GOME Electrical Appliances
| Company type | Public |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail |
| Founded | 1987 in Beijing, China |
| Founder | Huang Guangyu (Wong Kwong Yu) |
| Headquarters | Beijing , China |
Area served | Mainland China, Hong Kong |
Key people | Wong Kwong Yu (founder, former chairman) |
| Products | Electrical appliances, consumer electronics, whitegoods |
GOME Electrical Appliances Holding Limited (国美电器) (), which has been rebranded as GOME Retail Holdings Ltd., ranks among the leading privately held electrical appliance retailers in both mainland China and Hong Kong. The company was established in Beijing in 1987 by entrepreneur Huang Guangyu (Wong Kwong Yu), with the "GOME" brand name introduced in 1993. From 1999 onward, the firm expanded its footprint beyond Beijing, launching retail stores throughout various Chinese cities. It became publicly traded on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 2004. As of 2008, Wong held the roles of chairman, principal shareholder, and board member. The corporation is registered in Bermuda.
History
By the year 2010, GOME operated a total of 826 outlets within mainland China, comprising 572 conventional stores, 13 digital outlets, and 2 flagship locations.
In November 2008, the Hong Kong Stock Exchange imposed an indefinite suspension on GOME’s share trading following a police investigation into Wong regarding allegations of stock manipulation. Subsequently, Wong stepped down from his position as chairman on January 16, 2009.
Although there were internal disagreements between founder Wong and chairman Chen Xiao concerning the company’s strategic direction, GOME nonetheless achieved a 24% rise in net profit for the third quarter of 2010, reaching 477.5 million yuan.
In January 2013, GOME declared it would shut six retail shops in Hong Kong that were directly owned by Wong rather than the publicly listed entity. This move indicated a strategic pivot away from international expansion toward enhancing its e-commerce capabilities and focusing growth efforts on China’s second-tier cities. The company maintains its wholesale business operations within Hong Kong.