Group Smart BRANDS. is considering the possibility of acquiring the largest chain of game stores in Czechoslovakia. Buy a famous game store JRCwhich operates in Slovakia under the brand BRLOKHhappened three years ago. The new owner is happy, the number of clients has increased and sales are growing.
“The number of visitors to our new stores, which we are gradually opening together with the JRC and Smarty.cz brands (in Slovakia as BRLOH and Smarty.sk), has increased by more than 40% compared to the previous mono-brand stores. We have received positive feedback, so we want to complete the transformation of all stores this year and unite them under a single and completely unique “pixel” concept.” describes the owner of Smarty BRANDS. The appearance of Petr Syruček’s store, which is presented in a black and white combination of the electronics and mobile phone section in the white part and games and IT in the black part. By the end of 2024, the new network will cover all regional cities of the Czech Republic, with the exception of Brno.
Smarty invested not only in stores, but also in new websites JRC.cz and BRLOH.sk. The websites were programmed shortly after the takeover of the network. Unlike the original, it was built with the utmost attention to mobile interfaceease of use, intuitive navigation and filtering. Along with a redesign of all key functions and maximum optimization of both the front-end and back-end software, it features a significantly expanded product range and new important services such as online game shopping, a guide to choosing your own TIGO gaming PC and a TIGO gaming PC bundle configurator tailored to the individual needs and requirements of players. The figures show that the sites have been a success: Total traffic to all sites has increased by more than 50% since the acquisition.
“In the long term, we aim to become clear number two on the Czech market with IT, mobile phones, games and smart electronics, and this acquisition has helped us a lot in this. Last year we finished with a turnover of less than five billion, this year we are planning to reach 5.5 billion crowns. Despite the unfavourable situation on the Czech retail scene, we have managed to maintain the growth rate every year, and JRC and the gaming industry as a whole deserve a lot of credit for this.” Petr Syruček is counting.
“When we announced the acquisition of the chain three years ago, we said that JRC would not disappear. We wanted to develop it further and integrate it into our group. And we followed through. Thanks to the acquisition of JRC, we were also able to expand the range of products and services we offer, for example, we launched a new brand of gaming computers TIGO, including the ability to customize gaming PC kits, to expand the strong position of JRC in the console world and for PC gamers. We see that we have not stepped aside, in the last year alone, its sales have grown at a triple-digit rate.” says the group’s sales director, Rudolf Konecny.
Gaming computers, phones and other TIGO equipment are the most successful products in terms of turnover in the new stores. In terms of units sold, merch and trading cards are clearly in the lead.
At Smarty BRANDS. at the same time they still keep their promise that they will never become a wide shopping gallery. “It’s still true: we only want to sell what we know, what we understand, what we are close to and what we like. That’s why you can’t buy washing powder, coffee beans or dog pellets from us. We are specialists in IT, electronics, mobile devices and games, and we would like to remain so.” adds Petr Syruček.
It is currently listed together on Smarty.cz, JRC and iWant. 40,000 articlesThis number is expected to grow in the future. “But especially vertically within the framework of the categories already proposed.” Petr Syruchek clarifies and adds: “The market situation in our segment has been very favorable for us in recent months. The restructuring and freeing up of market space means an exceptional opportunity for market growth for everyone who is ready for it. And we are definitely there.”
And what’s new in Smarty BRANDS. will focus? Services, their quality and complexity will come first. “Our goal is to comprehensively cover the entire life cycle of our equipment in relation to customers, i.e. from the purchase itself, including various forms of financing, from service and consulting to subsequent purchase and acquisition of new equipment, and all this within the framework of the Smarty Cycle service,” included in the Rudolf Konieczny list.
Systematically also at Smarty BRANDS they are working to have an offer in each of their stores by the end of next year. Comprehensive service on a one-stop basis for Apple, Samsung, PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo brands, expected.
“By the way, this will make us the largest service provider in the Czech Republic in our segment in terms of the number of service points from Karlovy Vary to Ostrava,” says Rudolf Konieczny and adds: “We are also working to effectively expand and change the product categories we offer so that they remain attractive to our customers, but we are also thinking intensively about which areas offer interesting potential for our future growth. But what we are almost certain of is that any further expansions will have synergy with the form and content of what we already do.”
Source :Indian TV
