Hervis Hungary goes multi-channel in time for Christmas
Austria-based sporting goods retail chain has launched in four countries including Hungary what it calls a “multi-channel sales approach.” The everyday shopper will experience the concept as a way to combine online ordering and in-store shopping in its 27 Hungary-based outlets.
“The concept focuses on the real needs of our customers,” said Hervis Hungary Kft executive director Krisztina Viola. “The multi-channel concept closes the gap between store and e-commerce and is a pioneer in combining the advantages of both types of purchasing into a 21st-century solution.”
The online/offline approach was first test-marketed in the Hervis Future Store in Vienna’s The Mall in November and company executives were apparently pleased enough with the early results to expand the idea to nearly 100 stores in Hungary, Austria, Germany and Slovenia.
The system allows customers to purchase orders from any store in Europe for pickup at a local outlet and exchanges of online purchases are also available regardless of location. QR codes now accompany all items in Hervis shops so that in-shop purchasing and home delivery are possible on a given order.
“We want to show that online sales are a huge, yet untapped, opportunity for the traditional store. The extension of the two [shopping] channels is not only a competitive advantage in digital space but also extends the service range of stores,” stated Viola. She went on to explain that “The launch date was deliberately moved up to the pre-Christmas period to provide customers with a more convenient shopping opportunity.”
For 2012, Hervis Hungary reported HUF 13.3 billion in sales. Viola stated that the company expects double-digit growth for ’13.
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