By Patrick Avenell

The Winning Group’s purchase of the McKnights business was motivated by a desire to increase the stores online small appliance sales via the PowerBuys website, according to Winning Group CFO Aaron Links.

Although the purchase will also increase the Winning Group’s exposure to the commercial appliance market, already present through its Winning Appliances business, and nullify a direct competitor to its Appliances Online operation, the primary goal of the purchase, signed yesterday, is to increase volume in profitable categories such as coffee machines, floorcare and benchtop appliances.

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Links, standing in for CEO John Winning while he attends conferences in Europe, told Current.com.au this afternoon that the Winning Group will take over the McKnights business in early October. By this stage the McKnights will have completed exited the Retravision Group. The Winning Group is a member of the Narta Group.

Earlier today, in an interview with Current.com.au, Peter McKnight, who is being retained as the general manager, said his business was still a part of Retravision. Furthermore, McKnight said he had completely exited the consumer-facing bricks and mortar appliance industry.

“We’re very excited about the opportunity that is ahead,” McKnight said. “We’re very excited about the change and looking forward to the opportunity of growth ahead.”

“We ceased our retail operations in Ballarat last year, at the end of the year, and we closed our Hoppers Crossing store at the end of May.

“We are still a part of the Retravision group. We’re moving, obviously, to Narta.”

When asked if he cared whether the Winning Group would name the businesses, McKnight said, “The most important part is our customers and being able to deliver the best possible service to the customer.”

The PowerBuys website, which Current.com.au understands will not be renamed, carries a huge range of name brand kitchen appliances and vacuum cleaners. The website has a national presence, which Links said was an attractive feature.