Currys leans on AI and gaming to grow sales and profits in a muted market
Currys posted £4.2 billion in revenue for the six months to November, up 4% year-on-year. Adjusted pre-tax profit more than doubled to £22 million. Strong top-line is flowing through to profit, even as shoppers stay cautious.
What changed: computing led the growth. AI-enabled tech and fresh game releases pulled in buyers, with a 12% jump in Windows laptop sales and a surge in gaming accessories. Health and beauty gadgets also moved, while TVs and speakers cooled after last year's spike during the men's Euros.
Its ID Mobile brand grew market share, adding a recurring-revenue tailwind. Management called out a "muted" consumer environment and unhelpful cost pressures-yet the strategy is working where demand is strongest.
The cost and regional picture
UK profits are being squeezed by higher wage and tax costs, including increases to the National Living Wage and National Insurance contributions. For context, see the UK government's National Minimum Wage guidance here.
Nordics performance improved. With 400+ stores, the region returned to growth, with revenues up 4%.
What sales leaders can take from this
- Follow the demand curve. Budget flows to what solves immediate value: AI-enabled computing and gaming. Map your offers to the lines customers already queue for.
- Sell outcomes, bundle the path. Laptops + accessories + setup beats a lone device. Bundle in protection, peripherals, and onboarding to lift average order value and reduce returns.
- Exploit attach rates. Every core SKU should have 2-3 default add-ons. Train reps to lead with use case, then stack the essentials.
- Plan for event-driven comps. Big tournaments distort categories. Build playbooks for pre-, during-, and post-event sales cycles so you're not surprised by dips like TVs and speakers.
- Lean into recurring revenue. Connectivity (like ID Mobile), warranties, and subscriptions smooth volatility. Treat them as first-class products, not afterthoughts.
- Price precision beats blanket discounts. Tighten promos around high-intent traffic and bundles. Protect margin on must-have SKUs; discount accessories to win the cart.
- Enable the field with AI. Use AI to generate call scripts, objection handling, and follow-ups targeted to each category's pain points. More signals, fewer touches.
30-day execution plan
- Audit your pipeline by category (units, margin, attach). Shift quota mix toward proven movers; trim deadweight SKUs.
- Ship three ready-to-sell bundles around your top growth use cases. Give them names, prices, and one-page sales sheets.
- Update talk tracks to lead with AI and gaming outcomes: speed, performance, and specific titles/workflows customers care about.
- Run a 2-week attach sprint. Spiffs for reps who hit accessory and service targets. Measure attach per deal, not just revenue.
- Stand up a financing + trade-in offer to reduce friction on bigger-ticket computing purchases.
- Calendar your event-driven plays (sports, holidays, product launches) with forecast adjustments and inventory plans.
- Track four KPIs weekly: category growth, gross margin per order, attach rate, and subscription take-up.
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Signals worth watching
Consumer caution remains a factor. For broader context on retail activity, check the Office for National Statistics retail sales series here.
The takeaway: double down where customers are spending (AI-enabled computing and gaming), build attachment into the offer, and use recurring revenue to steady the base-while staying realistic about cost headwinds and event-driven swings.
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