Vobis signs deal with Tandy in fresh assault on UK market

Europe’s largest computer manufacturer, Vobis, has signed an agreement with Tandy in a third attempt to break into the UK market.

The deal means that Tandy will stock Vobis personal computers and peripherals in its 348 outlets nationwide. The German manufacturer will spend about 3m on an advertising campaign before Christmas to get its brand more widely known.

Vobis will split its advertising budget between Tandy’s agency Young & Rubicam and its own Manchester-based agency, The Agency. The spend will cover a mix of TV, press, and consumer titles.

In the past three years, Vobis has signed unsuccessful deals with Dixons and Powerstore. The Dixons deal ended when Vobis refused to discount its machines in Dixons stores. The Powerstore agreement, signed last year, failed after poor sales.

Vobis chief executive officer Theo Lieven says: “This is an opportunity for us to get a firm foothold in the UK market. We look forward to developing this relationship over the long term.”

In Germany, Vobis’ competitor is Escom, the own-brand computer store which closed over 110 UK outlets when it went into receivership in July this year.