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.
Once a stalwart of Christmas and Boxing Day Sales shopping, the pressure from the cost-of-living crisis meant electricals presented a mixed bag for retailers over this festive season.
AO.com and Marks Electrical have both revealed rising profitability following golden-quarter trading.
November 25 – a date that, this year, is more significant in the retail calendar than ever
AO has hailed “solid progress” in its plan to focus on profitability over growth, despite suffering widening half-year losses.
AO chief operating officer Danny Emmett has made a shock exit from the business, Retail Week can reveal.
Advertisement
