The Richer Way

The Richer Way
the Richer Way

Who are we?

As an employee-controlled trust, we’re a diverse, customer-orientated 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 home entertainment experience.


We get involved in things we believe in!

We’re proud of our unique culture and way of working. In our over-45 year history we’ve achieved a lot.

We founded Acts 435, a charity giving 100% of donations to those in need.

www.acts435.org.uk

To help victims of anti-social behaviour we established and fund ASB Help.

www.asbhelp.co.uk

Julian co-founded CFSJ to encourage, support and empower campaigns in order to achieve change.

www.cfsj.co.uk

We work with Carbon Footprint Limited to achieve a Carbon Neutral organisation.

www.carbonfootprint.com

We founded Acts 435, a charity giving 100% of donations to those in need.

www.acts435.org.uk

To help victims of anti-social behaviour we established and fund ASB Help.

www.asbhelp.co.uk

Julian co-founded CFSJ to encourage, support and empower campaigns in order to achieve change.

www.cfsj.co.uk

We work with Carbon Footprint Limited to achieve a Carbon Neutral organisation.

www.carbonfootprint.com

We're proud to hold the Fair Tax Mark for transparency over tax disclosures and the amount of tax paid.

www.fairtaxmark.net

We established and fund the Fairness Foundation to change the debate around fairness in order to build a fairer society.

www.fairnessfoundation.com

The Good Business Charter encourages responsible business behaviour and signposts consumers to these businesses.

www.goodbusinesscharter.com

For over 25 years, our first store at London Bridge has been accredited with the highest sales per sq ft of any retailer in the world.

www.guinnessworldrecords.com

We're proud to hold the Fair Tax Mark for transparency over tax disclosures and the amount of tax paid.

www.fairtaxmark.net

We established and fund the Fairness Foundation to change the debate around fairness in order to build a fairer society.

www.fairnessfoundation.com

The Good Business Charter encourages responsible business behaviour and signposts consumers to these businesses.

www.goodbusinesscharter.com

For over 25 years, our first store at London Bridge has been accredited with the highest sales per sq ft of any retailer in the world.

www.guinnessworldrecords.com

We are one of only a few retailers to be an accredited Living Wage employer.

www.livingwage.org.uk

We pay every one of our suppliers on time and in an average of only 29 days – much faster than the national norm.

smallbusinesscommissioner.gov.uk

Being proudly employee owned means our colleagues own 60% of the company and have a real stake in its success.

www.employeeownership.co.uk

Richer Sounds Foundation

“Richer Sounds donates a higher percentage of profit than any other privately-owned company.”
– The Guardian.

We are one of only a few retailers to be an accredited Living Wage employer.

www.livingwage.org.uk

We pay every one of our suppliers on time and in an average of only 29 days – much faster than the national norm.

smallbusinesscommissioner.gov.uk

Being proudly employee owned means our colleagues own 60% of the company and have a real stake in its success.

www.employeeownership.co.uk

Richer Sounds Foundation

“Richer Sounds donates a higher percentage of profit than any other privately-owned company.”
– The Guardian.

Our not-for-profit organisation designed to help and support musicians and artists by promoting the UK’s best undiscovered music.

www.richerunsigned.com

An investigative think tank set up by our founder, Julian Richer, to investigate and expose aggressive tax avoidance.

www.taxwatchuk.org

We’re incredibly delighted to have picked up the most recent Which? Retailer of the Year award.

https://www.which.co.uk

We oppose zero-hour contracts unless requested by employees and are proud to be accredited by Zero Hours Justice.

www.zerohoursjustice.org

Our not-for-profit organisation designed to help and support musicians and artists by promoting the UK’s best undiscovered music.

www.richerunsigned.com

An investigative think tank set up by our founder, Julian Richer, to investigate and expose aggressive tax avoidance.

www.taxwatchuk.org

We’re incredibly delighted to have picked up the most recent Which? Retailer of the Year award.

https://www.which.co.uk

We oppose zero-hour contracts unless requested by employees and are proud to be accredited by Zero Hours Justice.

www.zerohoursjustice.org

We founded Acts 435, a charity giving 100% of donations to those in need.

www.acts435.org.uk

To help victims of anti-social behaviour we established and fund ASB Help.

www.asbhelp.co.uk

Julian co-founded CFSJ to encourage, support and empower campaigns in order to achieve change.

www.cfsj.co.uk

We work with Carbon Footprint Limited to achieve a Carbon Neutral organisation.

www.carbonfootprint.com

We're proud to hold the Fair Tax Mark for transparency over tax disclosures and the amount of tax paid.

www.fairtaxmark.net

We established and fund the Fairness Foundation to change the debate around fairness in order to build a fairer society.

www.fairnessfoundation.com

The Good Business Charter encourages responsible business behaviour and signposts consumers to these businesses.

www.goodbusinesscharter.com

For over 25 years, our first store at London Bridge has been accredited with the highest sales per sq ft of any retailer in the world.

www.guinnessworldrecords.com

We are one of only a few retailers to be an accredited Living Wage employer.

www.livingwage.org.uk

We pay every one of our suppliers on time and in an average of only 29 days – much faster than the national norm.

smallbusinesscommissioner.gov.uk

Being proudly employee owned means our colleagues own 60% of the company and have a real stake in its success.

www.employeeownership.co.uk

Richer Sounds Foundation

“Richer Sounds donates a higher percentage of profit than any other privately-owned company.”
– The Guardian.

