All Retail and E-commerce Stores
Amazon UK
Amazon UK is a subsidiary of Amazon.com, one of the world's largest and most recognized e-commerce companies. It operates as an online marketplace for the United Kingdom and Ireland, selling a wide variety of products such as books, electronics, clothing, furniture, and more. Amazon UK was established in October 1998 and has gained huge popularity as a trusted online marketplace, known for its quick delivery, customer service, user-friendly interface, and extensive product selection. Similar to other Amazon branches, Amazon UK offers services like Amazon Prime for expedited shipping and Amazon Music and Video for digital entertainment content. It should be noted that the products and services offered on Amazon UK may vary compared to other Amazon sites due to different rules and regulations of the UK and specific deals with suppliers. It has also come under scrutiny by UK regulators for its tax practices and workers' rights in the past. However, Amazon UK continues to be one of the leading online marketplaces and an important part of Amazon's global operations.
eBay UK
eBay UK is the United Kingdom branch of the global online marketplace, eBay. Founded in 1995 in the United States by Pierre Omidyar, eBay is a platform where individuals and businesses can buy and sell a wide variety of goods and services worldwide. eBay UK operates similarly to the main eBay site but is customized for UK customers. It allows for purchasing of items either through a direct 'buy it now' option, or by auction-style bidding, where potential buyers place bids on items and the item is sold to the highest bidder at the end of the auction period. The items sold on eBay UK range from electronics, clothing, and household items to cars, property, and services. The sellers can be private individuals or businesses, and items can be new or used. eBay UK makes money by charging the sellers a fee for listing their items and also a final value fee, which is a percentage of the amount the item sells for. Some categories of items also require extra fees. Buyers, on the other hand, do not have to pay to use eBay. Like its parent company, eBay UK is committed to providing a safe environment for its users. It has various measures in place to protect both buyers and sellers, such as a money-back guarantee for buyers if their item doesn't arrive or isn't as described, and seller protection which shields sellers from loses resulting from buyers' fraudulent activities. Its mission is to be the world’s favorite destination for discovering great value and unique selection. It operates an ethical business model, and encourage responsible and sustainable shopping through initiatives such as eBay for Charity, which allows sellers to donate a portion of their sales to a charity of their choice.
Temu UK
TEMU is an online shopping platform that offers a wide range of products including clothing, shoes, jewelry, and beauty items. It is known for its affordable prices and has rapidly grown in popularity, especially in the UK. The platform is operated by PDD Holdings, a multinational commerce group, and has been highlighted as one of the most downloaded shopping apps in the UK since its launch there in April 2023. Despite its popularity, the brand has faced scrutiny over concerns such as data privacy and intellectual property issues.
Argos UK
Argos UK, often simply known as Argos, is a British catalogue retailer that is a subsidiary of Sainsbury's. The company was founded in 1972 and trades through both physical shops and online, providing a variety of products such as household goods, electronics, home furnishings, and jewelry. Argos has more than 800 stores across the United Kingdom and Ireland, and it also maintains a significant online presence, where products can be reserved or purchased for home delivery. In the past, Argos was well-known for its catalogue system, which allowed customers to browse and select items from a physical catalogue in-store. However, in 2020 the company announced that it would stop producing the catalogues, focusing instead on its online store. Argos was purchased by Home Retail Group in 2006. A decade later, in 2016, Home Retail Group was itself bought out by Sainsbury's, a major UK supermarket chain, making Argos a subsidiary of Sainsbury's. Despite this change in ownership, Argos continues to operate under its own brand name.
Sainsburys UK
Sainsbury's is one of the largest supermarket chains in the United Kingdom, and it holds a significant portion of the country's grocery market. The brand is officially known as J Sainsbury Plc and was founded in London in 1869 by John James Sainsbury. Sainsbury's offers a wide range of products from groceries and household items to clothing through its Sainsbury’s Tu clothing line. It also sells products and services in other areas such as banking through Sainsbury’s Bank, which offers insurance, credit cards, loans, and savings. Additionally, Sainsbury's manages an online store and provides a home delivery service for their customers. It also offers a click and collect service, allowing customers to order their groceries online and pick them up in-store. In 2016, it acquired Home Retail Group, which included Argos and Habitat, further widening its product range to include items like electronics and home furnishings. Sainsbury's is known for its commitment to sustainability and corporate responsibility. The company has made substantial efforts to reduce its environmental impact, including reducing waste, using more sustainable packaging, and promoting fair trade products. It was also one of the first UK supermarkets to make a “net zero” commitment, pledging to reduce its carbon emissions to net zero by 2040, a decade ahead of the government’s own target.
