Established in 1997, Wex Photo Video (previously called Wex Photographic and Warehouse Express) has helped more than a million photographers and videographers achieve their goals. Wex’s dedication to service, expertise and customer satisfaction is underpinned by competitive prices and the largest range of any UK photo and video retailer, with more than 20,000 products.
Our website is complemented by a specialist Customer Contact team, thirteen UK stores (including the London flagship on Commercial Road, Whitechapel), extensive online content and exclusive events and exhibitions. Customers can contact Wex Photo Video seven days a week by phone, email, live chat, social media or in person.
This focus on customer success has made Wex Photo Video the UK's largest online photographic specialist and winner of many accolades, including ‘Retailer of the Year’ as voted for by readers of Digital Photo/Practical Photography magazines for the past six years, plus numerous other service and content awards for over 15 years. View our awards »
Over the years, Wex Photo Video has been through some changes. We’ve expanded from an online offering to ten stores across the UK; the sign above our door has changed a few times, and we’ve vastly expanded our range. Throughout this change, one thing has remained constant – our customer service and expertise.
Here at Wex, we strive to support photographers and filmmakers at every part of their journey. Our incredibly talented and committed staff have earned us the title of UK’s most trusted retailer. We’re very proud of our history because it helped us get to where we are today.
We can’t quite believe where all the time has gone, but Wex has reached the grand old age of 25. A lot has changed for us since our humble beginnings in Norwich, including a couple of rebrands, several iterations of our website, multiple new store launches and a good few awards, but the one thing that has remained constant is our dedication to serving passionate photographers (and, more recently, filmmakers, stargazers, audiophiles, birdwatchers, studio managers, drone operators…) across the UK. As we enter our second quarter of a century, we are hosting a range of activity to celebrate all the things that have made us who we are.
History of Wex Photo Video Timeline
1997
- Howard Utting launches Warehouse Express following success with the Uttings brand, specialising in Optics, Telescopes and Cameras
- A Norwich contact centre opened, managing all customer enquiries
2000
- A new website launched allowing customers to view products and prices, as well as place orders online
2002
- Digital Cameras grew in popularity and camera sales at Warehouse Express overtook all other product categories
- Voted independent Retailer of the Year by readers of Practical Photography magazine (and again in 2003 and 2004)
2005
- Readers of Digital Photo and Practical Photography magazines voted Warehouse Express as the Best Online Retailer at Gear of the Year Awards
- Howard Utting sold his majority stake of the business to Barclays Ventures and moved away from day-to-day operations
2006
- New management team introduced together with a new London office
- The business expanded into the corporate and insurance sectors with the creation of its own B2B sales team
- Warehouse Express listed in Sunday Times Fast Track 100
- Voted Best Online Retailer at Gear of the Year Awards (again) and Online Retailer of the Year at the Pixel Trade Awards
2007
- The company invested in bricks and mortar and opened its first showroom, based in Norwich
- Awards continued to flood in - Voted Best Online Retailer at Gear of the Year and Online Retailer of the Year at the Pixel Trade Awards – the third year running
2008
- Warehouse Express targets non-UK customers with the launch of its new German-language website
- The Showroom moved to the UK’s largest Photographic Showroom at over 4,000 square feet, based in Norwich
2011
- Warehouse Express rebranded as Wex Photographic to highlight its credentials and focus within the photography market
2014
- New services launched - Wex Photographic offer customers the option to Trade-in equipment
- As a result, the brand entered the second-hand market, selling cameras and lenses
- wexphotographic.com achieved a Which? Recommended Provider for Electrical Products, receiving a customer score of 91%
2015
- Company expansion with the acquisition of Fixation – the photographic repair specialist, founded in 1988
- Repair and rental services continued from its London base
2016
- Investment firm Aurelius acquired Calumet International - a holding company comprising both the Calumet Photographic brand and professional lighting producer, Bowens Lighting
2017
- Aurelius announced it had acquired Wex Photographic, and merged with Calumet Photographic
- In September, the two businesses were rebranded in the UK as Wex Photo Video and offered a new Omnichannel solution, consisting of 8 stores, the Contact Centre and its website
- The new Wex Rental service was launched online and instore
- The new Wex Photo Video website was launched
- A new flagship store, covering 7,000sq ft opened its doors in Whitechapel, London
2018
- Further retail investment with the refurbishment of its Belfast, Bristol and Manchester stores, the later including its event and seminar space
- Wex Photo Video recognised in 2018 Which? Online UK Retailer Survey for best customer service
2019
- 2019 Which? consumer survey named Wex Photo Video in its survey for best customer service - rated number one for service, value for money and product choice
2020
- Wex Photo Video announced a further retail expansion with Milton Keynes and Birmingham store openings
- The first store to open was the new 3752sq ft showroom at 100 Hagley Road, Birmingham – which was a relocation of a previous store in the city
- The 3000sq ft Milton Keynes store was entirely new, located in the hub of the town
- The brand became the most trusted camera retailer having surpassed 25K reviews on Trustpilot
- Wex Photo Video served its one-millionth customer
2021
- A new 3,000sq ft store, opened in Leeds mid Spring 2021
- A brand new store in Newcastle opened Oct 2021
2022
- May saw the grand opening of the new Glasgow store – the largest photography store in Scotland
In June 2022, we were delighted to surpass 45K reviews on Trustpilot.
We have become aware that there are a number of fraudulent websites in existence which have been designed to look like they are in some way connected to or associated with us. These sites may include our contact details, office address and/or statements regarding ownership of trade marks by us.
Please be aware that the only genuine website operated by us in the UK is this site.
We have alerted the authorities to the existence of these fraudulent sites. If you think you have come into contact with one of these websites, and have suffered loss as a result, we recommend you report this via the Action Fraud website.
Check out our social channels for more exclusive offers and competitions. You’ll find tips & tricks, reviews on the latest products, online courses, and much more. For your chance to be featured on our social pages, tag us at #WexPhotoVideo
We run a free competition every Monday, and the winner gets a £20 Wex voucher!
All you need to do is post a photo you've taken in the last week, and tag it #WexMondays for a chance to win! You can enter using Instagram or Twitter. To learn more visit our Wex Photographer of the Year page.
The #WexMondays Rules*
- Your image must have been taken in the past week
- You can only enter one image per week
- You must be a UK resident to enter
*The #WexMondays competition is open to UK residents aged 16 or over. The entered image must be taken within the previous seven days prior to each Monday, be the photographers own work and uploaded to the photographer's own Twitter or Instagram account using the hashtag #WexMondays. Visit the competition page for more information on how to enter and further T&Cs.
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