Bedroom to Boardroom

For over 20 years, we have been obsessed with saving people money and delivering world-class service. It all began when teenage brothers Chris and Conor Martin launched an online retail business from their bedroom, dreaming up the quirky name with the belief that actions speak louder than words.

Thanks to relentless hard work and a commitment to excellence, we have earned numerous awards and recognition, including being named one of the fastest-growing companies for many years in a row by prestigious organisations like Deloitte and the Financial Times.

Humble Beginnings

Chris discovered his entrepreneurial spirit early while growing up in working-class Belfast. Even at 11 years old, he was already working part-time jobs and running a shop from his school locker. With a keen interest in computers and the internet, he expanded his hobby from the locker room to retailing games and hardware on eBay. It wasn’t long before he tapped into a lucrative niche market: Australians who could save money by purchasing these products online from overseas.

Chris put his savings of a few thousand pounds into action by investing in new ideas. While studying at Queen’s University Belfast, he ran the limited company from his bedroom. His approach has always been simple: reinvest profits into new brands, products, technology, and ideas without extravagance. The business has thrived from the start, and his brother Conor soon joined him to help meet the growing demands of the venture.

“Principles of hard work, honesty, and frugality have been ingrained in us from the beginning,” Chris explained. “We had very little growing up and were raised by our mum to avoid debt at all costs. We naturally applied those same values to our hobby and business, not spending unnecessarily or taking on debt.”

The UK has grown into our largest market, but we initially focused on Australia and crafted our name to stand out—the ‘oz’ drawn from the abbreviation for Australia, and ‘aroo’ from the country’s national symbol, the kangaroo.

Growth & Sacrifice

Sales and daily responsibilities have skyrocketed faster than the brothers could handle, leaving little room for work-life balance. To manage the increasing demands, they asked their mum Brenda to leave her job and join the business. Though initially reluctant to take on overheads, they overcame their hesitation and moved into a small unit in a nearby business park.

Without loans or grants to rely on, the limited funds made securing enough space for the growing product range a constant challenge. After outgrowing their first five premises, the Martin brothers finally moved into a state-of-the-art distribution centre, creating numerous job opportunities in County Antrim.

Reflecting on the journey, Chris said, “It feels surreal to be able to support so many local people and serve millions of customers. It’s truly a win-win situation for everyone involved.”

And the rest is history. Our unique, world-class service and commitment to value have continued delivering success at an award-winning pace year after year.