Hands-on since day one – The story of Verkkokauppa.com

In the early 1990s, Finland's future looked bleak as the recession wiped out jobs and companies went bankrupt at record speed. It was 1992 in Lintuvaara, Espoo, and 16-year-old Samuli Seppälä was struggling to find a summer job, just like many other teenagers.

Seppälä had been interested in computers from an early age, spending his days playing on a Commodore 64 with his brother Sampsa. However, the duo also wanted to earn some extra money. Samuli and Sampsa quickly came up with the idea of selling used computer parts from their parents' basement.

A "garage business" wins his heart

The business soon expanded to importing modems from the United States, initially trading among fellow computer enthusiasts. Even then, low prices attracted many like-minded young people to do business with the Seppälä brothers.

The business operated under the name Arctecho for a year, after which Samuli graduated from high school. He then faced a choice: apply for university or continue his beloved hobby—e-commerce. While his parents encouraged him to study, they had previously agreed that after high school, he was free to do as he pleased.

The "garage business" flourished. Customers used modems to dial into the brothers' Arctecho computer, where various parts changed hands. Business was already brisk through pre-internet modem connections, and Samuli’s mind was made up: entrepreneurship had captured the young man's heart.

The recipe for success in a competitive market took shape in Samuli's mind during the early years of Verkkokauppa.com. The concept consisted of three things: high sales volume, low prices, and even lower costs. The rest is history, but Samuli's courage and boldness still drive us today—no idea is too crazy to implement.

From an Espoo basement to a public company

Samuli Seppälä founded Verkkokauppa.com Oyj on March 11, 1992, in his parents' basement. The store operated on a Bulletin Board System (BBS) until 1994. The company gradually transitioned from BBS to the web between 1994 and 1996, with the first version of the actual online store located at compart.fi/arctecho.

The warehouse store remained in Lintuvaara, Espoo, until 1996, after which the first retail store opened in Kilo, Espoo. As it grew, Verkkokauppa.com occupied several locations in the Espoo area. In 1997, the company registered the arctecho.com domain, and the verkkokauppa.com domain was registered later in 1998.

At the turn of the millennium, the company increased its investment in system development. Around the same time, it began building its store network; the Espoo store moved to the Ruoholahti shopping center in Helsinki in August 2004. The Pirkkala store opened in August 2006, followed by the Oulu store in November 2008.

The Ruoholahti premises couldn't scale with the company's rapid growth, leading to the construction of a new megastore in Jätkäsaari, Helsinki, which celebrated its grand opening on November 11, 2011. This 28,000 m² experiential store now houses the company's main warehouse, offices, and the largest consumer electronics store in Northern Europe. Visitors can admire a MiG-21 fighter jet on the building's observation deck, while the "Bad Bad Boy" statue peeing in front of the store has become one of Helsinki's most photographed landmarks.

In April 2014, we listed on the Nasdaq First North growth market, marking a new era in our incredible growth story. Our expansion remained strong, and in 2017, the Pirkkala and Oulu store concepts were updated and renovated to support the growing business. In March 2018, Samuli stepped down as CEO to focus on board work, and our current CEO, Panu Porkka took the reins. That same month, we opened our fourth store in Raisio. In June 2020, another chapter began in the history of Verkkokauppa.com Oyj as we moved to the main list of the Helsinki Stock Exchange.

Verkkokauppa.com's core product categories are IT, home electronics, and appliances. Over the years, we have significantly expanded our selection. Today, in addition to our core categories, we offer toys, games, sports and baby gear, as well as home products ranging from lighting to cooking and gardening. Besides products, our range includes numerous services, such as installation services and our Trade-in service.