Bedding, why bedding? Pixmania in France will launch Sombed, its own brand of bedding.
In Russia, Eldorado will exchange until the end of October outdated appliances and electronics in more than 50 product categories, giving customers 20% discount against the price of the new purchase.
Media Markt will halt the use of promotional prices and empower each Media Markt store to compare its prices with all competitors (online and offline) on a daily basis.
Everywhere you look the economy pushes retailers to adopt change, to experiment, and to re-format. Store footprints are shrinking, retailers are mixing brick with click models, and retailers try out new categories... beds, bicycles, solar, white goods, small appliances, and more.
Not all retailers make these moves from a defensive position. Czech-based retailer Okay plans to develop a franchised store business. According to Okay’s Marketing Director Ludek Kovac, the company is now testing the model to create a franchised store network in the future. According to Incoma GfK, sales fell for four of the six largest chains in the Czech Republic but Okay last year saw sales increase by 10% to €185M.
Whether from defense or offense, this vortex of experimentation brings us to a time where retailers watch each other closely, trying to learn from one another as much as from their own inventions.
