Jos de Vries The Retail Company

DIY-chains of Netherlands - Jos de Vries The Retail Company study trip

2009-11-17T14:58:00.001+01:00

From 26 to 29 October 2009 Russian retailers were on a business seminar to DIY-chains of the Netherlands.
Business tour was organized by design-bureau Jos de Vries The Retail Company. During the trip we talked with leading DIY representatives and visited the shops. Here we would like to share our observations with you.

About the Dutch DIY market
Market of DIY shops in the Netherlands is considered to be one of the most competitive in Europe. Annual turnover of the country's DIY market is about 10 billion Euros. There more than 450 only chain supermarkets and hypermarkets. And this is on the area slightly larger than the Moscow region and with the population of 17 million people. The situation makes the chains constantly monitor the actions of competitors and to change accordingly. However the retailers who communicated with us say that lately the chains are looking more at each other and not on the market. And difference between brands and formats, as well as between the prices becomes smaller. During the trip we saw these approaches at work.
There are a few general trends: the Dutch DIY chains have a clear organizational structure and logistics. Small, in comparison with Russia range, up to 20,000 items. On the shelves are just the better selling positions. Minimal storage space - to store goods is too expensive, orders are done automatically and delivered with 98% accuracy.

Key players in the market:
Intergamma (Gamma chain and Karwei) 35%
Maxeda (Praxis chain and Formido) 28%
DGN (Multimate chain, Doehand, Hubo) 10%
Hornbach 5%
Other shops - 22%

No doubt that the chains will continue to change. The crisis clearly affects the situation. Experts estimated reduction in turnover by 10%. Some market players adjust the range trying to please the customer - Bicycles and TV`s were not previously included in the assortment. From meetings with managers, we realized that today it is still the price buyers are looking at. And then the best one wins!

Karwei
We visited several stores of Karwei chain. The shop (see the photos) submitted by an area of 4400 sq. meters (including storage), 40 employees, average bill is 40 euro and about 2,200 customers a week.
Several years ago, the chain has made its main assortment decorative rather than constructive. Today, about 50% of the assortment is designed for decoration and home furnishing. The chain is counting on female shoppers and varies from the standard (gray shelves, quiet shades in design) to design - the black heads of racks for promotional items, bright big names of departments, a clear visualization of goods and merchandising.

Praxis
The chain has 138 DIY stores, some of them have a garden center (the objects were bought from a German Marktkauf). We visited several sites including the best in the country in terms of turnover store area of 12,000 sq. + 4.000 meters square. meters garden center. In the year store serves 500,000 customers, average bill is 35 euro. Praxis differs from the other players because it has no own DC, all products come from suppliers, 4 stock employees receive 30 trucks. The store employs 150 staff, a 100 of them have full-time contract. In the sales area chain earns 1,600 euro a square meters in the garden center - 800 euro.

Gamma
Gamma chain making emphasis on the sale of building materials, has opened 158 stores in the Netherlands and Belgium. We visited several sites, including the standard shop Gamma, near the city of Utrecht - the fourth largest city in the Netherlands. In the suburbs of Utrecht before the crisis very extensive building was carried out, which is now according to the prognosis for the next three years will be reduced. Shop area is 5600 square meters. It receives 425 customers a day, average bill is 47 euro. Turn of the shop assortment 2 weeks, the margin is 32%.

Hubo
All the participants of a business tour liked this shop with a small sells area as well as its owner. Chain Hubo operates 200 stores and the work is built on the principle of co-operative union. The central organization makes purchases for the chain and receives the bonus on volume. The chain has dozens of shops, but also private entrepreneurs. They buy the main range from the parent organization and pay 4000 euro per year as a contribution. THE shop we visited has two floors, 800 square meters and is located in a small village, with 15,000 inhabitance. On the first floor of the entire range of Hubo - hardware, spare parts for tools, paint, corners, etc. It is believed that if the master requires a pair of screws Hubo is ideal store for him. Competitors do not sell screws individually. On the second floor the owner arranged its range and services - kitchens, furniture, built-in wardrobes and promotion services for installation, painting, etc. In addition to trading activities, the owner of the shop provides services for painting, maintenance and repair of buildings, cutting wood, and has established links with various specialists to repair.

Hornbach
German chain Hornbach - DIY-the only foreign player in the Netherlands. Now in the country 9 hypermarkets are working. Thanks to the advertising, the buyers got the impression that this is the cheapest DIY shop. In practice this is not always the case. Nevertheless, during our visit there were a lot of buyers.
Hornbach is closest to Russia's DIY shops concept - a wide range 30-40.000 articles, with a high-rise storage racks of commodity stocks. There are several unique features. Trade Hall is divided into 3 parts: immediately after the entrance to the center - a decorative range of products, the right side of the shop - range of construction (and, if a customer buys a large batch or special large door it will be delivered on the special truck to his car to the parking). Left to the building an open garden center is adjusted.

According to our observations, today more than ever the client is focused on price when choosing store. Dutch DIY market is highly saturated with stores. Just in a radius of 5-6 km a buyer finds a competing store, if it is something he disliked in the first. So things are going better for chains that offer an interesting variety and good price.

Irina Bolotova
Jos de Vries The Retail Company
www.josdevries.eu

Job vacancy Jos de Vries The Retail Company: Creative director Branding & Communication

2009-10-05T12:23:00.004+02:00

Jos de Vries The Retail Company develops and realizes international progressive retail concepts with a right balance of creativity and commercial profitability. With conceptual thinking we work on the vision of the clients. This results into the realization of commercial succesfull store formulas with an own identity. Next to the central office in Maarssen (The Netherlands) we have offices in Spain, Germany and Russia.

We are on the search of a Creative Director Branding & Communication.

In this job you will be responsable for the development of the brand strategy and graphic communication for several international accounts in our agency. You work together with other creative directors (3D) to realize a total concept. Internally and externally you will be the contact person for the quality of the proejct as well as the progress of the project. You will manage the project team. Together with the management team you will decide the company vision and the strategical policy in the area of branding and communication. You are responsable for your turn-over, you will play an active role in the marketing and communication of our office. With your unique combination of creativity and commercial perception you are an inspiring partner for our clients and colleagues developing progressive retail concepts.

You will work from our head office in Maarssen (The Netherlands) and your working area will be whole Europe.

Background and education:

Graphical design education at university level
Several years of experience in the world of retail design with project responsability
Inspiring personality with vision and power to convince
Experience with communication on management level
Prepareness to work independently as well as operating in project teams
Knowledge of the European retail market
Strongly developed sense for marketing and communication
Excellent command of spoken and written English and German
Availability to frequent travelling

For more information on our organization check http://www.josdevries.eu. For personal adjustments you can contact Jasmijn Prinssen by telephone +31 346 563764.

We look forward to receive your curriculum vitae and cover letter by e-mail info@josdevries.eu or by post: Jos de Vries The Retail Company BV, Postbus 1194, 3600 BD Maarssen.

http://www.josdevries.eu

Luca FloorFashion store concept focusing on instore communation

2009-10-01T10:11:00.002+02:00

In coorporation with Retail Bouw Management Jos de Vries The Retail Company has designed and developed the first pilot store of Luca Floor Fashion (part of Tegelgroep Nederland). Luca Floor Fashion is the place when you are looking for the latest trends and specials on floors. It has become a store where you can find everything on floors, you can experience, judge and purchase of floors. A true shopping experience: fashionable floors of only sustainable and honoust materials, like ceramic, nature stone of wood, available in many types, sizes and colours. Everything shown from an easy accesible concept. You won´t see bath rooms and kitchens but only special floors.

The Luca FloorFashion store opened her doors last April. The company has choosen for a special image, using instore communication as styling and communication media.
The special instore graphice of the store can be seen directly entering the store (located at the Van Slingelandtstraat in Amsterdam). Above the reception, also the cash collection point, you can see on of the new screens of LG. This LCD screen shows movies related to the brand of Luca Floorfashion.

The heart of the store exists of a catwalk. At the end of the catwalk there is a big projection screen where many different applications can be seen. There are two additional screens inside the store. One of the screens is placed near floor heating, here it shows how the system works. The other screen is placed in the special “creation zone”. Juliëtte Renard, Store Manager of Luca Floorfashion, explains the idea of the special zone “Clients consider it to be difficult to obtain an image of how the floor looks like in their house. We have more than four hundres different tiles in this store and these are all collected in the computer. In the creation zone the clients can look in an interactive manner how the desired floor looks like in their house.

http://www.lucafloorfashion.nl

http://www.josdevries.eu

http://www.rbm-retail.com

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French retailer Casino opens hypermarket focusing on female clients

2009-10-01T09:20:00.000+02:00

French supermarket and hypermarket chain Casino has opened a new hypermarket under the brand name Géant Casino. This new hypermarket is located in the french city of Montpellier. With the design of the hypermarket the retailer is being focused on the wishes and demands of the female customers. The hypermarket has a total surface of 12.000m2 and with the new format the retailer has choosen for a new strategy of the store format. The store opened is hypermarket 115 of the retailer chain.

