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Internet spare-parts business attracts attention of OFT

Laura Chesters
Sunday 14 August 2011 00:00 BST
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The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) is to investigate the purchase of an internet retailer that sells spare parts for machines.

Connect Distribution Services, based in Birmingham, bought e-Spares, an online spares business, for a rumoured £4m this month.

The OFT will investigate whether the merger warrants a Competition Commission investigation or report. A decision will be reached by 26 September.

Connect runs spare-parts websites for many retailers, including Kingfisher-owned B&Q. A number of online retailers run appliance sales websites for other retail brands. DRL, for instance, operates white-goods websites for several large UK retailers.

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