So you could be forgiven for thinking Currys PC World would be slipping the same way and getting ready for mass redundancies, store closures and eventual collapse.
But you would be wrong. The company once known for its dreadful customer service and high prices compared with online, is going from strength to strength and starting to dominate the technology market once again, with the firm this week announcing profits of £31.4m for the six months to October.
The collapse of rivals – especially Comet – along with supermarkets such as Tesco admitting they have struggled to break the electricals market have all helped with Currys PC World’s turnaround.