The new store concept has a different zone for private brands fresh produce. Furthermore there is a female focus on the textile- , household and leisure department, focusing on the price-quality level. The design of the hypermarket focuses on these fresh produce and the non-food products are grouped based on “moments of use”.

Colruyt opens first DreamLand-store in France

2009-09-23T14:18:00.004+02:00

Colruyt opened the 12th of September its first DreamLand store in France. The new store is located in Leers, which is near the Belgian border, close to Roubaix.
The DreamLand store in France is store number 30 of this chain. DreamLand is a daughter of the Colruyt Group. In 1978 this company started as toys store, the DreamLand formula nowadays is a leisure shop concept for the younger and older consumer.

A store concept like DreamLand is a totally new concept for France. In France there are toys stores and hypermarkets, but almost nothing in between. DreamLand has already plans to opens its second store in France, in Douai.

Colruyt is already active in France for several years, with supermarkets and as cash&carry. The chain is known for its low pricing, flat organisation structure and a down to earth mentality, all ingredients for the success of the Colruyt formula.

Jos de Vries The Retail Company developed the current store concept together with DreamLand. The information described below concerns the first store and further roll-out of this store concept. The pictures are from the first renovated store with the new store concept in Belgium.

Together with Dreamland points that needed to be improved had been described, a different routing had to be optimalized with strong focus points and clear entrances.
The check-out zone has been separated from the entrance zone, the client can easily enter the store, also at busy days.

At the DreamBaby-shop the assortiment was beter grouped to easen the search of the consumers. Next to the improvement of the routing and presentation, it was also important to make the new DreamLand identity more recognizable at the facade and inside the store. Together with the client we checked every part of the store. Our client was very realistic about the status and the improvements that needed to take place, a concrete and practical way of working of DreamLand.

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Best practises in green retailing: Tesco supermarkets Carbon Foot Print

2009-09-14T14:05:00.001+02:00

www.greenretailingnews.blogspot.com

Block electrostore new store concept: optimalization of lay-out,routing and instore-graphics

2009-09-07T09:56:00.006+02:00

Block Electrostore is one of the biggest chains of specialized electrostores in The Netherlands and has stores in the whole Randstad. Block is a family owned- company, founded in 1955. The company has 28 stores in 2009 and is managed by the five sons of the founder. Back in 1990 the company developed a store concept focusing on the floor and the ceiling with a light plan. The store concept was succesfull for a longer period, but the company was in need of a new store concept. The store in Hilversum needed an optimalization of the lay-out, routing and instore-graphics. Jos de Vries The Retail Company was asked to develop that.

Entering the new store in Hilversum you can directly see the brand wall, placed above the shelve presentations. The brand wall is a white strip with grey texts and lighted with coloured lights. The clients are better able to find their preferred department, the white goods department is indicated with blue light (refrigerators, washing machines, dryers) and using orange colour the client can see the brown goods department (tv´s, audio and household equipment).

To increase the traceability of the products at the (low) gondolas in the store for some products, sub-groups, indications have been made. This accounts for example for navigation articles, car radios and mobile dvd players. These products are presented next to each other.

To seduce the clients to visit the whole store there are installed “screen bulletins”, these “screen bulletins” (foreseen of LED lighting) shows texts and brand names. By placing these screen bulletins there is more movement and dynamics in the store.

Working together with Jos de Vries The Retail Company resulted into the contact with Retail Bouw Management. A retail design agency and a retail building management company under one roof made the development of the new concept clarifying.

maurice@josdevries.eu // www.josdevries.eu

Homepage BLOG: http://www.jdv-trc.blogspot.com

Best practises in green retailing: Marks and Spencer Plan A

2009-09-04T14:17:00.003+02:00

www.greenretailingnews.blogspot.com

www.greensupermarket.blogspot.com

www.marksandspencer.com

How green can your supermarket be? Part 3 of best practises in green retail

2009-09-04T14:14:00.002+02:00

www.greenretailingnews.blogspot.com

www.greensupermarket.blogspot.com

www.sainsburys.co.uk

How green can your supermarket be? Part 2 of Best practises in green retail

2009-09-03T15:13:00.000+02:00

www.tesco.co.uk
www.greenretailingsnews.co.uk
www.greensupermarket.blogspot.com

How green can your supermarket be? Part 1 of Best practises in green retail

2009-09-02T15:20:00.000+02:00

www.waitrose.co.uk

www.greenretailingsnews.co.uk

www.greensupermarket.blogspot.com

Jos de Vries The Retail Company news overview

2009-08-31T13:42:00.007+02:00

RusPrixAward

Jos de Vries The Retail Company has been rewarded for the results they have obtained in the Russian Market, by winning the RusPrix Award. The RusPrix Award is a prestigious award to stimulate the trade- and socialcultural relationship between The Netherlands and Russia. Jos de Vries The Retail Company, for over 8 years present at the Russian market, is elected as best performing Dutch Small Business company at the Russian market.

De Groene Weg: greenest shop of The Netherlands

The biological chain of butchers De Groene Weg (The Green Road) have been elected as the Greenest Store of 2009 by the Magazine “Green.2”. The winners are companies that do something back for the environment and that are making efforts to reduce the effects on the environment. They look at People, Profit and Planet. The chain makes great effort, internally and externally with their Social Responsability Policy and there Sustainable way of doing business. Jos de Vries The Retail Company has been responsable for the development of the new store concept of The Groene Weg.

Opening smallest candy store of Jamin in The Netherlands

The smallest candy store of The Netherlands "opened" its doors. This store is based in the famous miniature city of Madudoram (The Hague). The well-known chain Jamin, Dutch biggest candy store chain with over 125 years of ago, is developing rapidly. Next to this mini-store, developed by Dutch retail specialist Jos de Vries The Retail Company, the chain is increasing throughout The Netherlands. At this moment the chain has 142 stores and within 5 to 7 years they want to expand to 150 stores.

Retail Bouw Management, part of Jos de Vries The Retail Company Group, is responsable for the construction of these new stores.

Aquié (Grupo Cuevas) finalist World Retail Awards

The Spanish formula Aquié became finalist in last World Retail Awards, in the category “innovative retail concepts”.

The Spanish formula Aquié has been developed by Jos de Vries The Retail Company and is based on a new, modern design, the use of new technologies and a well-balanced assortment of healthy groceries. Everything seen based on Green Retailing. This central point in the company of Jos de Vries The Retail Company has been adapted in this concept by only supplying bio-recycable bags and furniture and lightning (in combination with Microlight and Smeva) selected on the environmental advantages because of the low consumption of energy.

Next to these innovative aspects of Green Retailing the clients can choose from a selected assortment of daily varying fresh and healthy menus (to prepare or prepacked). These products are tested and prepared by the university of Vigo to create an ecological and healthy product assortment.

This fifth generation supermarket is next to the success of being nominated for the World Retail Awards very succesfull with this new innovative concept. They are that succesfull that they opened their 2nd store already (in A Porriño, Galicia). The first supermarket can welcome over 1.250 visitors on a daily base and the turn-over is over 29% higher than the other stores of the Grupo Cuevas.

www.josdevries.eu

Processes of creating a new store concept

2009-08-31T12:14:00.002+02:00

In the last phase of the process of creating a store concept, we make use of a toolbox. This practical toolbox includes instruments required to deliver a complete and discerning shop interior. The toolbox prevents decisions regarding the image of the store from being made at random. These must always be rooted in the framework of the concept.

The instruments in the toolbox are:

Lay-out
Store design
Lighting
Visual merchandising
Instore graphics
Storefront

For more information about using the toolbox, we refer to the book ‘The store manual’, which can be ordered from this website.

Renewed New York Pizza-concept opens doors at Amsterdam Central Station

2009-08-31T10:45:00.008+02:00

Last week New York Pizza opened at Amsterdam Central Station its “Next Generation” retail concept. Within this renewed concept – developed by Jos de Vries The Retail Company – the clients can enjoy how the pizza professionals prepare their desired combination of products. This experience of freshness with the smell of the oven – centrally placed in the hart of the store – plays an important role in the new store concept. The “Personal Pizza” is prepared in a short time of period, with for the clients the ability the see the whole process. Therefore, next to the open kitchen, there is a trendy lounge area to see the preparation process.