Our not-for-profit organisation designed to help and support musicians and artists by promoting the UK’s best undiscovered music.

www.richerunsigned.com

An investigative think tank set up by our founder, Julian Richer, to investigate and expose aggressive tax avoidance.

www.taxwatchuk.org

We’re incredibly delighted to have picked up the most recent Which? Retailer of the Year award.

https://www.which.co.uk

We oppose zero-hour contracts unless requested by employees and are proud to be accredited by Zero Hours Justice.

www.zerohoursjustice.org


Our history and philosophy

Our Founder, Julian Richer, began buying and selling hi-fi separates at school when he was 14. In 1978, aged 19, he opened his first shop on London Bridge Walk with the help of the late Vic Odden, a photography retailer. In May 2019, he sold 60% of his shares in the business (thus handing control) to an employee ownership trust.

We now trade from 51 stores nationwide, online and through our Telesales and Business to Business departments.

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 also knows how to make it work beautifully in a real home or place of work. As well as having a team that love what they do, we train, train and train constantly so we can be confident in saying we have the knowledge on audio and visual entertainment.

Two of our sales assistants in 1978
A sales assistant in 2019

#1  All the answers you need – from real people!

We're here for you 7 days a week with friendly, knowledgeable, impartial advice and after sales care from real human beings. Talk to us via appointment, phone & video call or simply visit your local store and chat face-to-face with the in-store experts. You can also call our UK-based telesales team, who all do the same intensive product training.

Contact our experts

#2  Get the lowest prices, guaranteed!

We guarantee you'll get the lowest prices shopping with us. Ts&Cs apply. Products must be brand new, in stock and with a similar guarantee.

Full details

#3  You're always talking to the owner!

Being proudly employee-owned means everyone you talk to has a real stake in the company's success, as we indirectly own 60% of the company. As indirect owners, everyone you speak to at Richer Sounds has a vested interest in helping you select the best product or service and resolving any queries you might have.

Find out more

#4  Award-winning service for our customers since 1978

We are the one of the UK’s highest-rated hi-fi and AV retailers on Trustpilot. With over 90,000 reviews and a TrustScore of 4.9/5, 98% of Richer Sounds’ reviews are 4 or 5 stars out of 5. We’re also rated 4.9/5 on Google, with over 32,000 reviews, and Richer Sounds has won the Which? Retailer of the Year award consecutively for the last 6 years it has been awarded.

Find out more

#5  Our teams are on a high street nearby

Supporting local high streets is important to us! Get great offers & clearance bargains in 51 stores nationwide, or from telesales and online. Plus B2B and custom installation departments. We’re local, reliable and invested in making sure that we have the right products or solutions for you!

Find your local store

#6  Our unique culture and way of working

In a recent TSB survey, 97% of people agreed it's important that businesses act responsibly. By shopping with us, you're supporting a retailer that plays fair with customers, suppliers and staff. We always try hard to act accordingly and this culture runs through everything we do.

Find out more

#7  We'll happily come to you

To find the ideal solutions for you, ask us for a FREE, NO OBLIGATION consultation and survey at your home or place of work today. Or let our experts video-call you.

Find out more

#8  Be a VIP, with fantastic privileges

Become a Richer Sounds VIP Club member in seconds with just an email address.

Join for FREE today

Guarantees
#9  We've got it covered for longer

We offer free extended guarantees on many products for VIP Club members, and a 6 Year Guarantee on hi-fi & home cinema components that's refundable if unused.

Find out more

#10  An enhanced entertainment experience

Want to take your experience to the next level but are unsure where to start? Our bespoke installations will turn your dreams into state-of-the-art reality.

Find out more

#11  Get your purchase when it suits

Delivery couldn't be easier, with convenient next working day, nominated day, or FREE delivery (3 - 5 working days (Mon to Fri, excl. Bank Hols) to most of mainland GB, orders over £50).

Find out more

#12  Music and movies are our inspiration!

We're as passionate about home entertainment as you! Why not explore our blog, read our reviews & watch our product videos?

Visit our blog


We aim to run a responsible business

What do we mean when we call ourselves a ‘responsible business’? Julian has developed some ideas about how a business can be successful and benefit society.

