Carphone Warehouse is a mobile phone retailer with over 2,400 stores across Europe. It is the largest independent mobile phone retailer in the UK and Ireland. The company offers a wide range of mobile phones and accessories from manufacturers including Apple, Samsung, Nokia, Motorola, Sony Ericsson, and HTC. Carphone Warehouse also provides mobile phone repairs, upgrades, and insurance.
In August 2002, Carphone Warehouse launched the UK’s first ever nationwide mobile phone recycling service. The service enables customers to recycle their old mobile phones, regardless of make or model, in exchange for cash. The service is free to customers and is available in all Carphone Warehouse stores.
To date, Carphone Warehouse has recycled over 10 million mobile phones and has paid out over £100 million in cash to its customers.
In 2006, Carphone Warehouse launched its online store, carphonewarehouse.com. The website offers a wide range of mobile phones and accessories, as well as mobile phone insurance, repairs, and upgrades.
In May 2008, Carphone Warehouse announced its intention to float on the London Stock Exchange. The move valued the company at £1.4 billion. However, in September 2008, amid the credit crunch, Carphone Warehouse pulled its plans for an initial public offering (IPO).
In May 2010, Carphone Warehouse announced plans to merge with Best Buy, the largest consumer electronics retailer in the United States. The deal, which valued Carphone Warehouse at £2.1 billion, was completed in August 2010.
Best Buy sold its 50% stake in the joint venture to Carphone Warehouse in 2013 for £500 million. In 2014, Carphone Warehouse announced plans to buy out the remaining 50% stake in the joint venture from Best Buy for £1 billion.
In February 2015, Carphone Warehouse agreed to a £3.7 billion merger with Dixons Retail, the owner of Currys PC World. The merger, which created a company with over 2,000 stores and annual revenues of £10 billion, was completed in August 2015.
In March 2016, Carphone Warehouse announced plans to close all of its standalone Carphone Warehouse stores in the UK and Ireland. The company said that the majority of customers now prefer to buy their mobile phones online or in-store at Currys PC World.
In April 2016, Carphone Warehouse agreed to sell its mobile phone insurance business, The Phone House, to Allianz Global Assistance for £500 million. The sale was completed in October 2016.
In July 2017, Carphone Warehouse announced plans to close 150 Carphone Warehouse and Currys PC World stores in the UK. The company said that the decision was driven by the rise of online shopping and the fall in consumer demand for certain consumer electronics products.
In January 2018, Carphone Warehouse announced plans to close all of its Carphone Warehouse and Currys PC World stores in the Republic of Ireland. The company said that the decision was driven by the rise of online shopping and the fall in consumer demand for certain consumer electronics products.
In March 2018, Carphone Warehouse announced plans to close all of its Carphone Warehouse and Currys PC World stores in Spain. The company said that the decision was driven by the rise of online shopping and the fall in consumer demand for certain consumer electronics products.
In May 2018, Carphone Warehouse announced plans to close all of its Carphone Warehouse and Currys PC World stores in Portugal. The company said that the decision was driven by the rise of online shopping and the fall in consumer demand for certain consumer electronics products.
In June 2018, it was announced that Carphone Warehouse would close all of its stores in Australia and New Zealand. The company said that the decision was driven by the rise of online shopping and the fall in consumer demand for certain consumer electronics products.
In July 2018, Carphone Warehouse announced plans to close all of its stores in the United States. The company said that the decision was driven by the rise of online shopping and the fall in consumer demand for certain consumer electronics products.
In September 2018, Carphone Warehouse announced plans to close all of its Carphone Warehouse and Currys PC World stores in the United Kingdom. The company said that the decision was driven by the rise of online shopping and the fall in consumer demand for certain consumer electronics products.
In October 2018, Carphone Warehouse announced plans to close all of its Carphone Warehouse and Currys PC World stores in Europe. The company said that the decision was driven by the rise of online shopping and the fall in consumer demand for certain consumer electronics products.
In November 2018, Carphone Warehouse announced plans to close all of its stores in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The company said that the decision was driven by the rise of online shopping and the fall in consumer demand for certain consumer electronics products.
In December 2018, Carphone Warehouse announced plans to close all of its stores in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Spain, Portugal, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States. The company said that the decision was driven by the rise of online shopping and the fall in consumer demand for certain consumer electronics products.
