Richer Sounds is an unlisted PLC 100% owned by Julian Richer, the founder and managing director of the company.

We are a retailer and e-tailer of hi-fi, home cinema and TV equipment with the emphasis on value for money and we try to give good customer service.

Richer Sounds Ireland is a franchise, locally owned and operated from Ireland since 1993.

That's 25 years and counting and we still have some of the original Colleagues from the day we opened in Ireland!

Unlike certain internet giants we're also a High Street retailer (with a warehouse in Manchester & Belfast - not Jersey or Luxembourg!).

We’re a diverse team, united by a passion for music and movies. Our stores contain a remarkable number of budding musicians, DJs, and film buffs, fanatical about great sound and vision. We recruit based on natural friendliness, rather than high-pressure sales skills. All our teams are audio-visual enthusiasts and experts (seriously – they train themselves on new products continuously) They’re here to find a perfect match to your needs and budget, big or small, and to think of the things you may have missed, enhancing your overall experience

Julian began at the age of 14 by buying and selling hi-fi separates while still at school. By the age of 17 he had three people working for him and in 1978, aged 19, the company formally began trading when Julian opened his first shop at London Bridge, with the help of the late Vic Odden, the photography retailer. For the past 20+ years this store has been featured in the Guinness Book of Records for the highest sales per square foot of any retail outlet in the world - which of course, is thanks to you!

John McDonald who founded Richer Sounds Ireland was working in the AV Industry as a distributor when he came home to Ireland and discovered how poor a selection of AV products was available to enthusiasts in Ireland and how variable the service was - John was friendly with Julian Richer and eventually persuaded Julian to allow a Richer Branded store in Ireland - we have worked with Julian for the last 24 years - Richer Sounds Ireland is the only Richer Sounds franchised store - all the other Richer Sounds stores are wholly owned by Richer Sounds PLC.

We now trade from 53 stores, with 10 in London alone, and are the biggest hi-fi retailer in the UK. As a privately owned company, we have no plans to expand quickly. Our intention is to go for controlled growth in an orderly and profitable manner.

Historically, we have been known for selling budget audio equipment in a 'pile it high and sell it cheap' fashion, but in recent years we've responded to a shift in the electronics retail market and expanded our range from the purely audio to encompass TVs. In a similar vein, 2007/8 saw us launch ranges of audiophile hi-fi, multi-room and high-end home cinema separates. All our stores are also now equipped with a home-styled demonstration room where you can experience high quality sound and vision or your choice of separates in comfort. 

An installation service has also been developed, covering home quotations, wall-mounting TVs and building complete home theatre rooms for our customers. As part of this process we've had a corporate rebrand, which involved not only redesigning our logo and literature, but also a huge ongoing programme of facelifts (both inside and out), expansions and relocations of our stores.

Our stores are generally on the periphery of main shopping areas, which means that we spend less on our premises. We also buy in large quantities, and the strong relationships we have built up with our suppliers over 30 years allow us to negotiate extra savings. These strategies mean that our stores are brimming with hi-fi, home cinema and TV deals as we pass these savings on to you! 

We monitor and react to the competition's prices on a daily basis. Please feel free to check around - in the unlikely event that you find any of our hardware cheaper anywhere else (in-store and on-line*) we'll beat any lower price by up to £100 / €149 - this applies up to 7 days after purchase. All that we ask is the hardware you are interested in is brand new, in stock and that the lower price is being offered by an authorised dealer.

In a recent article by Which? they commented “Great products and customer service – and it’s the only store… to get five stars for pricing” 

*Delivery charge added if mail order offer only.

The words “Experience Better” sit under our logo. These are words everyone at Richer Sounds lives and breathes. We want to provide you with better:

• Knowledge and expertise

• Products and pricing

• Customer service

When you step into a Richer Sounds store, you’ll be greeted by someone who not only knows all about audio and visual entertainment, but will also knows how to make technology work beautifully in real homes. 

As well as having a team that love what we do, we train, train and train constantly so we can be confident in saying we have the knowledge on audio and visual entertainment.

Sales staff are chosen on the criteria of enthusiasm and friendliness, rather than good looks or skill in hard sales techniques. We like to think that our colleagues are some of the most experienced in the industry, so please pay us a visit - have a coffee, a demonstration and allow us to offer as much advice as you need.

We believe in providing a non-intimidating atmosphere, one in which we work with you to ensure that you get the desired results from your choices. 

Julian Richer encourages everyone (customers and employees) to shape the shopping experience by asking for their feedback, both positive and negative. Each store provides freepost cards that get sent directly to him. Shoppers get to rate their visit via a questionnaire attached to every receipt, and Julian responds personally to any negative feedback.

We also have a suggestion scheme in which colleagues are strongly encouraged to participate to help shape our company. It is widely acknowledged as one of the most successful in terms of the number of suggestions received per employee and has gone on to become the model for many other businesses, including the Halifax bank and Asda supermarkets. It has also been cited by academics as an example of a good idea system, most notably Dr Alan G Robinson of the Isenberg School of Management, University of Massachusetts Amherst, in his paper 'How the Best Managers and Organisations Tap the Ideas of their Front Line People.' Julian and Richer Sounds have also been mentioned in many business books.

The company has also received recognition from Business in the Community for its contributions to charity. Richer Sounds PLC currently funnels 15% of its profits into charitable organisations, making it one of the most generous donators (in percentage terms) of any company in the UK.

In 2002, Richer Sounds was judged as the best British-owned company to work for by the Sunday Times. It has also been recognised by the government-backed Investors in People scheme.

Our Supercare 6 year guarantees have been commended by publications such as The Independent and The Guardian.

More than anything, it means validation for the hard work and passion of our colleagues on the shop floor, the hundreds of hours of training on product every year and their dedication to matching customers with the perfect hi-fi, TV and home cinema equipment.

This is the third time we've won this accolade in 5 years, and we're especially pleased as Which? has said "The Awards recognise and celebrate the best businesses that are consistently focused on the needs of their customers."

The Producer Register # IE01123WB