From the introduction of his book, 'The Ethical Capitalist', where he explains his thinking:

“I mean treating staff, customers and suppliers honestly, openly and respectfully. I mean doing what we say we will do. I mean taking responsibility for our actions, owning up when things go wrong and setting out to put them right. I mean seeing ourselves as an integral part of society and paying our dues – especially taxes – accordingly. By following this approach, I believe we create a virtuous circle for ourselves: not only is it the right thing to do, we sleep better at night, and I believe a fair and honest approach to customers and staff leads to a huge competitive advantage.”

We try hard to live up to this standard and hope that this philosophy runs through everything we do.


We’re a Good Business Charter company

In a recent TSB survey, 97% of people agreed that it was important that businesses act responsibly and we couldn’t agree more! We’re proud to be a Good Business Charter company. We’ve signed up to its 10-component accreditation scheme, which covers paying colleagues the real living wage, fairer hours and contracts, employee well-being, employee representation, diversity and inclusion, environmental responsibility, paying fair tax, commitment to customers, ethical sourcing, and prompt payment.

Visit https://goodbusinesscharter.com to find out more.

Real Living Wage

Real living wage

Fairer Hours And Contracts

Fairer hours and contracts

Employee Well-Being

Employee well-being

Employee Representation

Employee representation

Equality, Diversion and Inclusion

Diversity and inclusion

Environmental Responsibility

Environmental responsibility

Pay Fair Tax

Pay fair tax

Commitment to Customers

Commitment to customers

Ethical Sourcing

Ethical sourcing

Prompt Payment to Suppliers

Prompt payment


Real Living Wage

Real living wage

Fairer Hours and Contracts

Fairer hours and contracts

Employee Well-Being

Employee well-being

Employee Representation

Employee representation

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Diversity and inclusion

Environmental Responsibility

Environmental responsibility

Pay Fair Tax

Pay fair tax

Commitment to Customers

Commitment to customers

Ethical Sourcing

Ethical sourcing

Prompt Payment to Suppliers

Prompt payment

Caring for our environment

Our Green Credentials

Carbon Neutral Organisation

We're committed to sustaining our environment for future generations and work with Carbon Footprint Limited on clean energy projects.

(WEEE) In-store Take Back

The Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations

Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) is the fastest growing waste stream in the UK, growing by at least 5% each year. The public incorrectly disposes of over 1.2 million tonnes of electrical and electronic waste (equivalent of 150,000 double decker buses) in the UK each year in landfill sites. Depositing WEEE in landfill sites can have negative impacts on the environment, polluting soil, air and water quality which in turn can have negative impacts on human and animal health. Alarmingly, much of the WEEE that ends up in landfill sites could have been recycled.

We can help… Richer Sounds welcomes the opportunity of recycling your old household electrical item free of charge when returned to any of our 51 stores on the purchase of any like-for like product. This offer is valid for 28 days from purchase, on production of a valid receipt. Please contact your local store or a member of our customer services team for more details 0333 900 0094.

Our on-line customers are also given the option to arrange a WEEE collection at the time of purchase transaction on the majority of our TV products. A small fee applies to cover transport costs.

Recyclable Equipment

To remind you that old electrical equipment can be recycled, it is now marked with a crossed-out wheeled bin symbol. Please do not throw any electrical equipment (including those marked with the crossed out wheeled bin symbol) in your bin.

Richer Sounds WEEE producer registration number: WEE/HG0043SY

Richer Sounds recognises that the provision of all services and products generates an impact on the environment and we are fully committed to minimising any potential negative impact by continually striving to improve our environmental performance.
Click here to download our environmental policy. 

Eco Friendly

When we use this logo on a TV it means that it has been certified by either ecolabel.eu or has an Energy Saving Recommended certification mark.  

EU Ecolabel

The Eco-label on televisions tells you:
• The product consumes less energy during use and standby
• It contains fewer substances that are dangerous for health and the environment
• The products can be taken back free of charge by the manufacturer after use
• It contains instructions for correct environmental use
• It is designed for greater durability and recyclability  

Conflict Minerals Policy

Conflict minerals are minerals mined in conditions of armed conflict and human rights abuses, and which are sold or traded by armed groups. This problem has led to the creation of a number of international initiatives (including those from the OECD and the UK government) calling on companies in electronics industries to play a part in addressing these problems.

Richer Sounds is committed to a conflict-free sourcing and ongoing due-diligence. Although we are a long way from the end of this supply chain, we want to work with our suppliers to make sure that they have robust policies in place addressing conflict minerals further down the chain. We have worked with the Ethical Consumer (Research Association) to ensure that we are demonstrating best-practice for consumer electronics retailers in this area and are continuously working to expand the scope of our monitoring efforts.


