The Insider: Virgin Retail.(Website overview)

Virgin Retail is looking to give a lift to its online offering with the relaunch of virginmega-stores.co.uk, creating a destination site for its customer base and driving online sales activity.

Based on a completely new platform, the overhauled site will be a priority for the retailer, reflecting its desire for online to take on a bigger role in the overall marketing mix.

"We have been planning the new website for about nine months now," says marketing and e-commence director Steve Kincaid. "We had a platform that was adequate, but not up there with other entertainment stores - it was quite functional. We wanted something that was in line with the brand and that moved with the times."

One of the most intriguing aspects of the site is its ability to feature user-generated content. Customers will be encouraged to submit personal reviews on music, films and games to support the label and studio synopsises already online. Reviews will also be supported by store staff recommendations, replicating the expert advice offered to customers in-store.

"It's about giving people a kind of interactivity, helping them to select products," says Kincaid. "Peer reviews have more credibility, people are cynical about label hype. People are keen to have an opportunity to say something. We are also going to get more shop floor staff to review things. We want to try to give it as much of a human focus as possible."

The website will also provide a home to bespoke content from the retailer's in-store signings and ...