easyGroup expands into e-commerce with marketplace launch

British brand conglomerate easyGroup is entering the online retail sector with the launch of easyShop.com, a new marketplace platform developed in partnership with e-commerce company OnBuy.

Scheduled to launch in the fourth quarter of 2026, easyShop will initially operate across 21 European countries and aims to bring retailers together on a single cross-border marketplace.

The platform will be powered by OnBuy's proprietary marketplace technology and operate as a pure marketplace model, meaning it will not hold inventory or compete directly with sellers.

Its mission is to allow retailers to access customers across multiple countries without managing separate local marketplaces, while consumers will be offered a value-focused shopping experience under the easy brand.

In a statement, Stelios Haji-Ioannou, founder and owner of the easy family of brands, said: “The easy family of brands has expanded into many new sectors by focusing on simplicity and value for money. I believe an online retail marketplace using a great domain like easyShop is a natural next step.”

Haji-Ioannou added that the company is already preparing to recruit sellers ahead of a consumer launch later this year.

Cas Paton, founder and chief executive of OnBuy, said the platform is designed to help retailers expand internationally more quickly by removing “many of the barriers that typically slow retail expansion”.