Australian electricals etailer Kogan, which has made a splash in its domestic market, launched in the UK on Monday with a promise to bring shoppers lower prices.
The online specialist, founded by 27-year-old entrepreneur Ruslan Kogan in 2006, sells own-brand goods. It has restricted its UK range to TVs and accessories and sat-navs but expects to extend the offer to other lines including home appliances and e-book readers.
Kogan said he was attracted to the UK by its high level of online spending and educated consumer and said he looked forward to taking on established retailers, which he said were exposed by charging the same online as in shops.
He claimed: “UK consumers have been paying rip-off prices for everyday electronic goods and that should not be happening.”
He was unconcerned by the slow progress of others attempting to break into the UK, such as Best Buy. He said: “Fierce competition gets me out of bed in the morning.”
He also downplayed the success of click-and-collect models in the UK and said many consumers would prefer home delivery.
In Australia Kogan has made headlines for high profile spats with established retailers such as Harvey Norman, whose boss Gerry Harvey labelled the entrepreneur “a con” who sells “unbranded shit”.
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