Designing a growth strategy that clicks

"It’s these sorts of open conversations that we value. They have helped to create a really honest relationship – and enabled GraysOnline to look at their business model in a new way."
Matthew Dobbin, PwC Principal, on working with GraysOnline

The rise of online shopping is forever changing the retail industry; every day, more shoppers and retailers are embracing the convenience and exciting opportunities it presents.

Having traded for over 100 years, Grays has become a respected name in the auctions marketplace, and an industry leader in terms of creating a convenient, engaging experience for its buyers and sellers.

A relatively early adopter of online trading, Grays established GraysOnline in 2000, offering a diverse range of consumer, industrial and commercial goods, direct from manufacturers and distributors.

With the shift to the online environment, the company realised that if it was to remain at the forefront of such an evolving market, it would need to revise its business strategy and plan its growth in a different way.

PwC was engaged by GraysOnline to look at the company's IT function, explore potential partners to help it achieve its ambitions, and also confirm its future strategy. We assessed the current status of GraysOnline by having conversations with suppliers and current and future leaders across the company, asking them what they thought was working and what needed attention.

Drawing on this insight – as well as industry knowledge from the PwC global network – PwC advised on three possible paths towards strategic growth.

The resulting strategy is now helping GraysOnline identify areas for change, and realise the value of having the right people, systems, processes and technology in place, while keeping the focus always on the customer experience. By taking charge of its fresh vision, the team is able to grow its ambitions, and prosper in the world of online retailing.