12 Buy IT Direct

Key points

Revenue: £295.5m (+19%)

Net profit: 2.2% Staff: 617

This Huddersfield-based e-tailer recently enlisted former Mothercare COO Keith Basnett to help it scale revenue to £500m. Counting Laptops Direct and Servers Direct among its brands, it also sells furniture and bathrooms.

Revenue for its year to 31 March 2020 vaulted by almost a fifth to hit £295.5m, with net profits swelling from £6.1m to £6.5m. Buy IT has opted to "gamble" on the COVID-induced shift to online becoming permanent and invest in growth, CEO Nick Glynne told CRN in June.