The menu is modular and offers, next to the Personal Pizzas, ook Personal Pasta´s & Piadina´s and salads. All the products are tailor-made, just as the client wants to enjoy their product.

The new concept is realized by RBM Retail Bouw Management

The first results are very positive with an increase in turn-over of over 25%

http://www.josdevries.eu/
MAURICE@JOSDEVRIES.EU

The ten golden rules of the ideal store Lay-out

2009-08-27T15:28:00.006+02:00

The ten golden rules of the Lay out

This chapter describes the ten golden rules of the layout design. These rules will provide you with an overview of the main basic requirements for designing a customer-oriented store lay-out.

Rule 1 - Layout = Positioning
A layout is an important positioning tool. You can use the layout to convey to your customers whether your store is a discounter or a chic design boutique. The manner in which you guide your customers in the commercial market is decisive as regards the position you wish to adopt in the overall market.

Customers associate an obligatory guided tour through the store with a discount formula. Therefore this gives you the opportunity to determine how your customers will perceive your store. The very opposite of this formula is an open layout presentation that gives the customer a great deal of freedom of movement. He or she can go anywhere Customers usually associate this layout presentation type with a rather more upmarket shop.

You should also take a clear position in comparison to your competitors and position yourself in the market in a distinctive way. Your layout will not only contribute to clear positioning, but can also serve to emphasise distinction.

Rule 2 - The first impression
The following should be kept in mind as it follows naturally from the idea of the layout as a positioning tool: ‘You never get a second chance to make a first impression’. It is important to give careful consideration to the store's entrance, because it will influence the customer's image of the store.

A large entrance evokes in the customer the notion of an upmarket shopping experience. You will achieve the opposite if you create a small and narrow store entrance, which the customer will associate with a discounter.

Rule 3 - A familiar route
When designing a layout, it is of crucial importance to take into account, at an early stage, the way in which customers will be led through the store. A ‘slightly compulsory tour’ is recommended. You should give the customer the feeling that the route he has taken in the store was his own decision. On the other hand, from a commercial point of view, it is absolutely necessary to lead the customer along all the important departments of the store. Not just for the sake of turnover, but also for the sake of customer satisfaction. There is no greater source of annoyance for a customer than not being able to find the product he or she needs.

Rule 4 - The usefulness of the ‘Layout toolbox’
In principle, a layout should consist of several elements. A well-attuned and changing rhythm ensures not only that the customer feels at ease, but also that he or she takes this pleasant feeling home.

Lines of sight
Lines of sight always run along the aisle; the longer the aisle, the better the customers can see what is at the end of it.

Eye-catchers
Eye-catchers located at the end of the aisle are a highly effective communication tool; examples are: graphic elements, special product presentations or special offers.

Walk routes
To lead the customer through the store, it obviously makes sense to integrate the walk routes; the walk route will then not only lead the customer through the store, but also serves as a reference point.

Dedicated rooms
As early as in ancient times, certain rooms were dedicated to various events; it makes sense to allow for dedicated rooms for different commercial purposes when designing the layout, such as for instance displaying certain special offers.

Space
Creating space in a layout design contributes to the maximum presentation of, for instance, special product groups. Space creates order for the customer and thus leads to a pleasant shopping experience. It is important not to arrange a room in such a way that it becomes small or too narrow, because this will have the opposite effect.

Rule 5 - Keeping the balance between customer and technology
Designing a customer-oriented layout on the one hand and integrating all the technical requirements on the other hand is often a veritable balancing act. Failure to achieve this balance almost always shows in a layout design. Technology-oriented layouts usually take less account of the customer. It is important that all the departments of the business – both sales and technical support – steer the same course. And though no eventual compromise will be reached, what will be achieved is the best solution for all parties involved.

Rule 6 - Layout is 2D, but you need to think 3D!
Any layout design requires that you plan in two dimensions, but a store is experienced in three dimensions. So pay sufficient attention to the height of the shelves, the arrangement of the rooms and the location of the products. Is it difficult for you to imagine a three-dimensional situation? Then try it with small three-dimensional sketches. At any rate, it is important that you are aware of the three-dimensional effects that the two-dimensional decisions can have.

Rule 7 – Arrangement of product ranges in accordance with the customer's wishes
Any arrangement of a product range should meet the logical and explicit need of the customer. Customers are creatures of habit. They do not appreciate having to walk through the store unnecessarily in order to find a particular product. Each industry has its own characteristics and there is not really one single recipe that applies to all industries when it comes to the most suitable
arrangement. To find the best solution, you could make use of the knowledge and experience acquired by other branch stores. Or draw inspiration from the solutions adopted by your competitors!

Rule 8 - Layout is never an isolated factor
It is important to note that layout is always linked to other (construction) elements of a store. For instance, lighting is an important part of a store formula. The lighting will need to be attuned to the layout at the same time as when other details are being planned. Furthermore, there are other factors that affect layout. You should always take into account matters such as location-specific conditions (parking facilities), the other window displays already in place or the height of the rooms available.

Rule 9 – From macro to micro
Initially you should approach a new idea for a store layout with the utmost caution. All too often too much attention is paid to details and this has a negative effect on the essential overall idea. To start with, you should draw up an inventory of the general arrangement of the space and each department's need for space. After that, you can fill in the details such as pillars or emergency exits.

Rule 10 – Location comes first, before the concept
Locations are rarely uniform. The customer base is usually as diverse as the constructional details. A store based on a franchise formula gives you the option of dhering to a strict standard or adjusting the individual store to the specific characteristics of the location. These adjustments should be given a higher priority than the formula. Of course, it is very important to adhere to and implement a formula in the best possible way.

But this is often done at the expense of turnover. Which is why it is advisable to adjust the standardised formulas to the location and not the other way around.

Conclusion
Good layout design is not a science. You cannot make prior predictions regarding the amount of time customers will spend in the store nor the rhythm of customer flow. Fortunately, concept design is still based on common sense and a feeling and passion for retail.

All the points of attention described in this chapter are intended as support. To avoid possible mistakes and to achieve your goal, beginners especially should use the ten golden rules as a guideline.

This article follows on the article about the importance and the purposes of a good store lay-out. To read this article click here. Both texts form part of the book the Store Manual written by Jos de Vries The Retail Company.

The Store Manual (2005)
Jos de Vries The Retail Company has been working his way through the marvels of the Retail world since twenty years. Since the Retail branch on its way to professionalism is developing and also scholarly interest was growing, there still wasn’t a manual.
Jos de Vries The Retail Company has made a definite change in bringing out “The Store Manual” a must for every store.

You can order this manual for € 35,00 (excl. Postage and Package)

The store lay-out: the importance and purposes of a good store lay-out

2009-08-27T15:19:00.004+02:00

A properly structured and intelligently developed layout is probably one of the most underrated characteristics of a successful store formula.

This chapter will provide you with a systematic presentation of ¡the layout. The layout will be discussed from all angles and specified in more detail on the basis of the ‘ten golden rules’.

The importance of good store layout
Why is good layout so important? Is it not sufficient to offer a well-adjusted product range at a good price in the right place? Surveys have shown that one of the most important criteria for customer satisfaction is the ease with which the customer finds his way in the store. Besides, the customer expects to be led along the main departments of the store. Therefore a good layout is a matter of customer satisfaction.

Of course, there are also commercial factors that argue in favour of the importance of a good layout. A good layout provides you with the opportunity of influencing store turnover. The appropriate shelf layout, the arrangement of the product range or a well-thought out spot for special offers all have a direct effect on turnover. So a good layout may very well create a boom in a store's
turnover!

Purposes of the store layout
A good store layout serves many purposes, such as for instance customer flow, the prevention of shoplifting and logistics. The main purposes are discussed in greater detail below.

1 Customer flow
One of the main purposes of the layout is undoubtedly to create smooth customer flow through the store. To achieve this, it is important to create the right balance between fast and smooth (customer) flow on the one hand and provision of space on the other. Creating smooth (customer) flow is necessary in stores that have a high frequency of customer visits. Well-organised routing and sufficiently wide aisles can achieve this.

The danger of too smooth a customer flow is the speed. If the customer is accustomed to walking through a store at a certain pace, it is important to slow down this speed deliberately, effectively and gradually. This can be achieved by means of certain ‘tools’. It does not need to involve a different layout of the available space. It can also be accomplished by a special product range or eyecatchers in the store.

A customer needs some time to decide to buy a product. The purchase of goods from particular product ranges is determined by ambiance. For instance, a customer does not want to be disturbed by other customers when a choice has to be made between two types of lingerie.

