Officers Club, the menswear discounter, will take its first cautious steps on to the world wide web with an information-only site, due to launch January 2001.

The retailer, which operates 146 stores, will have a built in transactional cabability but will the facility will not be introduced until the clothes market is more mature.

David Charlton, managing director, said that he was concerned by the level of returns and the profitability of selling online.

He added that the site will include information on store location, key styles and the company. It would include competitions designed to compile details of potential customers, who would then receive emailed vouchers.