Made.com co-founder: Would help revive the brand: Chloe Macintosh would be willing to step in if a savior could be found for the online furniture retailer
Commitment: Chloe Macintosh says she still feels ‘very close’ to the mark
Chloe Macintosh, one of the founders of beleaguered retailer Made.com, said last night that she would be willing to help revive the brand if a savior could be found.
The online furniture retailer is set to appoint PwC managers. Yesterday it became known that the giant Next stores has launched a spectacular offer for Made.com. Mike Ashley’s Frasers is also said to be interested.
The business crisis has left customers in the lurch, although those who bought with credit cards will be able to get refunds.
The French businesswoman, now based in London, said she would “love to contribute” to restoring the online furniture store to its former glory if a credible buyer emerges.
The 47-year-old created Made with Brent Hoberman, Ning Li and Julien Callede 12 years ago in a dilapidated office block in Notting Hill, west London.
His vision was to make high-end furniture accessible to all, and the business grew rapidly to £315 million in sales in 2021.
Macintosh, a serial entrepreneur, left Made in 2015 and currently runs Kama, a sexual wellness app.
She described the collapse as “sad”, adding that she still feels “very close” to the mark.
The online store failed after a series of clerical errors left the business with millions of pounds of furniture it couldn’t sell.
It has also been affected by supply chain disruption in imports from the Far East and, more recently, the cost of living crisis.
Macintosh said Made was still a ‘really good deal’, adding: ‘I’m not underestimating the efforts the current team is putting into figuring this out.
“But if someone comes along who really sees a solution and wants to invest in it, because they think it can be done, I’d love to help bring back the essence of the brand.”
He said technology companies struggle to grow and can “just lose sight” of other important aspects of running a business.
“That’s what happened,” he said of Made. “And it happens more often than success stories, although this one is particularly sad.”