2. Prevention
The layout also has a preventive task. The more poorly organised a store, the more opportunities shoplifters have to take advantage of the unclear situation! When developing the layout, precautions can be taken that make it more difficult for shoplifters to steal goods. Examples of this are: not to install the shelves as a poorly organised maze, adjusting the height of the shelves or placing theft-sensitive goods within sight of sales employees.

These are just a few examples. At any rate, both preventive precautions and a deterrent policy can reduce the risk of a negative cash balance.

3. Logistics
You will also want to keep logistics under control. Studies show that the so-called 'final 50 yards' are the highest cost item of the logistics chain. This is where the turnover rate is highest and so are the proportionally increasing staffing costs.

A good layout cannot completely reduce these costs, but it can make them more controllable. Short supply routes, wide aisles where necessary and adjusting the warehouse build-up to the store are important factors that can result in an improvement of the cost structure.

4. Other functions
Naturally, a good layout has other purposes as well. In accordance with the principle that first impressions count, the layout can either attract customers or put them off. A layout can provide solutions or it can complicate matters. A logical product layout will help customers make a decision to purchase, whereas an illogical order creates confusion and dissatisfaction. Depending on the business type and the sales formula, there is an ever-growing need for increased flexibility.

Product ranges change more and more frequently and you want to be able to respond rapidly to seasonal changes. A good layout allows for this. Flexibility is key where the need for space, margin in the market and presentation are concerned.

Please continue to read the article on the golden rules of a good store lay-out. http://jdv-trc.blogspot.com/2009/08/ten-golden-rules-of-ideal-store-lay-out.html

Both articles form part of the book "The Store Manual" written by Jos de Vries The Retail Company.

The Store Manual
Jos de Vries The Retail Company has been working his way through the marvels of the Retail world since twenty years. Since the Retail branch on its way to professionalism is developing and also scholarly interest was growing, there still wasn’t a manual.
Jos de Vries The Retail Company has made a definite change in bringing out “The Store Manual” a must for every store.

You can order this manual for € 35,00 (excl. Postage and Package)

Retail Studytrip New York with VME

2009-08-27T15:13:00.003+02:00

In december 2009 DIE GRUPPE will visit New York City for a six days trend-tour. The trip is oganised in coorporation with the VME (United Furniture Purchasing Organisation) from Bielefeld, Germany and involves more than 30 members. The aim of this trip is to visit the most recent trends and developments in innovative retail concepts in New York City. Besides the interesting store concepts like ABC Carpet & Home, Ethan Allen and Food Emporium, the newest furniture stores in trendy Soho will be visited: the area where the New Yorkers find the interior designers for their trendy lofts, like Droog, Jonathan Adler, Moss, Design within Reach and many other trendsetting designers

Worth a visit
A lunch at Chelsea Market is an absolute must when visiting the Meatpacking District. The newly opened Highline Park is also more than worth a visit. An exiting windowshopping program completes the study trip to the Big Apple.

DIE GRUPPE, a new retail business network
DIE GRUPPE is a new company within Jos de Vries International Holding. The company is building a retail business network focusing on:
Study trips
Seminars
Congresses

The contacts, as a result of the more than 20 years of experience of Jos de Vries The Retail Company, will be grouped in this new, innovative network. DIE GRUPPE is designed after the example of the Dutch network platform FocusPlaza, which has over 300 members.

DIE GRUPPE is operating in German speaking countries and directed by Jos de Vries The Retail Company Germany, the Dortmund office. In 2010 the service package will be offered as a yearly support.

Besides DIE GRUPPE, Jos de Vries the Retail Company organises several workshops, seminars and study trips. These activities are based on actual themes, aiming to spot new trends and to put these to the test. The events often have an international character since the participants come from all over Europe.

Jos de Vries The Retail Company also organises made-to-measure workshops and study trips. If your business is interested in a specific theme or if you would like to study retail developments in a particular country, we will be pleased to make the appropriate arrangements to suit your needs.
For further information please contact Mr. Claus Wester 0049 – 231 94 199 087 or email: c.wester@diegruppe.de

We proudly present: More than 20 years of international retail experience

2009-08-27T11:12:00.004+02:00

Open publication - Free publishing

Program DIY-Study-trip (Russian)

2009-08-26T11:34:00.004+02:00

Jos de Vries The Retail Company is organizing a DIY-Study trip to The Netherlands to see the latest trends and developments in the Dutch DIY-Sector.

Below you can find the presentation (Russian) and on this link you can find the presentation in English.

Open publication - Free publishing - More study trip

Jos de Vries The Retail Company organizes DIY-study trip The Netherlands

2009-08-26T10:24:00.013+02:00

The Russian office of Jos de Vries The Retail Company organizes a study-trip to see the latest trends and developments in the Dutch Do-it-yourself market . There will be a lot of professionals of Russian retail participating but the language will be in English and other participants are more than welcome to join this study-trip.

The study-trip will take place between the 26th and 29th of October.

26 October
Arrival day

27 October

Briefing - Trends in creating concepts of DIY-stores. Best practises in European DIY-stores

The trendpresentation will be given by Nico de Jong - creative director Jos de Vries The Retail Company. Mr. de Jong has big work experience at INTERGAMMA B.V. At Jos de Vries The Retail Company he is the specialist, creating concepts and store fornulas for DIY in Europe and Russia.

Store visits:

6.000 sqm No. 2 DIY retailer in The Netherlands

4.600 sqm visit + manager No. 1 DIY market leader in The Netherlands

4.400 sqm visit + manager No. 3 DIY retailer in The Netherlands

Hornbach, 12.000 sqm German discount retailer in Holland

28 October

Store visits

aprox. 16.000 sqm Best Do-it-yourself center in Holland, in turnover

10.000 sqm New format, opened summer 2009, concentrated on small builders visits to small DIY concepts Multimate, Hubo (1200 sqm and smaller)- specialized store with good service close to clients

Please take a look at our website www.josdevries.eu for further information on Jos de Vries The Retail Company. For questions about the study-trip you can send an e-mail to josdevries@yandex.ru or call the Russian country manager Irina Bolotova +7 905 7182590

Claudia Sträter opens new store in Batavia Stad, the factory outlet shopping center of The Netherlands

2009-08-22T11:39:00.003+02:00

Claudia Sträter opened yesterday its new store in Batavia Stad, the factory outlet shopping center of The Netherlands.

Claudia Sträter recently appeard in the news because The Retail Group Maxeda sold the fashion chain to the Dutch investment group 2Deal Ventures. This investment / consultancy group focuses on small and mediumlarge companies with a high potential. This investment group has over 20 years of experience in different sectors, also in retail. 2Deal Ventures is also involved in the success of the famous Dutch candy store Jamin, with over 150 stores in The Netherlands.
The realisation of the new store of Claudia Sträter was done by Retail Bouw Management, the sister company of Jos de Vries The Retail Company.

Please visit our website www.josdevries.eu for further information on RBM Retail Bouw Management.

Retailtrends in the world of food retail: Innovative beverage departments in supermarkts

2009-08-20T11:27:00.003+02:00

The theme is this month to show some innovative beverages departments in European Retail.

Carrefour - Spain

In this new product presentation in one of the hypermarkets of Carrefour near Madrid, the hypermarket chain adapted to the requirements of the clients. Before the hypermarket was a big area with long aisles of products and the same kind product presentation on standardized shelves. After the change you could see bright, modern aisles, promotion and seasonal displays to attract the attention of the beverage area. Sodas and water products are placed near to the check outs and the aisles have been “broken” so the clients do not have to walk the whole aisle to return.

Globus – Germany
That a beverage department can be very attractive shows the German supermarket Chain Globus. Their supermarket based in Ludwigshafen has been selected as “best beverage department of Germany in 2008”. At an area of 2.200sqm the clients can find almost every type of drink possible. This innovative beverage department has a cooling area, 5 modern recycling points and different tasting areas. The different product groups in this department are communicated with thematic images and action corners. At the entrance the visitors directly find a snack and information corner.

At this link you can find more information on this innovative store concept.

Land Supermarkets – Russia
In its beverage department the Russian Retailer Land Supermarkets (St. Petersburg) is focusing on exclusivity. The products that have been selected by this supermarket chain are premium products, presented in a luxery way. The lighting and creative product displays give the whole store a luxery image. The total assortment of beverages consists of a total of more than 22.000 different products.

Jumbo – The Netherlands
The Dutch softdiscounter Jumbo is famous for its seven claims. One of these claims is the return of money when the same product is cheaper at a different supermarket. This also accounts for the innovative wine department. This wine department, different than other discounters, has a luxery image. With big focus elements and high shelves Jumbo creates the image of low pricing in a pleasant ambiance.

