PCR’s tech retail buyers guide 2015

From laptops to tablets, desktops and everything else, there’s a strong market for tech goods in the UK. But who are the key buyers in the biggest retailers, supermarkets and etailers?

Specialists

Currys/PC World

Stores: 947 in the UK, 92 in Ireland

Websites: www.currys.co.uk, www.pcworld.co.uk

Contact: 0344 800 2030

Meet the Senior Directors:

Phil Samuels – Computing

Heidi Woodhouse – Electricals

Michelle Gorringe-Smith – White Goods

Maplin

UK stores: 218

Contact: 0844 557 6000

Website: www.maplin.co.uk

Key Buyers:

Peter Heath – Buying Director

Lisa Pool – Head of Buying

David Chorlton – Product Manager

Carphone Warehouse

UK stores: Around 800

Website: www.carphonewarehouse.com 

Contact: 0870 111 6565

Key Buyers:

Daniel Hastings – Buying Director, Mobiles

Andy Webb – Head of Buying

Alex Bradshaw – Tablets Category Manager

Staples

Stores: 112

Website: www.staples.co.uk

Meet the team:

Nick Budd – Head of Merchandising

Nikhil Gohil – PC, Laptop & Tablet Trade Manager

Reena Patel – Software, Peripherals & Tablet Acc Trade Manager

Manish Goenka – Business Machines Trade Manager

GAME

UK stores: Around 320

Website: www.game.co.uk

Contact: 01256 784 000

Meet the team:

Rob Mason – Technology & Accessory Manager

Gareth Newman – Licensing & Impulse Category Manager

HMV/FOPP

UK stores: 126

Websites: www.hmv.com, www.fopp.com

Contact: 020 7432 2000

Meet the team:

Phil Browes – Head of Games & Technology

Gavin Howes – Senior Category Buyer: Games

James Elsey – Buyer: Games Co-ordinator

Dean Millward – Senior Category Buyer: Technology

Nathan Allen – Assistant Buyer: Technology

Dawn Hancock – Marketing Manager: Games & Technology

Amy Dunne – Marketing Planner: Games & Technology

Anne Ravet – Supply Chain Manager

Helen Speakman – Supply Chain Assistant

Online

Amazon.co.uk

Meet the team:

Matthew Finn – Senior Vendor

Manager, Software

Matt Merrett – In Stock Manager, Software

Mike Bembridge – Vendor Manager, Software

Zeynep Yagci –Vendor Manager

Rochelle Williams – Vendor Manager, Consumer Electronics

Andy Jones – Category Manager, Electricals

Jean-Francois Bessiron – Director, Computing & Wireless Communications

James French – Senior Vendor Manager, Wireless

Amirul Islam – Vendor Manager, Hardlines

Ben Sargent – Associate Vendor Manager, Consumer Electronics – Camera & Camera Accessories

Ebuyer.com

Meet the Team

Lee Weymouth – General Manager, Consumer

Jonpaul Warren – General Manager, Components Purchasing Team

Andy Holdsworth – Head of Business Team

Amy Major – Software, Enterprise Servers & Storage, UPS

Dave Jones – Printers, Consumables & Projectors

Toni Meehan – Office Supplies & Furniture

Paul McGovern – Product Manager, Memory, Power & Cables

Charles Floyd – Product Manager, Computer Peripherals, Keyboards, Mice & Headphones

Dan Hirst – Product Manager, Networking, CCTV & DJ

Paul Nolan – Senior Product Manager, Graphics Cards, Motherboards, Processors, Cooling, SSD

Shop Direct

Websites: www.very.co.uk, www.isme.com, www.littlewoods.com, www.kandco.com, www.woolworths.co.uk

Contact: 0844 292 1000

Meet the team:

Gary Hearns – Head of Buying, Technology

Martin Knight – Buyer, Laptop, PCs & Print

Joshua Hetherington – Buyer, Gaming & Telecoms

Joseph Danson – Buyer, Tablets, Storage, Networking & Software

Sophie Thistlewood – Buyer, Wearable Tech, Smart Home, Imaging/Essentials

John Miller – Head of Buying, Consumer Electronics & Accessories

The Hut Group

Websites: www.thehut.com, www.zavvi.com, www.iwoot.com

Contact: 07557 109608 (Matt Sweatman)

Meet the team:

Sam Phillips – Tech Buyer

Matt Sweatman – Product Director, Homeware & Tech

Sweatman commented: “We are planning to expand our supply base and are looking for full price and deal stock primarily for tablets, audio and vision products.”

Dabs.com

Websites: www.dabs.com, www.dabs.ie, www.dabs4work.ie, www.bt.com/shop, www.bt.com/businessdirect, www.bt.com/publicsectorstore

Contact: 0870 429 3825

Key Buyers:

Vivienne Kennedy – Purchasing Manager (recently appointed)

Debra Hooton – Components, Memory, SSD, HDD, NAS, Storage, Headsets & Servers

Fletcher Kusaloka – PCs, Laptops, Tablets, Monitors, Smartphones & Cables

Ann Robinson – Printers, AV, Consumables, Whiteboards & Telephony

Darren Welding – Networking, Software, Services, Peripherals, Cameras, TV & MP3/Audio

Vivienne Kennedy, purchasing manager said: “Having worked at Dabs/BT Business for almost 10 years in the commercial and purchasing team, I am delighted to take up my next challenge as Purchasing Manager. I am looking forward to getting things right first time and having the benefit of an experienced buying team.”

