{{Short description|English online retailer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2014}} {{Infobox company | name = Ebuyer | logo = Ebuyer Logo (2021).svg | logo_size = 200px | logo_caption = Logo used since 2021 | type = [[Private company|Private]] | industry = [[Computers]]<br />[[Computer hardware]]<br />[[Software]]<br />[[Electronics]]<br />[[Consumer goods]]<br />[[Gadgets]] | products = Computer hardware, software, peripherals, gaming, electronics, accessories, DVDs and more | revenue = £136.5 Million (2023) | num_employees = 190 (2023) | parent = [[Frasers Group]] | founders = Paul Cusack<br>Mike Naylor<br>Steve Kay<br>Neeraj Patel<br>Adam Ashmore | founded = {{start date and age|1999}} | owner = | hq_location_city = [[Howden]], East Riding of Yorkshire | hq_location_country = [[England]] | website = http://www.ebuyer.com/ }} '''Ebuyer''' is an [[electronic commerce]] [[retailer]] previously based in [[Howden]], [[East Riding of Yorkshire]], England. It is an independent online retailer of computer and electrical goods in the [[United Kingdom]].{{citation needed|date=November 2014}} The Ebuyer website was the 210th most visited site in the United Kingdom [Alexa.com ranking] and had 4 million registered customers.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ebuyer.com/about-us|title=Information about Ebuyer and its services |website=www.ebuyer.com|language=en|access-date=2017-11-17}}</ref>
A [[winding up petition]] was issued against the company by their landlord on 1 August 2025<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://caseboard.io/cases/eef42b82-2d5f-41a3-84dd-a11657645907|title=Ebuyer (UK) Ltd |website=Caseboard|language=en|access-date=2025-08-06}}</ref> and the company was acquired out of administration by [[Frasers Group]] on 13 August 2025.<ref name="rg_frasers"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://itchanneloxygen.com/ebuyers-2m-sale-saved-48-jobs-administrators-report-reveals/|title=Ebuyer’s £2m sale saved 48 jobs, administrator’s report reveals|work=It Channel Oxygen|access-date=2025-10-29|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/major-uk-pc-retailer-ebuyer-bought-out-of-administration-by-notorious-backer-pc-component-listings-mostly-nuked-in-favor-of-furniture-garish-iphone-cases-and-air-fryers-as-frasers-group-takes-the-helm|title=Major UK PC retailer, Ebuyer, bought out of administration by notorious backer — PC component listings mostly nuked in favor of furniture, garish iPhone cases, and air fryers as Frasers Group takes the helm|work=Tom's Hardware|access-date=2025-10-29|language=en}}</ref>
==History== Ebuyer was founded in March 2000 in [[Sheffield]] by Paul Cusack, Mike Naylor, Steve Kay, Neeraj Patel, and Adam Ashmore – with startup capital of £250,000 from Cusack, its annual turnover was in excess of £220 million by September 2005.<ref name="guardian20050922">{{cite news|url=http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/businessinsight/archives/2005/09/22/etailers_eat_away_at_dixons.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050923225427/http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/businessinsight/archives/2005/09/22/etailers_eat_away_at_dixons.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=23 September 2005|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|title=Etailers eat away at Dixons|date=22 September 2005|accessdate=2019-10-08}}</ref> Stuart Carlisle was its managing director (CEO) from 2014 until resigning in 2015.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/08/26/ebuyers_carlisle_exit/|title=Ebuyer MD Carlisle exits following board level bust up|access-date=2019-10-08|language=en|website=[[The Register]]}}</ref> Paul Cusack resigned in December 2006.
Ebuyer (UK) Limited was owned by The West Retail Group from 2004 to 2023. West Retail is also the parent company of Wren Kitchens and the ultimate controlling party is [[Malcolm Healey]].<ref name=hulllive-20200220>{{cite news |url=https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/news/hull-east-yorkshire-news/richest-man-donated-conservative-party-3862092 |title=East Yorkshire's richest man made eye-watering donation to the Tories |last=Young |first=Angus |website=HullLive |publisher=Reach |date=20 February 2020 |access-date=11 April 2020}}</ref>
In April 2023, Ebuyer was reported to have been purchased from The West Retail Group by investor Mark Reed and Richard Marsden via Realtime Holdings Limited. Richard Marsden was appointed the CEO.<ref name=hulllive-20230406>{{cite news |url=https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/news/business/east-yorkshires-richest-family-sells-8327436 |title=East Yorkshire's richest family sells huge retailer Ebuyer.com |last1=Laister |first1=David |last2=Johnson |first2=Paul |website=HullLive |publisher=Reach |date=6 April 2023 |access-date=15 October 2023}}</ref><ref name=busl-20230404>{{cite news |url=https://www.business-live.co.uk/retail-consumer/e-buyer-bought-healey-familys-26630488 |title=Ebuyer bought: Healey family's West Retail Group sells £241m turnover online technology business |last=Laister |first=David |website=BusinessLive |publisher=Reach |date=4 April 2023 |access-date=13 August 2025}}</ref>
The financial results posted on 3 May 2024 on Companies House show that Ebuyer (UK) Ltd turnover for 2023 (Year Ended 31 December 2023) was £136.5m with a profit before tax of (£1.7m) (Actual loss for the year). The prior year revenue was £174.25m with a profit before tax of £109k.