WWW.JOSDEVRIES.EU
MAURICE@JOSDEVRIES.EU

Supermarket of the future: trends and developments in the world of retail

2009-08-17T11:05:00.003+02:00

To form a picture of how things will be in the future, it is first necessary to take a good look at the past, and to ask a number of different questions.
In the past fifty years, have supermarkets undergone an essential change? We monitor such logistical and technological developments as ordering systems, check-outs and ICT. Naturally, going shopping is no longer the way it used to be: the assortment is larger and self-service departments enable the consumer to shop more quickly. However, the actual process of selecting one’s purchases, placing them in a shopping trolley and paying at the check-out has not essentially changed.

Demographic changes will lead to essential changes. In 2020 one out of three individuals will be of pensionable age. As a result of continuing high energy prices, supermarkets will obtain more and more products from the region where they are located, rather than on a global basis. The supermarket’s communication with the customer will become much more important. The origin of products will also increase in importance. Demographic changes will lead to essential changes. In 2020 one out of three individuals will be of pensionable age. Most households will be run by couples who are both earners, and the customer of the future will devote less and less time to running the household. Supermarkets will be the service centres of the future.

The Jos de Vries concept for the future, ORACEL, takes account of these developments. It demonstrates how today’s supermarket will become tomorrow’s service centre for every household need. Children’s daycare centres to pharmacies and plumbing services, the supermarket of the future will offer all of these and many other features. The concept also includes a drive-in counter for picking up the items one has ordered. Electronic developments, such as mobile scanning when checking out, RFID technology for stock taking, as well as selfservice check-out zones will all be as normal as the air we breathe in the shopping process of the future.

www.josdevries.eu

ZOO & Co. Pilot store opened with success

2009-08-13T09:58:00.002+02:00

Jos de Vries The Retail Company developed a totally new pet store concept, with the product being the hero. The beginning of April the completely new store concept opened the doors in Herzogenrath near Aachen in Germany.

In the pilot store of ZOO& Co. Aquatop with a sales area of 1.000 sqm plus 300 sqm outdoor space (for firshes and accesories for fishes) ZOO & Co. worked together with the Dutch retail company Jos de Vries The Retail Company. A new, innovative store concept was developed and realized.

Central theme is the recognition and the strong focus of the ZOO & Co brand, with extra attention for the animal care and animal welfare and the communication to the consumers.

The team of 12 people of this store, could welcome at the first three days after the opening 3.145 paying customers. The start and the months that followed are very promosing. Jürgen Grohs, one of the owners of the ZOO & Co Aquatop-store, explains: „The concept has a clear structure, with a lot of communication at the Point-Of-Sale.” There is an information desk where information and tips can be gathered by the visitors.

The products are presented in an inviting manner, what stimulates the sales of the products. The promotion shelves are ideal to present the offers in an interesting way. The price communication plays in this new concept a more important role, also influenced by the economical recession. The price is not the most important for the formula, the client is looking for the right combination between price, assortment and a animal-friendly presentation of the animals.

Buying experince is in the store of Herzogenrath guaranteed. The shopping experience is not only the store construction, but especially the product which is central and the price worthness of the products. The new developed store concept can be rolled out easilty to other stores of the chain.

The ZOO&Co worked together with the Dutch retail specialist Jos de Vries The Retail Company. Creative Director Günter Bauer of Jos de Vries The Retail Company explains: „Different than a traditional shop fitter, Jos de Vries The Retail Company is able to translate more the story of Product, Price and Emotion.“

New in the ZOO&Co concept are the wall decoration with animal images and brand logos throughout the store with the claim “the best for the animal”. The claim is supported by emotional wall focus points with animal images, experiences and information texts and a service enter.

The furniture is lighted by energy-friendly lighting which varies throughout the day and on the section of animals. Sales shelves are transparent so the client can easily see the total assortment of products.

AQUATOP already has one ZOO&CO in Simmerath and the biggest ZOO&Co in the Euregio in Würselen.
To the clients of Jos de Vries The Retail Company also belong Edeka, Globus, Migros and Jumbo.

www.zooundco.de
www.josdevries.eu

Jos de Vries The Retail Company develops innovative new fashion store: Venca (Barcelona)

2009-08-06T19:58:00.002+02:00

Venca is the market leader in “fashion on distance” in Spain. With over 25 years of experience this company is the specialist in sales of fashion and textile via catalogue and internet. With a turn-over of 145 million euro per year, Venca has a market share of 60% in (clothing) sales on distance in Spain. Since 1988 Venca is part of the Group 3Suisses Internetional, one of worlds leading postorder companies with a customer database of 8.500.000 clients. This group is present in 11 European countries (Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Portugal, Rumania, Slovakia and Spain) as well as in China, Japan, Taiwan and Tunisia.

Venca wants to come closer to their customers with the implemantation of the new multi-channel strategy, this means opening stores in Spain. The first store is located in Calle Balmes, in the city center of Barcelona, close to the famous, central square Plaza Cataluña. This new store is show room as well as pilot-store for the Venca brand, and tries to increase the service to the clients, present the products from the catalogue and stimulate the sales.

For the positioning and implementation of the new concept Venca elected Estrella Fernández (strategic) and Jos de Vries The Retail Company (development and realization of the new concept). The retailspecialist Jos de Vries The Retail Company (with headquarters in The Netherlands and further offices in Germany, Russia and Spain) is one of the leading design agencies in the Spanish and European retail market. In Spain Jos de Vries The Retail Company is well-known for the development of new concepts for Grupo Cuevas and Caprabo (big regional supermarket chains), Coca Cola and Procter & Gamble (POS display solutions) and Forum Sport.

The Venca store faced some drastic changes: the lay-out and the interior design were the focus points at the development of the concept with the products as central point. The entrances were made bigger, making access more easy, a central zone was developed with the theme “fashion you like and which makes you beautiful” and the communication and the brand of Venca was strengthened by the logo communication and the “brand wall” at the entrance. The check-out is placed next to the entrance and the fitting rooms are located at the end of the store, creating strategically routing for the “obligated” points in the store.

Inside the store and in the display window the fashion is presented by extraordinary mannequins, directly at the entrance some mannequins are placed seducing clients to enter the store. This all is well-balanced with the rest of the store. Once inside the store the clients are seduced and guided into new zones and product groups. The lightning presents every group in an attractive way. The warmth and the mediterranean character is represented by the light-brown and yellow colour of the walls, creating an open and pleasant environment.

The end result can be seen as very innovative and a big step forward in the world of retailing, a whole new experience for Venca, a new player in this competitive market.

Please contact Maurice van der Kooij m.vanderkooij@josdevries.eu for further information.





			Venca, fashion Spain

Development of a new store concept for a animal store chain

2009-08-05T10:56:00.003+02:00

Jos de Vries The Retail Company developed a brand new store concept for a pet shop specialist, the company Welke based in Germany. In this article we explain the background, objectives and results of this new store concept.

The company Welke is already for over 100 years specialized in the world of animals, they are located in five different German cities; Dortmund, Bochum, Köln, Duisburg and Lünen. All these locations are big size areas (between 1.500 and 3.500m2) where the animals have a central place. The personell is well qualified and are crazy about animals. The animals are housed in quality areas and where possible a whole experience world for the animals has been created.

The product groups from a pet store consists of water animals, rodents, birds, reptiles and the cat and dog area. Both last groups face strong competition from supermarkets and other selling points selling animal food. To position the company as animal specialist, not only massproducts and technical products is being sold but also a broad and deep assortment of premium animal food products.

The company Welke is franchisee of the Sagaflor Verbundes Zoo&Co company. Central themes in the company philosophy is the welfare of the animal.

Welke asked Jos de Vries The Retail Company to develop a new store concept for the store in Duisburg. Jos de Vries The Retail Company is a well-known organisation in the retail business. Jos de Vries The Retail Company is one European´s leading company in analyzing, designing and realizing shop concepts.

Background of the new concept
Germany is in Europe one of the most competitive markets in animals. Fressnapf is with more than 700 stores marketleader in Germany and the rest of Europe. Untill 2 years ago the Zoo&Co company differentiated itself on this competing market by the central animal care and the wide range of products. With the entrance of Fressnapf XXL and further profesionalization by for example Futterhaus the difference between concepts more and more disappeared.

The company Welke developed in 2007 together with Zoo&Co a new specialized pet store in Frankfurt. This store was elected “most innovative pet store of Germany” at the Petstorecongress.

Next to the development of the new store concept Jos de Vries The Retail Company also developed the new concept of Zoo&Co Systems. They are differentiated by the size (between 800 and 1.000m2) and the identity of the concept.

