Ebuyer

Infobox Company
name = Ebuyer
type = Private
foundation = 2000
location_city = Howden
location_country = UK
homepage = http://www.ebuyer.com

Ebuyer is an online computer hardware and software retailer based in Howden, United Kingdom.

History

Founded in November 2000 by Paul Cusack, Mike Naylor, Steve Kay, Neeraj Patel, and Adam Ashmore - with startup capital of £250,000 from Paul Cusack, its annual turnover was in excess of £220m by September 2005.cite news
url=http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/businessinsight/archives/2005/09/22/etailers_eat_away_at_dixons.html
publisher=The Guardian
title=Etailers eat away at Dixons
date=2005-09-22
accessdate=2007-03-03] It claims to be the UK's largest independent online retailer of computers, components and electronics.cite web
url=http://www.ebuyer.com
publisher=Ebuyer
title=Ebuyer.com homepage
accessdate=2007-03-03] It was founded in Sheffield, but in February 2006 closed its Sheffield, Eastrington, and Holbrook outletscite news
url=http://www.yorkshiretoday.co.uk/ViewArticle.aspx?SectionID=56&ArticleID=1282875
publisher=Yorkshire Post
title=Ebuyer lines up new £19m headquarters
date=2005-12-12
accessdate=2007-03-03] to move to 280,000 square foot premises in Howden. However, the company has recently re-opened a premises in Sheffield for IT staff only. It opened its US facility in February 2003, but this arm of the business closed in 2006.cite news
url=http://www.yorkshiretoday.co.uk/ViewArticle.aspx?SectionID=1299&ArticleID=1341560
publisher=Yorkshire Post
title=Net gains for online retailer
date=2006-02-07
accessdate=2007-03-03] The company is owned by Vida Capital Partners, a venture capital group.

The current Operations Director is Armando Sanchez.

Ebuyer began building another warehouse alongside their current Howden warehouse in December 2007 and is due to be completed in November 2008.

Customer Service

Upto 2005, and previous to that, Ebuyer had significant customer service problems. Sheffield Trading Standards (where the firm was based) had 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 its customer service phone number to its website. Average daily telephone wait times are published.cite news
url=http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2005/07/21/ebuyer_promises_better/
publisher=Channel Register
title=Ebuyer promises to be better
date=2005-07-21
accessdate=2007-09-12]

Ebuyer has received much criticism of it's implementation of "national rate" 0870 and 0871 numbers for customer service and returns, although the 0871 returns number has now been replaced with a 0845 "local rate" number; and Ebuyer staff have confirmed that the company is happy to refund call charges for unhappy customers. cite web
url=http://forums.ebuyer.com/showpost.php?p=470944&postcount=19
publisher=Ebuyer
title=Ebuyer staff agree to refund call charges
accessdate=2008-10-07]

Customers wishing to communicate online can use the firm's "eNote" system .cite web
url=http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/help/index.html?action=Y29udGFjdF91cw=

publisher=Ebuyer
title=Ebuyer.com Customer Support page on eNotes
accessdate=2007-09-12]

Ebuyer is also noted for using the courier City Link.

Ebuyer Forums

The Ebuyer forums allow members to discuss products or find out information before they buy as well as seeking post sales help and advice from knowledgeable customers, moderators & staff.

ecurity

In July 2008, a man who spotted flaws in Ebuyer security admitted stealing equipment worth £20,000 from the firm.cite web
url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/north_east/7526487.stm
publisher=BBC
title=BBC News report on court case regarding security breach
accessdate=2008-07-26] .

Partnerships

Ebuyer have a number of strategic business partnerships in place, most notably with Hewlett Packard (HP Preferred Partner 2008). Other key partners include Microsoft, Toshiba and Sony.

References