If you’ve purchased components or a computer in the UK in the last twenty-five-plus years, chances are you’ve bought something from ebuyer in that time. Unfortunately, it seems this familiar and trusted retailer may be closing for business.
Overclock3D reports that ebuyer sent staff members home earlier than usual on August 6, suspecting closure. The outlet also claims the company is facing “financial challenges”, with a potential buyer pulling out of negotiations sometime between 2023, when current owners Mark Reed and Rich Marsden purchased the brand, and now.
Financial hardship seems likely given the winding up petition filed against ebuyer by on August 1. Urban Logistics Acquisitions 6 Ltd., the owner of the building which ebuyer operates from, is the party spearheading the petition. If successful, this would result in the company’s liquidation.
At the time of writing there’s been no public communication from ebuyer on the matter. Both the consumer and business customer telephone support lines are coincidentally experiencing ‘technical difficulties’. The pre-recorded voice message you’ll hear upon calling either number advises to contact the company via email instead.
For the moment, the ebuyer website remains active and it appears possible to place new purchases. It’s unclear how long this will remain the case if reports of closure prove true. For those with outstanding orders, RMAs, etc., I would advise contacting the company immediately.
If ebuyer does indeed close its doors, this would result in the UK losing its second-biggest PC retailer. The human cost of this closure totals around 200 jobs, according to the company’s headcount on LinkedIn.
I’ve reached out to ebuyer with request for comment. I’ll update this article once the company provides a statement, either privately or publicly.
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