The objective of the project
A concept like Zoo&Co has the possibilities to combine price and quality and therefor wants to show that. The store design as well as the communication has to share this with the clients.

The new concept of Zoo&Co Welke in Duisburg
The 22th of January 2009 the new market from Zoo&Co Welke in Duisburg was reopened. The first month the store saw an increase in customers (+20%) and turn-over per client (+5,5%).

5 key points on the new Zoo&Co Welke concept

Zoo&Co Welke identity starting points of the project:
- Animal life and animal welfare are the central key aspects of the Zoo&Co identity.
- The presentation of products needs to be maximized, This means for the concept that special offers and normal pricing has to be communicated
- Welke is dynamic and is a pleasant concept for the clients. The store offers a wide range of products and has a high service level. The atmosphere is pleasant and inspires the clients.

Jos de Vries The Retail Company and the change of the Welke ID
The adaptation of these values cannot only translated by a logo, but also in 3-dimensionality. Different from a traditional interior-designer Jos de Vries The Retail Company tells a story, the products, pricing, emotion let the formula speak from a retail-orientated-view. A normal shop-fit company looks more from an architectural point-of-view instead of the retail orientated view of Jos de Vries The Retail Company. (The store has to maximize the sales opportunities). The following fases have been realized to develop this new store concept.

Fase 1: Development of the store lay-out
Mass on the rear side (mainly food) showing the competitive position in the market
Modest presentation, to present the added value of Zoo&Co
Animal housing as natural as possible

Fase 2: Routing
Dog and cat section in the main route starting directly from the entrance
Rodents is the center of the lay-out, showing the experience world of the animals
Impulse and Zoo&Co brand products placed at the exit, to offer clients extra service and seduce clients to do additional purchasing
The main route of the dog and cat section leads to the specialized areas
Focus images help the clients with the navegation throughout their objective area. The focus images contain images of the animals.

Fase 3: Store design
3.1 Focus point
Every department has a clear recognizable focus point presented with the typical Welke-brand

3.2 Gondola shelves
Big gondola shelves at the back at food, rodents and water animals. Small at the smaller shelves with for example accesories

3.3 Shelves
Transparent with good communication pricing. The shelve plan needs to be optimized to maximize the number of products shown.

3.4 Premium
Premium does not have a specific way of presentation

3.5 Focus in shelving and added value
Generally there are 2 options to communicate animal life and animal welfare.
- One technical, well-designed central module let the clients communicate and provides information on maintenance and animal welfare
- Second there is the option to communicate in a vertical position the added value. This last option can also be adapted to communicate market information.

Fase 4: Animal housing
Based on the principle “retailing is story telling”, the material of the animal housing has been selected. The store will communicate with the clients. Based on this the material has been selected. How can you achieve:

- combining the products with the animal housing. (cross merchandising)
- show the clients that it consists of more than just the animal
- explaining the animals and how to best maintain the animals
- adding accesories, make it lively to offer solutions

Fase 5: Communication
Attract the customers to enter the store and help the consumers by signing to easy the shopping.
- Fachade
- Entrance
- Look&Feel
- Focus
- Departments
- Gondola of shelves
- Shelves
- Exit

We created for the Welke concept a different way of communication. The communication not only focuses on the animal but also tries to transfer the emotion and experience. The communciation is placed in image focus, head of shelves and in the for Welke developed brand section.

www.josdevries.eu

www.welke.de

De Groene Weg: the greenest store of the Netherlands 2009

2009-07-31T12:12:00.000+02:00

Themagazine ‘Green.2’ published in its most recent magazine a list of the 200 greenest companies of The Netherlands: The Green 200. The butchers of The Groene Weg, specialists of biological meat / food products are the winner in the Categry Foodies.

Jos de Vries The Retail Company, responsable for the succesfull renovation of the store concept, congratulates De Groene Weg with the award on their green retailing policy.

http://www.josdevries.eu/engels/04_a_food/speciality/html/spec_groene_02.html

Jos de Vries The Retail Company started at LinkedIn the Group Innovative Retail Concepts

2009-07-30T19:46:00.004+02:00

Jos de Vries The Retail Company started the group "Innovative Retail Concepts" at www.linkedin.com for retail professionals to share knowledge and follow the latest trends on innovative (green) retail concepts.

We invite you to join this group and follow the news and to have discussions with other retail professionals.

http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=2120501

Regards,

Maurice van der Kooij

The importance of a good store layout

2009-07-29T08:16:00.003+02:00

Previous articles:
- Developing the store formula: The right combination of creativity and process based development
- The Discovery Phase: Discovery: Evolution or revolution? That is the question
- Translate trends into a successful strategy for the new store formula
- The new store formula: The concept phase, the actual design phase

The store lay-out

The importance of good layout Why is good layout so important? Is it not sufficient to offer a well-adjusted product range at a good price in the right place? Surveys have shown that one of the most important criteria for customer satisfaction is the ease with which the customer finds his way in the store. Besides, the customer expects to be led along the main departments of the store. Therefore a good layout is a matter of customer satisfaction.

Finally, of course, the layout also has an organisational component. Each store has its own best solution for logistics problems. This applies especially to stores with a fast turnover of goods, stores that sell products that are difficult to market or products that take up a large amount of space etc. Defining specific conditions is an absolute necessity for the sale of goods that require a certain (sales) ambiance. And, finally, it is important to keep both customers and sales employees satisfied.

Purposes of the store layout
A good store layout serves many purposes, such as for instance customer flow, the prevention of shoplifting and logistics. The main purposes are discussed in greater detail below.

1 Customer flow
One of the main purposes of the layout is undoubtedly to create smooth customer flow through the store. To achieve this, it is important to create the right balance between fast and smooth (customer) flow on the one hand and provision of space on the other. Creating smooth (customer) flow is necessary in stores that have a high frequency of customer visits. Well-organised routing and sufficiently wide aisles can achieve this.
The danger of too smooth a customer flow is the speed. If the customer is accustomed to walking through a store at a certain pace, it is important to slow down this speed deliberately, effectively and gradually. This can be achieved by means of certain ‘tools’. It does not need to involve a different layout of the available space. It can also be accomplished by a special product range or eyecatchers in the store.

A customer needs some time to decide to buy a product. The purchase of goods from particular product ranges is determined by ambiance. For instance, a customer does not want to be disturbed by other customers when a choice has to be made between two types of lingerie.

2. Prevention
The layout also has a preventive task. The more poorly organised a store, the more opportunities shoplifters have to take advantage of the unclear situation! When developing the layout, precautions can be taken that make it more difficult for shoplifters to steal goods.

Examples of this are: not to install the shelves as a poorly organised maze, adjusting the height of the shelves or placing theft-sensitive goods within sight of sales employees. These are just a few examples. At any rate, both preventive precautions and a deterrent policy can reduce the risk of a negative cash balance.

3. Logistics
You will also want to keep logistics under control. Studies show that the so-called 'final 50 yards' are the highest cost item of the logistics chain. This is where the turnover rate is highest and so are the proportionally increasing staffing costs.

A good layout cannot completely reduce these costs, but it can make them more controllable. Short supply routes, wide aisles where necessary and adjusting the warehouse build-up to the store are important factors that can result in an improvement of the cost structure.

4. Other functions
Naturally, a good layout has other purposes as well. In accordance with the principle that first impressions count, the layout can either attract customers or put them off. A layout can provide solutions or it can complicate matters. A logical product layout will help customers make a decision to purchase, whereas an illogical order creates confusion and dissatisfaction.

Depending on the business type and the sales formula, there is an ever-growing need for increased flexibility. Product ranges change more and more frequently and you want to be able to respond rapidly to seasonal changes. A good layout allows for this. Flexibility is key where the need for space, margin in the market and presentation are concerned.

This chapter is part of the book "the store manual" of Jos de Vries The Retail CompanyThe Store Manual (2005) Jos de Vries The Retail Company has been working his way through the marvels of the Retail world since twenty years. Since the Retail branch on its way to professionalism is developing and also scholarly interest was growing, there still wasn’t a manual.Jos de Vries The Retail Company has made a definite change in bringing out “The Store Manual” a must for every store. You can order this manual for € 35,00 (excl. Postage and Package)

How does a green retailer look like?

2009-07-28T13:22:00.003+02:00

Is your company acting green? What is the influence of fair-trade products in your assortment? How and what can your company improve to be the green retailer you want to be?

Jos de Vries The Retail Company always tries to look for the green solution, designing new store concepts thinking about the environmental benefits this can generate. Jos de Vries The Retail Company wants to share its experience in green retailing with you, know your opinion and give an insight in the latest news, trends and developments in Green Retailing. We try to give an insight in the developments of international retailer in green retailing.