The company was issued with a [[winding up petition]] by their landlord on 1 August 2025.<ref name=":0" /> Whilst there has been no official statement from the company, considerable media coverage has ensued with reports that staff were sent home early on 6 August 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Campbell |first=Mark |date=2025-08-06 |title=Is Ebuyer is no more? |url=https://overclock3d.net/news/misc/is-ebuyer-no-more-staff-told-to-go-home/ |access-date=2025-08-11 |website=OC3D |language=en-UK}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |author1=Jowi Morales |date=2025-08-06 |title=Ebuyer reportedly closing its doors — staff at UK's second biggest PC retailer sent home early, company sued for liquidation |url=https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/ebuyer-reportedly-closing-its-doors-staff-at-uks-second-biggest-pc-retailer-sent-home-early-company-sued-for-liquidation |access-date=2025-08-11 |website=Tom's Hardware |language=en}}</ref>
On 13 August 2025, [[Frasers Group]] acquired Ebuyer.<ref name="rg_frasers">{{Cite web |date=2025-08-13 |title=Frasers Group snaps up online tech retailer Ebuyer - Retail Gazette |url=https://www.retailgazette.co.uk/blog/2025/08/frasers-group-ebuyer/ |access-date=2025-08-13 |language=en-GB}}</ref>
==Security== In July 2008, Gavin Brent, from [[Holywell, Flintshire|Holywell]] in [[Flintshire]], North [[Wales]] admitted stealing goods worth £20,000 from the firm before returning the goods, and demanding full refunds.<ref name="ebuyersecurity">{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/north_east/7526487.stm |publisher=BBC |title=Hacker admits online shop thefts |accessdate=2019-10-08 |url-status=live |date=25 July 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090215153431/http://news.bbc.co.uk:80/1/hi/wales/north_east/7526487.stm |archive-date=15 February 2009 }}</ref> Brent, whose suspicious transactions were spotted by Ebuyer's security team, went on to conduct an online campaign against the company and the investigation. This included menacing Ebuyer staff and a police officer from Brent's now-defunct blog.<ref name="ebuyerthreats">{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/north_east/7373639.stm |publisher=BBC |title=Blogger fined for 'menacing' rant |accessdate=2019-10-08 |url-status=live |date=29 April 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080502091526/http://news.bbc.co.uk:80/1/hi/wales/north_east/7373639.stm |archive-date=2 May 2008 }}</ref>
== Barton Town F.C sponsorship == Ebuyer have been the official floodlight and short sponsor of [[Barton Town F.C.]] from [[Barton-upon-Humber]].<ref name=btfc-20210817>{{cite web |url=https://bartontownfc.co.uk/2021/08/17/sponsor-spotlight-ebuyer/ |title=Sponsor Spotlight – Ebuyer |website=Barton Town F.C. |date=17 August 2021 |access-date=13 August 2025}}</ref>
==Controversy== During 2005 Ebuyer had significant customer service problems. [[Trading Standards|Sheffield Trading Standards]] received 282 complaints about the company, and the customer service phone number had been removed from its website. After this, the firm promised to improve its service, and restored the customer service number to its site. Average daily telephone wait times are published. <ref name="channelregister20050721">{{cite news |url=http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2005/07/21/ebuyer_promises_better/ |publisher=[[Channel Register]] |title=Ebuyer promises to be better |date=21 July 2005 |accessdate=2019-10-08 }}</ref>
On 28 November 2011, Ebuyer ran a £1 promotion via email, offering new deals on the hour until midnight. Ebuyer angered customers when their website was unable to handle the extra traffic, causing it to crash.<ref>{{cite news | first = Paul | last = Kunert | title = eBuyer £1 sale fail: Customers vent fury... on Facebook | date = 30 November 2011 | publisher = [[The Register]] | url = http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2011/11/30/ebuyer_sales_day/ | work = The Channel | accessdate = 15 October 2012}}</ref> When the website did work, many customers were emailed after successfully ordering and paying for items, only to be told they were out of stock. Many customers vented their anger at the company on their Facebook page, however Ebuyer ran a campaign on their customer forums in an attempt to counter the bad publicity.
In December 2013, Ebuyer posted pictures to Facebook of its staff wearing Christmas themed jumpers. However, a Facebook user named Phil spotted that one of the images contained a leaderboard in the background that suggested that Ebuyer staff were rated on the number of returns that they reject. Ebuyer responded to these accusations by stating that these were [[return merchandise authorization]]s avoided by providing technical advice.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/12/24/ebuyer_rates_staff_on_returns_rejected/ |publisher = [[The Register]] |work = The Channel |title=Ho, ho, Holy Cr*p, ebuyer! Etailer rates staff on returns rejected |date=24 December 2013 |accessdate=2019-10-08 }}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
[[Category:Retail companies established in 1999]] [[Category:Internet properties established in 1999]] [[Category:Consumer electronics retailers of the United Kingdom]] [[Category:Online retailers of the United Kingdom]] [[Category:Companies based in the East Riding of Yorkshire]] [[Category:1999 establishments in the United Kingdom]] [[Category:2025 mergers and acquisitions]]