Consumer Electronics

Shop.Com Corporate Office

Shop.Com was founded in 1992 as Market America, by current CEO JR Ridinger and his wife Loren Ridinger. The company has headquarters in Greensboro, North Carolina, and employs more than 650 full time individuals.

Originally founded as a marketing site, the company offers discount merchandise from vendors on their website. The company has expanded shipping and operations to 5 other countries, including Australia, Hong Kong, and Mexico. Market America has changed their domain name to Shop.Com in 2010, as a means of expanding Market America’s cash back program that was started in 2008.

Shop.Com has been criticized for being the ultimate multi-level marketing scheme, however, with nearly half a billion dollars in sales, it seems customers are inclined to disagree.

The company offers health, nutrition, anti-aging, cosmetics, personal care, clothing, weight management, shoes, home and garden, and pet care products, as well as auto care, travel and financial services.

Shop.Com

Shop.Com has been criticized for being the ultimate multi-level marketing scheme, however, with nearly half a billion dollars in sales, it seems customers are inclined to disagree.

History

Scout Alarm Corporate Office

Scout Alarm was founded in 2013 by current CEO Dan Roberts and his friend David Shapiro when they went to purchase a security system for a home and discovered that not only was the technology 20 years behind the times, but it was extremely expensive. This pair decided to create a security system that was affordable, yet relied on current technology.

The company started a crowdfunding campaign to create their proto-types, as well as offering pre-production discounts. Today, the company has sold more than 500,000 systems in less than 2 years. State of the art video cameras offer two way audio, night vision, 1080P, and offers live streams to smartphones, tablets, or computers.

Scout Alarm also offers video monitoring services, by persons who will notify the police if they view suspicious activity. One of the main differences between Scout Alarm and other security services is that other services offer 3rd party monitoring or self-monitoring, but not both.

Scout Alarm

History

Colony Brands Inc. Corporate Office

Colony Brands, originally called Swiss Colony, was founded in 1926 in Monroe, Wisconsin. Ray Kubly thought that the large Swiss population there would be interested in buying cheese imported from their country.The company’s first year saw only 50 orders, but soon grew quickly. Later it added other food items to the mail order catalog, including sausage, baked goods, and candy. In 1982, the company began offering non-food items such as bedding, home furnishings, electronics, games, and jewelry.

Today, Colony Brands operates catalog and retail stores under several names including Montgomery Wards, Ginny’s, One Step Ahead, Through the Country Door, Swiss Colony, Midnight Velvet, and the Wisconsin Cheeseman.

In December 2020, the company acquired Care Supply for an undisclosed sum.

The company employs more than 6,000 people, about 50 percent of these during the busy winter holiday season. The company officially changed its name to Colony Brands, Inc., in 2010.

Colony Brands, Inc.

History

In December 2020, the company acquired Care Supply for an undisclosed sum.

The company employs more than 6,000 people, about 50 percent of these during the busy winter holiday season. The company officially changed its name to Colony Brands, Inc., in 2010.

Fingerhut Corporate Office

Fingerhut was founded in 1948 by brothers Manny and William Fingerhut. The brothers originally sold car seat covers, but soon expanded into catalog sales, which soon offered other items, such as tools, kitchen items, bedding, and towels.

The company has been sold several times over the years, including Federated Department Stores in 1999, Bain Capital Ventures in 2004, and currently to the Bluestem Group.

Fingerhut is an online retailer which offers a very wide variety of items, including iPads, curtains, Playstations, televisions, laptops, umbrellas, and more. The company differs from almost every other online company in that it has its own “Rent to Own” service, where customers can purchase items and make payments without using credit cards.

The company has come under fire recently for offering their merchandise at higher prices than most other stores, offering credit with an APR of 29.99%, as well as for annoying “robocalls.”

Fingerhut

History

The company has been sold several times over the years, including Federated Department Stores in 1999, Bain Capital Ventures in 2004, and currently to the Bluestem Group.

The company has come under fire recently for offering their merchandise at higher prices than most other stores, offering credit with an APR of 29.99%, as well as for annoying “robocalls.”

Acer Corporate Office

Acer was founded in 1976 by Stanley and Carolyn Shih in Hsinchu City, Taiwan. The original name of the company was Mutlitech International. The company started with only $25,000 US dollars and 11 employees. Today, this international company had annual revenue in 2014 of $10.52 billion.

Acer makes a variety of computers and hardware, including laptops, notebooks, desktops, computer components, such as motherboards and RAM, as well as monitors, televisions, servers, projectors, and storage solutions. Business workstations offer support for a wide range of professional applications. The company sells their products in retail locations, as well as direct online sales.

In July 2011, Acer Inc. bought iGware Inc. for $320 million to try to enter the potentially lucrative cloud market.

In September of 2015, the company acquired both GPS cycling computer brand Xplova, as well as the robotics startup company Jibo. The company is listed as the 6th largest computer vendor in the world in 2015.

Acer America opened their headquarters in Mountain View, California, in 1985 with a staff of 3. It has since moved to San Jose, California, in 1990. The company has repair facilities and a call center in Richardson, Texas.

The company currently has more than 7,000 employees worldwide, operates in 70 countries, and has approximately 95,000 retail locations spread in more than 160 countries.

Acer America

History

In July 2011, Acer Inc. bought iGware Inc. for $320 million to try to enter the potentially lucrative cloud market.

The company currently has more than 7,000 employees worldwide, operates in 70 countries, and has approximately 95,000 retail locations spread in more than 160 countries.