Therefor Jos de Vries The Retail Company launched 3 green blogs:
www.greensupermarket.blogspot.com
www.fairtraderetail.blogspot.com
www.greenretailingsnews.blogspot.com

We invite you to take a look at these websites and share your opinion and news facts with us.

Dutch retail formula Organic “Food For You”

2009-07-28T13:19:00.001+02:00

Dutch retail specialist Jos de Vries The Retail Company developed a new concept for a biological retail concept. The Organic concept is born out of the will to offer a cualitative assortment of (fresh) biological products. Organic wants to be a source of knowledge and inspiration for conscious consumers who are searching delicious and responsable (biological) eat and drinks products. Organic is the expert in biological products and wants to share this information with the consumers. The best biological components and meals have been selected to prepare your creative and healthy meal at home.

Unique and different biological retail concept
The challenge to translate this philosophy to an unique and different, modern store concept with an own brand, logo and identity was the starting point for Jos de Vries The Retail Company. Recognizability and attraction of the logo is very important for a store formula. The designed logo translated the characteristics of the retail concept, trendy, delicious and biological, this is supported by the olive colour and the form. This can also be seen at the packaging of their own private brand label.

Having fun doing biological shopping
The focus in the assortment is on fresh products. The best fresh assortment (varying per season), authentical, pure of origen and honoust prepared can be found in the Organic stores. The lay-out of the store is different than a traditional supermarket lay-out, the fresh departments are integrated in a dominating island, placed in the middle of the store.

Dominating instore product presentation
The choice of material translated the character of the formula, it is pure and authentic. The shop design elements are minimal to let the products play a dominating role in the store, combined with warm lighting.

ORGANIC (NL)
www.greensupermarket.blogspot.com
www.fairtraderetail.blogspot.com
www.greenretailingsnews.blogspot.com

Jumbo Supermarket Chain developed by Jos de Vries The Retail Company

2009-07-27T11:31:00.003+02:00

Jumbo (the Netherlands)

Jumbo is a fast growing, succesfull in the Dutch retail market. The family-run company is heading towards a turnover of 2.00 billion euros this year, a five times as much compared to the 400 million in 2002.The number of stores has grown steadily over this period. While the company only had 36 stores in 2002, that number has grown to 121 at the end of 2008.

Jumbo’s secret, according to Director Frits van Eerd, is staying very close to the customer. Our formula is designed around the customer, not dreamt up first and then tested on consumers to see if they like it. Since the start of the developement of the Jumbo formula Jos de Vries The Retail Company has been responsable for the development of these 120 new stores and involved by the realization of these stores by doing the project management.

The current formula for Jumbo, founded in 1921 as a wholesaler of colonial goods, was introduced in 1996, making Jos de Vries The Retail Company and Jumbo working for over 15 years together. Jumbo’s growth ambitions remain strong. The supermarket chain opened 4 new stores in 2008, and a further 10 are already being developed for this year.

The company currently has a roughly 5 percent market share, that they hope to expand to 6 or 7 percent. The “Every Day Low Prices” supermarket chain has an extremely high turn-over of €200,= per week.

Development of Spanish supermarket concept of Caprabo

2009-07-26T18:22:00.004+02:00

Caprabo (Spain)
The Barcelona based company Caprabo, this year 50 years old of age, currently has around 500 supermarkets in Spain. The mayority of these supermarkets is located in the province of Catalonia.

In 2006 Caprabo and Jos de Vries The Retail Company agreed on the development ofnew multiformat store concepts: Caprabo Periferica (hypermarket), Urbano (city-format and convenience

The first new store model, located in the Shopping Centre L´Illa de Barcelona, a pilot program was developed with a firm commitment to fresh departments, fruits, vegetables and fish.

The idea of the formula was to transform the shopping experience into a quick, convenient and functional one for the client by strengthening its offer of fresh produce. In order to do this, and in contrast to standard retail practice, the fruit and vegetable shelves are the first ones to greet visitors to the store directly after the checkout area. Another new feature is the height of the shelves themselves, which are lower than usual and more accessible. Illumination plays an essential role in all of this adding quality to the atmosphere of the whole area.
The pilot store has been divided into three areas: fresh produce directly entering the store, packed products, wine cellar and perfumery at the back and household accesories on the right. The total area of this supermarket was 5.000 square meters. After the succesfull opening of the pilot store, Caprabo to decided to (re)built new and existing supermarkets into the new concept.

Eroski Group, number 3 in Spanish food retail market, purchased in 2007 75% of the shares of Caprabo. Both formulas work together with brands and image but maintain their own formulas.

www.caprabo.es
www.josdevries.eu

Jos de Vries The Retail Company: Retailing needs change

2009-07-23T15:47:00.001+02:00

How to transfer to the fifth retail generation?

By Christiaan Rikkers, CEO of Jos de Vries The Retail Company

Without doubt, the current financial crisis will change consumer behaviour and shopping patterns at unprecedented rates. Retailers, who want to survive, will have to radically rethink their position and strategy over the coming period. Inevitably, the key-phrase in this process of change will be ‘how to stay connected with my customer’.

How, as a retailer, is it possible in these difficult times to identify with customers and serve their changing requirements effectively? Retailers who wait for customers to come to them to share their new ideas, will probably have missed the boat. Retailers therefore, should be proactively seeking out customers and trying to understand their changing needs.

So get out there and find out what they want, take it back to your store tomorrow and … explain how much you care and demonstrate your willingness to help.

That economic and social trends impact on retailing is, of course, nothing new. The retail industry is influenced by social change like no other. Developments taking place today define the behaviour of the shopper tomorrow, the reason why the retail sector is often run on a day-to-day basis. Successful retailers however, know that day-to-day operations have to take place within the framework of a long-term strategy.

With the consumer being bombarded with a constant flow of bad news, formulating a long-term strategy is no easy task. To do this effectively, it is necessary to understand the development of the retail business and to look at it retrospectively. Current developments in retailing can be defined as the transformation from the third to fourth generation concepts. This change is already underway, but the process is being stepped up by current economic developments.

Retail generations
The traditional small-sized corner shop was the first generation in retailing. These ‘Pappa and Mamma stores’ had a strong social relationship with the customer.
This first retail generation was the first stage in the disassociation of producer and consumer. Before that, producer and retailer were one and the same: the baker sold his own bread and the farmer sold his own vegetables at market.

Later, in the second retail generation, the first supermarkets evolved. The direct social relationship between retailer and consumer disappeared. Now price, product range and location became the determining factors connecting customers with the store.

In the eighties and nineties, third generation retail concepts began to develop. Retail marketing was introduced; from store concept to store brand. The store focused on its own customer-base and, with the right communication and concept, a strong store identity was created to differentiate itself from the competition. Many retailers are still engaged in the process of store-brand creation and market differentiation.

A few retailers are now entering the fourth retail generation: multi-format concepts. This means that they are targeting individual consumers using different formats, at different locations and a different times of the week. Segmentation is the keyword in this process of change. It goes without saying that retailers entering the fifth retail generation - multi-format and multi-channel - are few and far between.

In this fifth generation, the retailer has almost total control, optimising management of the complete flow of goods from producer to customer … and in doing so, they are closing the circle: industry and retailer are almost synonymous once again.

Having to change to stay the same

Retailing is about running the day-to-day operations, especially in such turbulent times as today … but always based on a long-term strategy. This long-term strategy is not as difficult as it may seem. Just determine the stage of development your company is at, compare this to overall developments in the retail industry and connect up to these developments.
Join the fourth retail generation now and, when you’re ready to take the leap, go for the fifth generation - multichannel and multiformat - and take total control!

Long live the LED: From LED lighting to full-service system

2009-07-23T14:49:00.001+02:00

Retail Bouw Management A construction agency is an important link in the development of a retail formula. Project agency Retail Bouw Management provides full service.

It does everything it can to support and guide the construction and remodelling of a store, store interior or chain. This executive task is the most visible aspect of the job, but RBM’s role as an advisor is becoming increasingly important. The average retail cannot keep up with the demands, regulations, licenses and innovations in the construction field.

Taking a load off your shoulders We are faced with ever more legislation and regulations for environmental issues, energy, noise pollution, fire safety and associated areas. We can quite safely state that as a construction agency, we take the load of these requirements off our clients’ shoulders. First of all, we know what we need to take into account. Second of all, we anticipate social developments and take care of licenses, applications, etc.

Energy-efficient and environmentally friendly construction

For entrepreneurs, corporate social responsibility goes beyond selling organic meat or non-sweatshop clothing; it’s also about the building, the store and human resource policies. Just like the fashion and marketing sectors, eco is ‘hot’. One of the innovative aspects of our work at the moment is ecologically friendly construction and energy efficient operation.

