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Makro has relaunched its two stores in Machelen and Lodelinsart, based on its new store concept. The chain wants to position itself around “good food, party and home”, ceding its electronics division to Media Markt. Both are part of German Metro Group.
Broader audience
“We have reinvented ourselves after forty years and we will now target a much broader audience, which not only includes our faithful customer base, but also new generations of future customers. Our emphasis is on the end user, unlike previously, when we mainly serviced entrepreneurs and SMEs”, CEO Antonio Baptista said. Based on market studies and customer surveys, the chain decided to prioritize certain product categories in order to become “every Belgian’s Makro”.
For its Good Food division, Makro works closely together with its affiliate chain Metro, which only services the hospitality industry. “We will only serve the very best, but obviously sharply priced. We will have products for everyday use, but also more expensive products, but those should be available to everyone at the lowest price possible”, Baptista said.
The customer experience will become a very important part of the chain’s stores, with growers and specialists sharing knowledge and providing appetizers. Makro will also adjust its product range to the customer’s demands and needs: “If someone tells us he likes a particular type of oranges, we will make sure those are available to him as soon as possible.”
Build a(nd) party
For its Party division, Makro wants to present everything for every possible party. “Our market studies show that a Belgian consumer organizes three to seven parties a year, sometimes even as many as ten parties. Clearly, there is a market for a store that provides everything, has parking and could assist them in their preparations.”
The Home division, focused on home construction, renovation and decoration, will help customers out with heavy equipment in its Work Center. It also have storage departments and a range of equipment and home decoration items.
Media Markt
Its consumer electronics division is now a collaboration with Media Markt, which gets a large shop-in-shop in every Makro store. “They are the electronics specialist from now on and we let them handle this entire division. With this product range, our customers can turn their house into a cozy nest.”
The store’s space remains the same but is now implemented differently to better suit the three divisions. It even has space to organize workshops.
Over the next six months, Makro will remodel other stores to fit the same store formula. Machelen and Lodelinsart came first, but Eke and Sint-Pieters-Leeuw will soon follow and Deurne and Alleur will also reopen their doors before the summer.