Screwfix UK
Screwfix UK is a renowned British multinational retailer of tools, accessories, and hardware products. Originally founded in 1979 as the Woodscrew Supply Company by the Godfrey family, the company has grown to become one of the leading suppliers in the maintenance, repair, and operations sector of the UK and European markets. Screwfix UK operates a significantly large catalogue of over 11,000 products besides having a comprehensive online shopping platform, and a network of hundreds of physical stores spread across the UK. The product selection at Screwfix UK spans from screws, nails, and fixings, to tools, plumbing supplies, electrical products, kitchen and bathroom fixtures, outdoor equipment, safety and workwear, and building materials. Screwfix UK is a part of the Kingfisher plc group, an international home improvement company boasting over 1300 stores in 10 countries across Europe. Apart from being a one-stop-shop solution for many tradespeople and DIY enthusiasts, Screwfix UK is also known for its efficient service and competitive prices. It also holds an annual award event named "Screwfix Trade Apprentice" to recognize and appreciate the skills, commitment, and potential of the future trade apprentices in the UK.
Very UK
Very UK, often simply referred to as "Very", is a British online retailer. The company was founded in 2009 as part of Shop Direct Group, which later rebranded to The Very Group in 2020. Very offers a broad assortment of products, including clothing, furniture, beauty products, electronics and more, from a wide variety of popular brands. Very's business model is based on operating as an online departmental store. It focuses on providing a seamless customer experience through its website and mobile app. The brand aims to bring its customers the latest and most desired products paired with flexible ways to pay. This includes buy now, pay later options and credit account services. In addition to its retail products, Very offers services like product insurance and warranty cover. Its target audience is primarily females aged 18–45 who want affordable, current trends in fashion and home goods. The Very Group, the parent company, is based in Liverpool, England, and employs over 3,500 people across the UK.
TK Maxx
TK Maxx is a subsidiary of the American retail company TJX Companies. It was founded in 1994 and is based in Framingham, Massachusetts, USA. Although it's an American company, the brand operates as TK Maxx in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, Australia, Poland, Austria, and the Netherlands due to copyright issues with the existing TJ Hughes brand in the UK. However, in other European countries, it operates as TJ Maxx. TK Maxx is a retailer that offers a wide range of products such as clothing, footwear, bedding, furniture, beauty products and household goods. The brand is known for selling products at prices generally lower than other major similar stores. It achieves this by buying excess inventory from manufacturers and other retailers, then selling them at a reduced cost to consumers. TK Maxx stores have a unique, no-frills layout which keeps overhead low, allowing the company to maintain their low price strategy. Their merchandise constantly changes, keeping the shopping experience fresh and interesting for consumers.
Toolstation UK
Toolstation UK is a major supplier of tools, accessories, and hardware products for construction and home improvement in the United Kingdom. Founded in 2003, the company grew through a combination of online sales and high street shops, boasting more than 490 branches across the United Kingdom, Ireland, and the Netherlands as of 2022. The company offers a wide variety of products that range from power tools, such as drills and saws, to plumbing and electrical equipment, as well as safety gear and workwear. Its products cater to the needs of both professional tradespeople and DIY enthusiasts. Toolstation UK emphasizes quality and affordability in its products and has become known for its competitive prices. The company operates on a multichannel retail model, with customers able to make purchases in-store, online, or via a dedicated catalogue. Toolstation UK is a subsidiary of Travis Perkins, which is one of the largest builders' merchants in the UK. The company has won several awards over the years for its quality customer service and operations. These include the coveted "Which? Retailer of the Year" award, being named "Retailer of the Year" at the Retail Week Awards several times, and ranking first in the UK Customer Satisfaction Index by the Institute of Customer Service.
