Woodie's DIY says it plans to create a £20 million (€25.4 million) direct sales business within the next five years following the introduction of its online shopping service yesterday.

The new service, which cost £500,000 to develop, will carry more than 6,000 DIY products. The site has a secure payment facility provided by Bank of Ireland and guarantees to deliver to any address in Ireland within 72 hours for a maximum charge of £5.

Woodie's said it was targeting 100,000 new customers with the service, which has been operational on a trial basis since the beginning of the year. It had recorded more than 30,000 visitors in that time, the company said. Managing director Mr Ray Colman said the development of the website and online shopping service was part of Woodie's expansion plan and described it as an important business development for the company, which plans to open two new stores in Tralee and Newbridge in the coming year with further expansion planned.

The company, which opened its first DIY store in 1987 in Walkinstown in Dublin, now has 12 branches. It currently employs more than 650 people.

Woodie's, which is part of Grafton Group, reported a turnover of €71.6 million last year. Over the past five years, turnover had grown by 98 per cent, with sales growing as much as 70 per cent in different product categories, it said.