AO, formerly known as Appliances Online, is an online-only retailer operating in the UK and Germany. Operations for its Dutch arm ended in 2019. 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. It acquired Mobile Phones Direct in December 2018 to access the contract and SIM-only markets and launched its own AO Mobile operation in August 2019. AO’s new strategy is to develop an ecosystem of products and services, which will eventually include product rentals, mobile phone contracts, account-based finance, recycling, B2B and third-party logistics alongside its core retail operation. On Black Friday 2019, AO unveiled its plastic plant, announcing its ambition to use its recycling capabilities to recycle materials from old fridges to make new ones.
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?
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.
Electricals retailer AO said today it expects to hit its previously pledged profit guidance and surpass £1bn in sales for the full year.
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.
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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