Argos is set to substantially increase the number of products available to customers, with electricals among the new categories being introduced through its Trusted Sellers marketplace.
The retailer plans to have more than 130,000 products available through the marketplace by the end of this year, compared with more than 70,000 currently.
Trusted Sellers was initially launched as a trial in July with 40 third-party retail and brand partners. The proposition has since been expanded, with the retailer now bringing additional categories including electricals, health and beauty and gifting onto the platform.
For electrical retailers and suppliers, the move represents a significant broadening of Argos’ online proposition and gives third-party brands another potential route to reach the retailer’s customer base.
Marketplace products are supplied and delivered directly by the participating sellers, while customers can continue to collect Nectar Points when purchasing through the platform.
Argos Managing Director, Graham Biggart, said the marketplace would complement the retailer’s existing own-brand and branded ranges by giving customers access to a much wider selection.
He added that each marketplace partner is reviewed by Argos, with the retailer seeking to ensure that products and sellers meet its expected standards.
The marketplace expansion forms part of a broader programme of investment at Argos, which includes developments to its digital proposition, delivery services and Argos Pay.
For the electrical sector, the inclusion of the category is particularly notable as Argos seeks to position itself as a destination where shoppers can complete more of their purchases through a single retail platform.
The expansion comes as Argos enters a new phase following Sainsbury’s agreement in July to sell the business to Swift Partners for £120m. Sainsbury’s acquired Argos for £1.4bn in 2016.