Costco UK
Costco UK is the United Kingdom division of the American multinational corporation, Costco Wholesale Corporation. It operates membership-based warehouse clubs offering a wide variety of products, including electronics, furniture, clothing, sporting goods, groceries, and more. Costco UK functions on the philosophy of selling products at lower prices, generally in high volume. The membership phenomena allows customers to benefit from bulk buying. This can be particularly beneficial for businesses, but regular consumers can also benefit from bulk savings. Costco UK follows the US's successful business model, which values quality over quantity. They provide fewer products in each category, but ensure each product's quality and price competitiveness. Much like its US counterpart, it also offers services such as optical centres, tyre fitting services, car rentals, and travel services. Costco entered the UK market in 1993 with its first warehouse in Chingford. As of now, it operates 29 warehouses across the UK, including cities such as Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool and Edinburgh. The company continues to expand, with plans to open new warehouses. It's important to note that while anyone can shop at Costco UK, you must be a member to purchase goods. Different levels of memberships are available, with different benefits and fees attached. You can typically find both individual and business memberships available. However, each membership comes with certain eligibility requirements.
Selfridges
Selfridges, also known as Selfridges & Co., is a high-end department store chain in the UK. It was founded by American retail businessman Harry Gordon Selfridge in 1908. The flagship store on London's Oxford Street is the second largest store in the UK, after Harrods, and it opened in 1909. Selfridges is known for its bold and artistic window displays, and it has a history of innovation in this area. The store sells a wide variety of luxury goods, including designer clothing, cosmetics, housewares, and electronics. In addition, the Selfridges in London has several dining options, a theater, a rooftop garden and other entertainment offerings. Selfridges was named the World's Best Department Store in 2010, 2012, 2014 and 2018. The chain is owned by the Weston family, which also controls Fortnum and Mason and Primark. It was also subject of a British TV drama series, "Mr Selfridge", which depicted the life of its founder and the store's early days. In recent years, Selfridges has also become known for its sustainability efforts. This includes a commitment to sell only water in recyclable aluminum cans, rather than in plastic bottles, and a ban on selling exotic animal skins and products containing palm oil. There are currently four Selfridges department stores, located in London, Birmingham and Manchester (which has two branches), along with an online storefront.
The Domain Society
I'm sorry, but there seems to be no information available regarding a brand called "The Domain Society." It might be a new, lesser-known, or niche brand, or perhaps the name has been misspelled or misremembered. It's also possible that "The Domain Society" refers to a different type of organization rather than a brand. If you have more details or context, it would be easier to provide the information you're looking for.
Yodel Direct
Yodel Direct is a parcel delivery service in the United Kingdom. It is a part of the Yodel network, one of UK's largest delivery companies, handling over 145 million packages every year. Yodel Direct offers both business and personal parcel delivery services, with a range of features such as tracking services, safe delivery options, and a convenient online booking system. Their service also includes the option to drop off a parcel at one of their many locations across the UK for delivery to a desired address. The brand is known for attempting to make parcel delivery convenient and flexible for its customers, accommodating various needs and schedules. However, like many courier services, it has faced criticism and negative reviews regarding service reliability and customer service. Despite this, Yodel Direct continues to be a significant player in the UK's parcel delivery market.
Waterstones UK
Waterstones, originally known as Waterstone’s, is a British book retailer that operates around 283 shops in various places in Europe, including the Netherlands and Belgium. Founded by Tim Waterstone in 1982, the brand mainly focuses on selling a vast collection of books, stationery, and book-related products. The brand was acquired by Russian billionaire Alexander Mamut in 2011. In June 2018, it was announced that Elliott Management Corporation had agreed to acquire the company. Since 2012, the logo of the company has been changed from "Waterstone's" to "Waterstones", dropping the apostrophe. Waterstones UK has been lauded for its commitment to comprehensive selections and maintaining the charm of the traditional bookshop. However, it’s known to incorporate modern retail trends and digital solutions as well, such as establishing an online presence. They also host book signing sessions, reading sessions, and events with authors. Despite competition from online giants like Amazon, Waterstones remains one of the most popular high-street booksellers in the UK.