Build.com

Build.com, Inc
Formerly
 Improvement Direct, Inc
Industry E-tail
Founded September 1, 2000 (2000-09-01) in Chico, California, USA
Founder Christian Friedland, David Boctor
Headquarters Chico, California, USA
Products Plumbing, Lighting, Hardware, Appliances
Brands FaucetDirect.com, LightingDirect.com, Handlesets.com, VentingDirect.com
Number of employees
 500
Parent Wolseley plc
Website www.build.com

Build.com is an online home improvement retailer and subsidiary of Ferguson plc. It sells bathroom, kitchen, and lighting hardware, appliances and other supplies. The company is headquartered in Chico, California.

History

The company began as an internet start-up selling faucets online in 2000. While working on their Computer Science master’s project at California State University, Chico, Christian Friedland and David Boctor created a browsable online retail website to sell faucets. They eventually launched FaucetDirect.com, initially operating out of Friedland’s college apartment.[1][2]

Eventually renamed Build.com, the company now sells many other home improvement products with a focus on plumbing, lighting, hardware and appliances. In 2007, Wolseley (renamed Ferguson plc in 2017) acquired Build.com for an undisclosed price. In 2015, Build.com acquired the small appliances and web-only merchant Living Direct Inc.[3]

About the company

Build.com employs approximately 750 people (at September 2018). It is a subsidiary of Ferguson plc, a multinational conglomerate based in Switzerland.[4]

Since 2007, Build.com has been named in the Internet Retailer Magazine’s annual Top 500 List of online retailers.[5][6][7]

References

  1. ↑ Meredith Cooper. "DIY Webmaster: Improvement Direct's Chris Friedland takes on Home Depot and Lowe's", "News & Review", 22 February 2007. Retrieved on 2010-10-7.
  2. ↑ Laura Urseny. "Chico home-improvement Internet retailer is building on success", "Chico Enterprise-Record", 20 June 2010. Retrieved 2010-6-20.
  3. ↑ Brohan, Mark. "Build.com reportedly signs a deal for Living Direct". Digital Commerce 360. Retrieved 1 September 2017.
  4. ↑ Chico News and Review."Chico Internet success sold", "News & Review", 26 April 2007. Retrieved on 2007-4-26.
  5. ↑ Lara Sasken."Improvement Direct Building Up Business Using Tealeaf", "Tealeaf", 6 November 2007. Retrieved on 2007-11-6.
  6. ↑ Raymund Flandez."Three Best Ways to Convert Web Traffic Into Sales", "The Wall Street Journal", 4 September 2009. Retrieved on 2009-9-4.
  7. ↑ Internet Retailer. (http://www.internetretailer.com/top500/profiles/Build-com-Inc/#Build-com-Inc "Top 500 Guide"], "Internet Retailer", 14 May 2012. Retrieved on 2012-5-14.
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