UK mobile and accessories retailer extends operations outside Europe for the first time
Online mobile and accessories retailer Mobile Fun has launched in the US – taking the total number of markets in which it operates to seven in the 12 years since it was founded.
Mobile Fun managing director Mo Hussain told Mobile News he expects the expansion to result in an additional £800,000 in
revenue in the next 12 months.
The company’s US arm, Mobile Fun.com, is the sixth overseas operation it has set up, but it is the first time the Birmingham-based firm has targeted business outside Europe, having opened offices in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Holland.
Hussain said the firm’s focus on getting accessories to market more rapidly than competitors means it can take enough of the US market to make the venture worthwhile.
“Within 12 months we should be able to come in and get in excess of £800,000 in sales, and early signs are very positive and it could be something even bigger,” he said.
“The US puts us in a market which is larger than any other we are currently in combined, so a small slice of a large pie is our way of looking at it.
“We have a great proposition and a great concept and we think we can make waves when we are there.
“We have some targets in place that are relatively modest compared to the other countries we are in, which makes them very achievable.”
The new site will be almost identical to the UK version, with only marginal differences such as prices quoted in dollars.
The new US office is expected to be based in New York or close to the East Coast.
Despite the 3,500-mile distance between Birmingham and New York, Hussain says he is looking at plans to ship stock directly on a daily basis to the country and then use the US postal service.
Mobile Fun currently works closely with delivery firm DHL for international fulfilment but plans to trial other delivery partners to see which provides the best overall service.