Overclockers UK

Website: www.overclockers.co.uk

Contact: 01782 898066

Key buyers:

Andrew Gibson – Graphics Cards, Memory, Processors, Laptops & Monitors

Scott Bentley – Motherboards

Rich O’Neill – Peripherals & Cooling

Antony Barrass – Storage & Networking

Glen Rhodes – Cases & PSUs

Scan Computers

Website: www.scan.co.uk

Contact: 0871 472 4747

Key buyers:

Chris Ward – Purchasing Manager, GPU & CPU

Peter Bassett – Purchaser, Networking, SSD, Flash, HDD Controllers, I/O, Gaming Consoles, Media

Stuart Davies – Purchaser, Monitors, Projectors, Soundcards, PC Speakers/Headphones/Mics, PC Gaming

Keith Williams – Purchaser, Laptops, Tablets, Mobile Phones, All-in-One/Barebone PCs, Portable Power

Adam Bithell – Purchaser, HDD, Cases, PSU, Coolers

David Lomax – Purchaser, Motherboards, Memory, Servers, Software, Keyboards, Mice & Accessories

General retailers and supermarkets

John Lewis

UK stores: 43

Website: www.johnlewis.com

Contact: 020 7828 1000

Meet the team:

Johnathan Marsh – Buying Director, Electrical & Home Technology

Matt Leeser – Head of Buying, Communications Technology

William Jones – Tablet & Computing Buyer

Harry Boughton – Junior Buyer, Tablets & Telecoms

En-Ni Charlton – Accessories Buyer

John Kempner – Vision Buyer

Katrina Mills – Audio & Gaming Buyer

Vic Sinclair – Large Electricals Buyer

Robert Hennessy – Small Electricals Buyer

Lisa Bailey – Junior Buyer, Photo & Print

Debenhams

UK stores: 172

Website: www.debenhams.com

Contact: Fiona.Wood@debenhams.com (PA for home division)

MEET THE TEAM:

Peter Brooks – Senior Buyer, Electricals

Jonathan Priestley – Assistant Buyer, Electricals

Argos

UK stores: 700+

Website: www.argos.co.uk

Contact number: 0845 124 0044

Meet the team:

Juliet Ward – Technology Trading Manager

Hasmita Patel – Buying Manager – Computing

Kayleigh Meacham – Buyer, PC

Aaron Culhane – Buyer, Tablets

Nick Hill – Consumer Electronics Trading Manager

Elan Elton – Buying Manager, Tech Accessories

Tesco

UK stores: 3,378

Websites: www.tesco.com, www.tescoplc.com, www.direct.tesco.com

Contact: 01992 632222

Meet the team:

René Wright – Category Manager, Technology

Kasia Kowalska – Buying Manager, Computing

Matt Clayden – Buyer, Laptops & Home Office

Adam Eldrett – Assistant Buyer Tablets

Adam Davies – Assistant Buyer, Home Office

Rupal Gadhvi – Category Planner, Computing

Sainsbury’s

UK stores: 1,200+

Websites: www.sainsburys.co.uk, www.j-sainsbury.co.uk/suppliers

Contact: 020 7695 6000

Key Buyers:

Lindsay Evans – Buying Manager, Electricals

Carly Pearson, Senior Buyer – New Technology

Asda

UK stores: 500+

Websites: www.asda.com, www.direct.asda.com, www.your.asda.com

Contact: 0113 243 5435

Key buyers:

Andrew Thompson – Senior Buying Manager, Computing & Camera

Dan Carroll – Senior Buying Manager, Audio/Vision

Ryan Longstaff – Buying Manager, Tablet & Portables

Usman Bashir – Buying Manager, PC, Print & Ink

Cara Gavin – Buying Manager, Camera

Lucy Bridge – Buyer, PC Accessories

Other retailers

Toys "R" Us UK

Stores: 80+

Website: www.toysrus.co.uk

Contact: 01628 414141

Meet the team:

Neil Sutton – Divisional Merchandise Manager (Electronics & Video Games)

Will Fletcher – Technology Buyer (Tablets, Computing, Vision, Audio & Gadgets)

Andrew Brocklehurst – Divisional Director of Merchandise (Toys & Pre-School Educational Electronics)

Chris Ashton – Pre-School Buyer (Educational Electronics, Pre-School & Infant)

Halfords

UK stores: 460+

Website: www.halfords.com

Contact: 01527 517601

Meet the team:

Jon Oliver – Category Manager, Technology

Carla Treece – Buyer, Navigation & Fitness

WHSmith

UK stores: 604 High Street stores, 725 Travel stores

Website: www.whsmith.co.uk

Contact: 01793 616161

Key Buyer:

Nathan Warren – Buyer, Computing

QVC

Website: www.qvcuk.com

Contact: uk_vendor_relations@qvc.com

Meet the team:

Stephen Davidson – Head of Home Electronic Buying

Alison Seabourne – Head of Vendor Relations

Paul Felix – IT, Tech & Consumer Electronics Buyer

The Co-Operative Electrical

Website: www.coopelectricalshop.co.uk

Contact: 0161 834 1212

Meet the team:

Charlie Manson – Head of Buying, Home Entertainment

Joanna Woolley – Technology Buying Assistant