Ellos
Nordic Capital (Ellos Group) · Sweden
Ellos is a Swedish home shopping and e-commerce retailer of apparel, home products and beauty, based in Borås. It is part of Ellos Group, which Wikipedia says was bought by Nordic Capital in June 2022. It matters as a long established Nordic distance seller that has moved fully online.
| Founded | 1947 |
|---|---|
| Founders | Olle Blomqvist and Lars Gustafsson |
| Owner | Nordic Capital (Ellos Group) |
| Headquarters | Borås, Sweden |
| Sister brand | Jotex |
| Segment | Digital-native and DTC brands |
| Website | ellos.se |
What is Ellos?
Ellos is a Swedish retailer of fashion, home furnishings and beauty products. Its Swedish website offers departments for women, men, children, home and interiors, beauty, and sport and outdoor, covering clothing, shoes, underwear, swimwear, bedding, furniture, lighting and household goods. It also has brand, deals and outlet sections and gift cards.
History
According to Wikipedia, Ellos was founded in 1947 by Olle Blomqvist and Lars Gustafsson. The company has been based in Viared, about 10 km west of Borås, since 1978. It began as a home shopping business and operates today mainly as an e-commerce company.
Ownership and group
Ellos is the lead brand of Ellos Group. Wikipedia lists Ellos for apparel and home products and Jotex for home textiles and decoration as its main brands, with sub-brands such as Áhkká and Staycation. The Ellos website also names Homeroom, Elpy and an outlet business as part of the group. Wikipedia says Nordic Capital bought Ellos Group again in June 2022, which indicates a repeat ownership by the investor.
Business model and distribution
The business is built on online and home shopping, mainly in the Nordic countries and other parts of Europe. The Swedish site shows a 30 day return policy, express delivery for a fee and payment options including Elpy, a buy now pay later service, as well as Visa and Mastercard. The site also mentions a physical Ellos Beauty store in Gothenburg.
Why it matters
Ellos is one of the older Swedish distance retailers and shows how a catalogue era business can reposition around e-commerce, own payment services and a home category alongside fashion. No technology partnerships are documented in the sources reviewed.
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Ellos?
Ellos is part of Ellos Group, which Wikipedia says was bought by Nordic Capital in June 2022. Ellos Group also includes Jotex.
Where is Ellos from?
Ellos is Swedish. It was founded in 1947 and is based in Borås, in Viared since 1978.