Electronics Retail in Oslo: Companies, Statistics, and Outlook

Electronics retail in Oslo is an important part of the city's retail scene, with 67 registered companies and over 800 employees. The industry has been marked by large variations in sales and operating results over the years, with a sharp decline in 2017 followed by a gradual increase since. The most well-known players are Elkjøp and Power Norge, which operate multiple stores in Oslo. At the same time, data shows that the industry has been relatively stable in terms of bankruptcy, indicating good competitiveness. SmartGrunder can help founders find suitable locations in Oslo for this industry.

Sales and employee development

Sales experienced a sharp decline of 53% from 2016 to 2017, but have since grown gradually, although it still remains below the 2016 level. The number of employees has grown continuously until 2021, with a decline of 9.8% in 2023. There is a clear variation in operating results, with some companies achieving high EBITDA margins (up to 6%) while others have lower or negative values.

Key companies in the industry

• Elkjøp Norge Hovedkontor (Nydalsveien 12): 112 employees, sales of 710.9M NOK, EBITDA of 8.4M NOK
• Power Norge As Avd Alnabru (Smalvollveien 65): 64 employees, sales of 258.1M NOK, EBITDA of 6.2M NOK
• Sømsenteret As (Tollbugata 29): 17 employees, sales of 19.3M NOK, EBITDA of -18.0K NOK

Most companies are ASs (26 companies), while there are also some NUFs (3 companies) and one ENK. Elkjøp and Power Norge dominate the market with multiple stores and high sales figures. Some companies, such as Elkjøp Storo, have no operating results, which may indicate temporary challenges.

Distribution of activity in Oslo

• Oslo: 29 companies, 836 employees, sales of 3372.0M NOK, EBITDA of 70.9M NOK
• Nesbyen: 1 company, 7 employees, sales of 18.2M NOK, EBITDA of 1.1M NOK

Activity is strongly concentrated in Oslo, with a significantly larger presence compared to Nesbyen. Oslo has higher sales, more employees, and better EBITDA margins. Nesbyen, however, has a higher EBITDA margin (6%) compared to Oslo (2%), which may indicate more efficient operations in individual stores.

Operational efficiency and bankruptcy statistics

No companies in electronics retail in Oslo have registered bankruptcy, which shows a relatively stable industry. However, data shows that some companies have negative operating results or zero sales, such as Elkjøp Storo and Netonnet Ab Nuf Avdeling Alnabru. This may indicate temporary challenges or specific challenges related to individual stores. It is important to note that these companies are not necessarily in bankruptcy, but may have lower operating results or be in a transitional phase.

Outlook for founders

Electronics retail in Oslo has proven to be a stable industry with opportunities for growth, even though there have been variations in sales and operating results. The most successful companies have high EBITDA margins (up to 6%) and high sales figures. Founders should consider focusing on establishing stores in Oslo, where there is a higher concentration of actors and potentially better market share. It is also possible to leverage existing networks and customer bases from large companies such as Elkjøp and Power Norge. SmartGrunder can help find suitable locations in Oslo for this industry.

Agriculture is a broader industry group in Oslo with 500 companies, compared to 67 companies in electronics retail. Sales in agriculture have been more stable over the years, although there have been large declines in 2026. The EBITDA margin in agriculture is lower (up to 2%) compared to electronics retail (up to 6%). Peer companies in agriculture include, among others, Xplora Mobile As (data store) and Telia Norge As (phone store), which have higher sales figures but lower EBITDA margins. This shows that electronics retail has better operational efficiency compared to agriculture, even though agriculture has a larger number of companies.

Electronics retail in Oslo is an important part of the city's retail scene, with a relatively stable development over the years. The industry has proven to be competitive, with high EBITDA margins and a good presence in Oslo. Founders should consider focusing on establishing stores in Oslo, where there is a higher concentration of actors and potentially better market share. At the same time, they should be aware of variations in operating results and consider leveraging existing networks and customer bases from large companies such as Elkjøp and Power Norge. SmartGrunder can help find suitable locations in Oslo for this industry.