Comet has officially relaunched as an online electricals marketplace following a £10 million investment, 14 years after the chain collapsed into administration.
The website launched on November 9, with more than one million products from 2500 sellers, spanning TVs, mobile phones, computing, gaming and household appliances. It also brought back the brand’s black and orange identity.
The relaunch followed OnBuy’s acquisition of Comet from Misco Technologies in May 2025. The business had originally targeted a return before the end of that year.
Operated by OnCommerce, the marketplace holds no stock of its own, with third-party retailers and brands selling through the platform. It is recruiting additional sellers ahead of the Christmas trading period.
Comet chief executive and OnBuy founder Cas Paton said: “Every sale that’s made on Comet is a sale for another retailer. We’re a friend of the retailers.”
Paton said the business aimed to build on shoppers’ familiarity with the brand while adapting it to how they shop today. He set out an ambition to grow Comet into a £1 billion business.
While the relaunch does not include reopening Comet stores, Paton said the business was exploring a partnership with a retailer to offer click and collect.
Founded in Hull in 1933, Comet grew into one of the UK’s largest electricals chains. Its collapse in 2012 resulted in the closure of 236 stores and around 7000 job losses.
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