Wilko shares major update with customers after closing 400 stores

13 October 2023 , 10:33

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The Range bought the Wilko brand and intellectual property last month after the chain fell into administration (Image: PA)

Wilko has officially relaunched its website after the brand's new owner The Range bought it out of administration last month.

The Wilko brand recommenced trading on October 12 on its website Wilko.com and is selling thousands of products across cleaning and household, decorating and DIY, garden and outdoor, homeware, pets and wildlife, storage, and seasonal celebrations such as Christmas.

Alongside this, hundreds of new lines and favourite own-brand products will be added daily. Although not all of Wilko's own brand favourites will be immediately available from day one.

Last month, the Wilko brand name and intellectual property were saved by The Range. This meant The Range owned Wilko's website and could now sell Wilko products in its stores. The Range says Wilko products will start arriving in stores towards the end of the month.

As part of this deal, 36 employees from the Wilko digital team have moved over to The Range.

Wilko makes huge change to over 400 UK stores - and it's good for shoppers

The Range says it is "working" to save an important part of the Wilko brand that "people know, love and trust".

Ben Exall, chief digital officer for Wilko, said: “There’s no denying that it was the team members and local store network that helped make Wilko so special. The loss of thousands of jobs as stores closed up and down the country has been devastating

“As a team delivering the digital transformation at Wilko.com, we’re committed to continuing the three pillars of the brand’s previous acceleration strategy - delivering on convenience, improving mobile experience and building lasting customer relationships.”

Although The Range saved the Wilko brand - its stores were not and they all had to close which meant up to 10,000 Wilko staff lost their jobs.

The final Wilko stores shut at the beginning of this month. Poundland took over the lease on up to 71 Wilko stores and the fellow discount chain B&M bought 51 stores in a deal worth £13million. All these sites are to be rebranded into Poundland and B&M stores. There were 3,200 staff at the stores taken over.

The now-collapsed retailer struggled over the past decade, with retail analysts suggesting it has failed to keep up with competition from discount chains like Poundland and B&M. Like other high street chains, Wilko was also been hit by inflationary pressures and rising costs.

Ruby Flanagan