AO vs Appliances Direct:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, AO had more branded searches than Appliances Direct among appliance retailers in the United Kingdom. AO had about 246,000 branded searches, while Appliances Direct had 60,500. AO made up 43.2% of all appliance retailer searches we track, and Appliances Direct accounted for 10.6%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about appliance retailers, AO appeared in four of the five answers and Appliances Direct in one. AO was mentioned before Appliances Direct in every answer that named either.
Who do people search for more?
AO, about 4 searches for every 1 for Appliances Direct
Who does AI mention more?
AO, mentioned in 4 of 5 answers, Appliances Direct in 1
Who does AI recommend more?
AO, named ahead of Appliances Direct in 4 of 4 answers
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Top appliance retailers in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, AO was mentioned in four out of five: in all three ChatGPT answers and in one of the two Google AI Overviews. Appliances Direct was mentioned in one out of five: in one of the three ChatGPT answers, but not in either of the two Google AI Overviews. AO was listed before Appliances Direct in every answer that named either.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
John Lewis1st- AO2nd
Currys3rd
Argos4th
Appliances Direct5th
Marks Electrical6th
Euronics6th
Hughes–
Sonic Direct–
Appliance City–
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
- Currys5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
- John Lewis5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
- AO4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
- Argos3 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
- Appliances Direct1 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
- Marks Electrical1 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
- Euronics1 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
- Hughes0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
- Sonic Direct0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
- Appliance City0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about appliance retailers
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Where's the best place to buy a washing machine in the UK?”
Asked ChatGPT
“Which UK retailers are best for buying kitchen appliances?”
Asked ChatGPT
“Where should I buy a new fridge freezer in the UK?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“washing machines”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“fridge freezers”
Not named in any answer:
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in United Kingdom on October 28, 2026.
Is AO or Appliances Direct more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for AO and Appliances Direct by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all ten appliance retailers we track, month by month, from searches in United Kingdom.
Share of searches by month for AO, Appliances Direct. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | AO | Currys | Appliances Direct | Marks Electrical | Euronics | Argos | Hughes | John Lewis | Sonic Direct | Appliance City |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 19.4% | 23.6% | 15.9% | 13% | 8.7% | 7.1% | 4.8% | 3.2% | 2.1% | 2.1% |
| Nov 2025 | 14.6% | 24% | 17.9% | 14.6% | 8% | 6.6% | 5.4% | 2.9% | 3.6% | 2.4% |
| Dec 2025 | 14.4% | 23.6% | 17.7% | 14.4% | 9.7% | 6.5% | 5.3% | 2.9% | 3.5% | 1.9% |
| Jan 2026 | 13.7% | 27.5% | 16.8% | 11.2% | 9.2% | 7.5% | 5% | 3.4% | 3.4% | 2.2% |
| Feb 2026 | 16.3% | 24.2% | 16.3% | 10.9% | 10.9% | 8.9% | 4.9% | 3.3% | 2.7% | 1.8% |
| Mar 2026 | 38.6% | 19% | 11.6% | 7.8% | 7.8% | 6.4% | 3.5% | 2.3% | 1.6% | 1.6% |
| Apr 2026 | 35% | 21% | 12.8% | 8.6% | 7% | 5.7% | 3.8% | 2.6% | 2.1% | 1.4% |
| May 2026 | 18.5% | 24.7% | 18.5% | 12.4% | 8.3% | 6.8% | 3.7% | 3% | 2.5% | 1.6% |
| Jun 2026 | 14.4% | 21.4% | 26.3% | 14.4% | 7.9% | 5.3% | 4.3% | 2.4% | 1.9% | 1.6% |
| Jul 2026 | 21.4% | 22.3% | 21.4% | 11.8% | 7.9% | 5.3% | 4.3% | 2.4% | 1.9% | 1.3% |
| Aug 2026 | 46.6% | 17% | 11.5% | 7.7% | 6.3% | 4.2% | 2.3% | 1.9% | 1.5% | 1% |
| Sep 2026 | 43.2% | 19.3% | 10.6% | 8.7% | 5.8% | 4.8% | 2.6% | 2.1% | 1.7% | 1.2% |
How has the AO and Appliances Direct comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- The lead changed hands 4 times in the 12 months ending September 2026: Appliances Direct took it in November 2025, AO took it in March 2026, Appliances Direct took it in June 2026, AO took it in August 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, AO’s share of searches among appliance retailers in the United Kingdom moved from 19.4% to 43.2%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 90.5K to 246K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Appliances Direct’s share of searches among appliance retailers in the United Kingdom moved from 15.9% to 10.6%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 74K to 60.5K.
How did search popularity change for United Kingdom appliance retailers in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, AO lost share of searches among appliance retailers in the United Kingdom, from 46.6% to 43.2%.
In September 2026, Appliances Direct lost share of searches among appliance retailers in the United Kingdom, from 11.5% to 10.6%.
How are branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using AO’s and Appliances Direct’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
AO
1 branded search term
- ao.com
Appliances Direct
1 branded search term
- appliances direct
Other head-to-heads among appliance retailers
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