PC World (retailer)

PC World

Industry	Retail
Founded	1991
Headquarters	Acton, London, United Kingdom
Products	Information technology
Number of employees	5,528 (2005)
Parent	Dixons Carphone
Website	www.pcworld.co.uk

PC World is one of the United Kingdom's largest retail chains of mass-market computers superstores. Established in November 1991, it became part of Dixons Retail in February 1993 and then part of Dixons Carphone after the merger of Dixons retail and Carphone Warehouse in 2014. Many of its physical stores in the United Kingdom now trade under the combined Currys PC World brand, and as PC City in Italy.

In November 1991, Vision Technology Group Ltd opened the first PC World store in Purley Way, Croydon. In February 1993, when Dixons Group plc (now Dixons Carphone) purchased the chain, there were four PC World stores in existence. There followed a period of expansion, as more stores were opened across the country. This expansion was partly driven by a series of acquisitions, beginning with DN Computer Services in 1996, followed by Byte Computer Superstores Ltd in 1998, and MicroWarehouse in June 2004.

In September 2006, PC World UK assumed management control of its French subsidiary. In 2006, there were 163 PC World stores in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Sales in 2004/2005 (including PC World Business) were £1,695,000. In the United Kingdom, PC World Business was launched in September 1997. Since March 2001, PC World Business has been based in Bury, Greater Manchester, and has its own management team.

In October 2006, PC World launched "The Connected Home", selling PC based home entertainment systems and installation services. During 2007–2008, PC World was due to undergo a style change, with a proposed new logo, staff uniforms, store layouts, as part of its image re-branding programme. The changes were trialled at branches in Brentford, Colchester, Portsmouth, Bournemouth, Southampton, Isle of Wight, Enfield, Burnley and North Shields.