All AO (Appliances Online) articles
AO, formerly known as Appliances Online, is an online-only retailer operating in the UK. The company was founded in 2000 by John Roberts and the UK head office is located in Bolton, Greater Manchester. It specialises in household appliances and electricals, but has expanded its offer to include small appliances, TVs, computing, smartphones and even gardening products.
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Analysis
Retail cabinet: What would government look like if retailers ran the country?
As the country casts its votes in the general election, Retail Week imagines what a cabinet made up of bold and capable retail leaders might look like
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Interview
Q&A: AO’s director of brand on how it gained 600,000 customers in a year
As AO continues to make waves in the electronics sector, Retail Week speaks to director of brand Arafa Heneghan on the importance of consistency across the brand to grow and maintain customers.
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Analysis
How the spark’s being put back into electricals retail at AO, Currys and Marks
As three big names in the electricals sector post their full-year results, Retail Week takes a look at the themes driving success in a once floundering market.
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Retail Navigator Analysis
AO (Strategy)
AO’s strategic pivot to focus on profit and cash generation has paid off with profits surging. As it continues to drive efficiencies and control overheads the retailer has maintained its guidance eyeing double-digit revenue growth for the current financial year and adjusted pre-tax profit of between £36m and £41m.
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News
AO profits top guidance in year of ‘good progress’
AO has reported a surge in profits and maintained its guidance in a year of “good progress” at the domestic appliances retailer.
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Analysis
Retail’s election wish list: what the bosses of Ikea, AO and more want from a new government
“We need a better approach when it comes to the coordination of policy, regulation, taxation, and alignment across the UK’s nations.”
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News
AO boss urges government to let retailers fix ‘broken’ apprenticeship scheme
AO founder and chief executive John Roberts is calling on the government to let retailers and other businesses run their own apprenticeship schemes.
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Analysis
What does Currys’ and AO’s raised profit guidance tell us about the struggling electricals sector?
Both AO and Currys have posted impromptu profit upgrades ahead of their full-year updates this spring. Given that the electricals market has been floundering, what do the recent profit announcements tell us about the future of the sector?
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News
AO boss calls on UK government to fix ‘broken’ youth services
AO founder and chief executive John Roberts has called on the government to fix the UK’s “broken” youth services by spending £1bn a year on youth provision over the next decade.
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News
AO hails ‘good momentum’ as it expects to hit profit guidance
Electricals retailer AO said today it expects to hit its previously pledged profit guidance and surpass £1bn in sales for the full year.
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News
AO director says negative reviews drive better ‘everyday business decisions’
AO’s director of consumer and brand Vicky Monk said negative reviews drive the company to “be better” and make “everyday business decisions” as it reached 500,000 reviews on Trustpilot.
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News
AO saves 70 jobs through buying mobile phone retailer
Online electricals retailer AO has acquired some assets of the mobile phone retailer A1 Comms, saving 73 jobs in the process.
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News
AO upgrades profit guidance as it continues to deliver ‘profit and cash generation’
Electricals specialist AO has upgraded its full-year profit guidance after focusing on delivering “profit and cash generation”.
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Analysis
What Currys and AO results tell us about electricals sector
Two of the UK’s biggest electricals retailers announced their full-year results this week, which revealed a mixed picture for both groups.
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News
AO boss has ‘no plans’ to return to physical retail
AO founder and chief executive John Roberts has said the group has “no plans” to return to bricks-and-mortar retail after closing its shop-in-shops with Tesco last year.
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News
AO swings back into black as profit focus pays off
Electricals specialist AO World has returned to profit after a year of business simplification and refocus.
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Analysis
Strategy spotlight: How AO is pivoting to profitable growth as Frasers Group snaps up stake
As Frasers Group snaps up a 19% stake in AO, the two retailers are “looking forward to realising the significant potential” of working more closely in partnership.
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Analysis
What does Frasers stand to gain from taking a £75m stake in AO World?
Mike Ashley’s sprawling retail empire is known to lead with an aggressive acquisition strategy, but news of Frasers Group buying an 18.9% stake in ecommerce electrical retailer AO.com came as a surprise to many.
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News
Frasers Group snaps up £75m stake in AO World
Frasers Group has bought a 19% stake in online electricals retailer AO World.
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News
AO to recruit 250 customer service staff after raising salaries by 20%
AO is looking to recruit more than 250 people to its customer service team after raising the pay of contact centre agents by over 20% in the past 12 months.