Newcastle-based agency WE-COM has been appointed by fellow North East business, Bazaar Group, to lead SEO across its portfolio of homeware retail websites.
The ecommerce digital marketing agency, which recently chalked up its first year in business, will be responsible for growing the group’s organic search performance across the UK and key European markets during 2026.
Bazaar Group, founded in 2005, has grown from a kitchen-table start-up into a £20 million-turnover manufacturing and ecommerce operation, with category-leading beanbag and soft-furnishings brands.
The appointment comes as the business transitions to a new consumer-facing identity following a rebrand led by chief brand and product officer Beth Hazon. Its new brand, icon, has already gained attention for limited-edition collaborations with the local legends Greggs and Newcastle United Football Club.
Hazon said: “WE-COM’s expertise and strategic approach made them the ideal agency to partner with for this stage of our journey. They bring the senior experience and insight to help us deliver against our ambitious targets and ensure our new brand reaches its full potential in organic search.”
Tom Etherington, founder of WE-COM, added: “We’re excited to be partnering with Bazaar Group at such an important and ambitious stage of their growth. They are a brilliant local
success story for the North East, and it’s a challenging brief that we’re really looking forward to getting stuck into.”
WE-COM helps ecommerce brands focus on what really drives growth, deploying specialists exactly where and when they are needed across organic and paid search, social, email, and more. Headquartered in Newcastle-upon-Tyne and established by experienced agency leader Etherington, the agency works with several clients in the ecommerce field, including Bazaar Group and equestrian specialist Harry Hall.
Etherington was previously managing director of Evolved Search, taking the agency to its highest ever performance, and he has worked with clients including ScS, Mattress Online, BYD, Marks Electrical and more. Fellow industry heavyweight, James Mechan, previously of Dentsu and HOME, joined the business in early 2025 and is now a shareholder and co-director.
