Carphone Warehouse and US partner Best Buy will launch the first of four consumer electronics megastores in May with one set to be in the West Midlands.

Best Buy Europe - the joint venture between Carphone and US retailer Best Buy - unveiled further details of its assault on the market currently dominated by DSG International in the UK.

News of the launch plans come ahead of the start of trading in Carphone’s new shares today following the demerger from its TalkTalk broadband and telecoms arm last week.

The first Best Buy UK store will open in Thurrock, Essex, offering initiatives such as a trade-in service where customers can receive discounts when they bring in their old televisions, laptops and mobile phones.

Best Buy stores in Hedge End, Southampton, and Merry Hill in Brierley Hill will both open in June, followed by Aintree, Liverpool, in the following weeks.

The group has also said it will open a store in Croydon, Surrey, in the autumn.

Other customer offers include a price match guarantee on any product, with a 10 per cent discount on top.

Carphone Warehouse owns 50 per cent of the Best Buy Europe business after selling a 50 per cent stake in its retail business to Best Buy for £1.1 billion in 2008.

Carphone completed the split of its retail and telecoms operations into two after the market close on Friday, with TalkTalk and Carphone to list separately on the stock exchange from today.