Policy Reviewed: September 2023

Modern Day Slavery Statement

Richer Sounds recognises that slavery and human trafficking are crimes and violations of fundamental human rights and remain a hidden blight on our global society. We hold a zero-tolerance approach to slavery and human trafficking and are committed to acting ethically and with integrity in all our business dealings. We expect our colleagues, suppliers, contractors and all other stakeholders to commit to the same, including implementing and enforcing effective systems and controls to prevent and detect modern slavery. We would never knowingly conduct business with suppliers or employees engaged in such practices. Our colleagues are expected to report concerns and management are expected to act upon them. Our supply chain policies and procedures are reviewed and accredited by the Slave Free Alliance to prevent modern day slavery within our supply chain.

Read the most recent full statement here

Read the previous statements

What other people are saying about us

Richer Sounds in the press

The Independent
“The company, which has 52 branches across the UK, has championed a model of hiring knowledgeable staff, giving them secure jobs and paying them well.
The Independent
Read the full article
The Guardian
“The bald fact remains that Richer Sounds, the slightly maverick hi-fi retailer, generally donates a higher percentage of its profits (currently 15%) than any other privately owned company."
The Guardian
The Independent
The Richer Way by Julian Richer is described as “one of the best business books in history”
The Independent.
Read the full article
BBC News
“Some firms reported so-called "negative" pay gaps, where women are paid on average more than men. These included electric car maker Tesla Motors, babywear retailer Mamas and Papas and electronics retailer Richer Sounds.” – BBC News.
Read the full article
BBC News
Employee Ownership Trust - “The owner and founder of Richer Sounds, Julian Richer, used a special trust to give his 500 staff a 60% indirect stake in the business.” – BBC News.
Read the full article
BBC News
“Online shoppers receive misleading information about their rights to return items, leading to widespread confusion, a consumer group has said. Which? studied the websites of 46 retailers and supermarkets. It found that all but one had errors. The only retailer to pass the test was hi-fi seller Richer Sounds.” – BBC News.
Read the full article
The Times
“Richer Sounds is thought to be the biggest company to convert itself into an employee ownership trust.” – The Times.
Read the full article
The Guardian
“Richer Sounds… refuses to use zero-hours contracts and is one of the 14% of companies with a pay gap that favours women. Employee perks include access to company holiday homes around the world, including in European cities such as Paris, Venice and Barcelona. It donates 15% of profits, which last year stood at £9.6m, to charity.” – The Guardian.
Read the full article
Sky News
“[Richer Sounds] was among the first to commit to the Living Wage Foundation's level for a national living wage.” – Sky News.
Read the full article
Financial Times
The Ethical Capitalist by Julian Richer was a Financial Times book of the month. Read the full article
Financial Times
“Mr Richer has said that motivating staff was a “crucial element” of the retailer’s success along with its “second to none” commitment to customer service.” – Financial Times.
Read mor
e
The Independent
”The gold standard for retail workers? Richer Sounds has signed up to be a living hours employee.” – The Independent.
Read the full article
Daily Mirror
“It also pays its suppliers on time, is accredited by The Fair Tax Mark for paying tax and reporting tax transparently and has a comprehensive environmental policy.” – Daily Mirror.
Read the full article

UK’s highest-rated hi-fi and AV retailer on Trustpilot

98% of Richer Sounds’ reviews on Trustpilot are 4 or 5-stars out of 5. With over 70,000 reviews and a TrustScore of 4.9 out of 5, we have been rated excellent and you can see what some of our wonderful customers have to say about us below.

We are also delighted to have been awarded Which? Best Retailer (of any kind) for the last five years in a row and eight times since 2010.

We offer the lowest price guaranteed (see our Price Beat policy here), so that you can shop with us in complete confidence today.

Trustpilot Excellent Rating
Staff are always super helpful
“Staff in their store have always been super helpful.”

W MB - 01.06.23
Best customer service
5-star rating
"One of the best customer services I’ve ever experienced.”

Heldiney - 03.09.23
5-star rating
Same great service
“Same great service
after 33 years!”
 
Tim - 31.08.23
5-star rating
Staff have good knowledge
“As always buying from Richer Sounds is a pleasure, the staff are always helpful and have a good knowledge about what you are buying.”

Stemac 46 - 02.09.23
5-star rating
Extremely competitive prices
“The person who helped me gave me good advice was very patient and helped me make the right decision. Their prices are also extremely competitive.”
 
Ann - 03.09.23
5-star rating

About Trustpilot

Founded in 2007, Trustpilot is one of the most trusted, independent review sites. Trustpilot uses genuine customer feedback, building an overall score for each business, based on customer’s buying and service experiences. It scores businesses out of 5, with the overall score calculated using a Baysian average. This means that newer reviews are given more weight as they accurately reflect the current period.