread and butter. But, following the 1.5 million reverse takeover of EBTM by AIM-listed consultancy E-retail on February 3, the ex-dance music fanatic must play to an audience of investors to persuade them that music-inspired clothing has room for growth and, more importantly, that he is the one to lead it.

Breeden outlines the premise of EBTM a week after the deal. He looks tired and speaks quickly, giving the impression that he delivered the same spiel repeatedly in the weeks before and after the takeover.

He says: "We are an online-only retailer of music-related merchandise and product. The retail concept is that music is a key driver of lifestyle. The music that you listen to defines not only the clothes that you wear, but who you hang out with and where you hang out - a large part of what you do. We're trying to provide an access to that lifestyle to people that like certain types of music."

The web site sells T-shirts, accessories, jewellery, footwear and posters. It caters for fans of genres from metal, indie, rock, punk to urban. It has 40,000 registered users - 60 per cent of whom are men.

A heavy metal fan browsing the site would be able to pick up a T-shirt with the logo of Bullet for My Valentine and a co-ordinating monogrammed bullet-shaped pendant.

The appeal of the offer is arguably limited to moody teenagers listening to grungy music in their bedrooms. However, Breeden cites the broader and more affluent 16- to 29-year-old age range as his core customer base and EBTM's average basket size of 26 backs this up.

Breeden says one of the challenges he faces is widening the appeal of the site and he has plenty of ideas to do this. He intends to include more fashion to allow fans to get the look of their favourite singers. Although this is a sales device used heavily by online fashion retailer Asos, EBTM customers are more likely to want to ape the style of Babyshambles singer Pete Doherty than his ex-girlfriend Kate Moss.

The site will also stock the growing number of clothing collections designed by musicians themselves. In March, it will start selling the Adeline clothing collection designed by Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong. Breeden points out that licensed product is becoming more important to artists because the revenue they once got from CDs has been hit by internet piracy. He says: "It's leading to better product development."

His goal for EBTM is to have a fashion-led homepage, with links to a broadened range of music genres, including pop. However, music fans are renowned for snobbery - would a Motorhead fan buy a T-shirt from a site that also, for instance, stocks a cosmetics range by J-Lo?

Breeden says: "It's something we're very aware of. It's not just J-Lo, it's the difference between metal and indie. But that's one of the beauties of the internet: because it's so flexible, you're able to create environments for each genre. It's not a concept you can deliver in a shop, because once you're in a shop that's the environment you're in."

Though he has limited retail experience, Breeden has more than proved his entrepreneurial credentials. At university, he channelled his passion for dance music into organising gigs and club nights. On graduating, he lived every music lovers' dream - after stints of work experience he was offered a job with EMI.

Within six weeks, he was running his own label. He says: "I spotted an opportunity - they had a (dance music) label called Tribal America and I persuaded the owner to let me set up the UK side. We became very successful. It's fortunate, but there was an opportunity and we built a fairly significant business pretty quickly."

After eight years at record labels and an MBA en route, he ended up working for merchandiser Blue Grape. He explains: "Merchandisers sign bands in the same way that a record company does. They'll go out and pay in advance to acquire rights, but instead of acquiring record rights they acquire what are effectively visual rights. The right to use the logo and all that kind of stuff."

It was while working here that the idea for EBTM was born. Breeden says: "I spent a long time looking for the right opportunity - when I say looking for, I mean sitting down and thinking it up."

He set up the business in January last year and was dealt the attention of EBTM's retail trump card in the form of executive director Quentin Griffiths, who founded and remains a stakeholder in Asos.

As well as expanding the breadth of product offer, EBTM is driving hits through print advertising in specialist titles such as NME and Kerrang. Recent coverage in Heat magazine helped drive sales of a studded Rolling Stones T-shirt and bring EBTM to the attention of a more mainstream customer base. Then, unlike Stones frontman Mick Jagger, Breeden will be satisfied.

http://www.investegate.co.uk/Article.aspx?id=200806170700108583W

http://www.investegate.co.uk/Article.aspx?id=200806170700088597W


Very happy with todays news and intend to top up when funds allow.

YES..VERY GOOD...ANOTHER ASOS IN THE MAKING