A hot button issue is chilling of dairy products in stores. These open systems lead to a great deal of energy loss. We are already anticipating new regulations and considering the options together with the retailer and the cooling systems suppliers.

For example, in 2009 we will be working on a chain of supermarkets that operates almost entirely on regained energy. The heat generated by cooling, air-conditioning

and other systems is recaptured and reused.

RBM is at an advanced stage of preparations for a new retail formula where the entire building is built in an environmentally friendly way, with heat recapture, environmentally sound décor and eco-focused product offerings. These are innovative, challenging products

Long live the LED

Lighting energy use is a hot topic. Lighting is crucial for creating the right atmosphere and drawing attention to products within a store; it’s part of the store design. It’s also an expensive element due to the energy consumption.

LEDs are making more and more possible. While more expensive to purchase, the energy consumption is far lower and the lifespan much longer. They also offer new opportunities in terms of function.

Development of new hypermarket concept of Mercator Slovenia

2009-07-23T10:40:00.002+02:00

Mercator (Slovenia)
For the better understanding of the concept a short remark about the features of the retail market in Slovenia and the formula itself. The former Yugoslavian republic has always been in a special position being located closest to Italy and Austria, under the strong influence of culture and technology from Western Europe. After the turbulent 90-ies the country began to change very rapidly and absorb the European approach to building a commercial business. Today Slovenia is a country with a 2 million people population, a small, very competitive and fast growing retail market. Over the last 15 years the market didn´t show not only chains of all formats but also a good infrastructure and the European approach to business. Hypermarkets have already started to open 10 years ago and chains gained considerable experience in working with this format.

Mercator - is the leading chain in Slovenia with a 45,8% market share, and one of the most important players in the countries of former Yugoslavia. The company owns approximately 1.200 stores and works in multiple formats - hypermarket, supermarket, discount and «c-store». In addition to food products lines the chain operates in the direction of non-food, selling cosmetics, electronics, items for home decor, clothes. The chain has unique experience in the absorption of 25 retail companies and a good annual growth in sales (about 18%) and turnover of 2.06 billion euro a year.

Today the chain operates 17 hypermarkets with trade area from 5.000 to 12.000 m2. Thanks to the experience of working with food and non-food category the concept of a hypermarket is formed and is effective. Mercator has a clear strategy for business and brand development. The chain relies on the development of loyalty programs, develops new services - such as Healthy life club. For the format of hypermarket an experience in working with food as with non-food - textiles, a group of «home decoration» makes a special advantage.

Today those hypermarket chains are leading, which effectively manage the non-food part of the assortment, organize effective seasonal purchases, promo.
In 2006 Mercator rebuilt one of its hypermarkets and for the development of lay out, design and communication concept Jos de Vries The Retail Company was responsable.

The trade area from Mercator has increased from 6000 to 8000 m2, the shop demanded a new, modern concept and lay-out, but given the already existing infrastructure. The chain wanted to make the supermarket more up to date, comfortable, increase the proportion of own label products in the volume of sales.

Additional 2000 m2 were added on the right side of the building and were scheduled for placement of non-food goods and home decoration. Area of fresh products - fruits and vegetables, breads and pastries, meat, cheese – became the center of the hypermarket. We believe such a lay out plan is effective, since these product categories are most profitable for the chain and the main focus to be made on them, giving most passable areas. High quality products - gastronomy, tasty bread, meat and fresh fish - this is what the customer looking for. For the grocery, or as they are known in Europe - must articles - water, beer, toilet paper, the customers will always reach, so they are appropriate in the back of the room.

www.mercator.si

www.josdevries.eu

Opening new library concept "The Ideal Library"

2009-07-23T10:21:00.003+02:00

Last Tuesday 21st of July the library of Zwolle (The Netherlands) opened its doors of the totally new library concept. A couple of months ago 2 library service organizations started to work together and they wanted to have a development of the most seductive library of The Netherlands, the ideal library concept.

The network of “Overijsselse Bibliotheken” and Probiblio wanted to act more as a retail company to maintain the clients and to attract new customers. This retail concept included a logical lay-out, grouping of books, good presentation of the books and some interative screens to select your preferred books. The concept was developed by Jos de Vries The Retail Company and brings the visitors to different book worlds, where they can find different groups, from romance to education. Retail Bouw Management partner of Jos de Vries The Retail Company in project management, was responsable for the construction of this new “ideal library concept.”

www.josdevries.eu

Development of Dutch supermarket concept CoopCondis

2009-07-22T08:52:00.005+02:00

The CoopCodis organization is based on an intensive cooperation between the organization and the members. CoopCodis currently consists of 180 Coop supermarkets in The Netherlands. For over 10 years CoopCodis and Jos de Vries The Retail Company work together developing multiformat stores for the three different formulas: Coop Supermarkets, SuperCoop stores and the Coop Compact neigbourhood stores. The development of the store concepts include the logo-designs, uniforms and the price communication strategy.

The best of both worlds
By the time of the creation of a new concept, the chain already had 50 stores in two formats: city stores mostly franchised COOP Compact (300-400 m2 7000 titles), supermarkets and COOP (600-1500 m2, 10 000 titles). The new situation on the market dictated an approach, based on the aggressive and competitive pricing concept, which will be valid during at least next 10 years. Dutch and German retailers have a good tradition - before they start to develop a new format, or concept, they explore, watch and analyze the experience of colleagues from other countries.

The idea of a new concept was born during a business trip of the top management of companies COOPCodis and design bureau Jos De Vries The Retail Company to the UK. «We can sell high-quality products and offer low prices! Original lay out, communication and design will help to combine «incompatible» », - was a decision. Indeed, the idea was to define the concept for the new format of the chain supermarkets SuperCOOP (stores from 1000 m2., 24 000 titles). The concept combined two worlds - the best in quality fresh food and best price dry groceries, frozen and non-food. Pay attention to the layout: the customers enter the zone of fresh, high quality products. Here, through design, directed light, visual merchandising a market atmosphere is created.

By the entrance the customer is welcomed with the smell of fresh backed bread from bread department. In Holland, bread department is often placed at the entrance; it immediately wakes up the appetite and «helps» the hungry customer to purchase more goods. Incidentally, in the Dutch supermarkets under 1000 m2. trying not to do a full production cycle. In first place, because of the high rent for the additional meters and besides, everything delivered ready for sale, packed, or convenient for the final preparation. Therefore, bread is backed from frozen prefabricates, but the illusion of a fully fledged bakery is there.

Then the customer meets the fruit and vegetable abundance, organized with the help of standard plastic storage containers. By the way, a low cost was one of the goals of this project. Investments are 20-25% lower than by the opening of new shop in the old format (approximately 1000 euro per square meter). In the corner of «fresh» part of the store, customers will find meat and meat prefabricates. In a small 15 m2 room, two butchers prepare meat products. They take out of freezer pieces of meat cut it marinate or turn into mincemeat. For the customer this is another sign of quality and trust factor – meat is just cooked.

The idea of a fresh world design was the creation of warm atmosphere. Therefore used directed lighting, warm colors in the design and communications. Look at the posters on the walls in the department of cheese, bread, fruit - they create the impression that the shop is full of goods and the choice is big. Posters illustrate the products indicate and underline the goods itself. The second part of the supermarket - a zone of low prices - opens to the customers when they exit fresh area. Here they enjoy the atmosphere of good discounter. Design and appearance are quite different here - cold light, high racks for dry grocery and non-Food, red gondola end with a bright promotional price. All this gives the signal to the customer – it is cheap here!

This new concept SuperCOOP pleased the customers very much - on the one hand, they are buying quality products, on the other – leaving the store with a full sense of buying cheap. Thanks to a new concept, launched in the first three SuperCOOP stores, they are now 39 of these kind of supermarkets. And all this in a small, very competitive country, with no unreached places left. The success of the concept of two worlds shows itself in figures- before the concept change the turnover from 1 m2 per week was 120 euro. Turnover attributable to fresh food, was 45%. After introducing a new concept: the turnover from 1 m2 per week is 150 euro and the turnover of fresh products is now equal to 55%.

www.josdevries.eu

Jos de Vries The Retail Company company presentation

2009-07-21T15:08:00.004+02:00

Click on the link to open the company presentation of Jos de Vries The Retail Company or send an e-mail to Maurice van der Kooij (maurice@josdevries.eu) for the presentation.

The development of convenience store concepts in Finland

2009-07-19T16:39:00.003+02:00

Suomen Lähikauppa has three retail chains: Siwa, Valintatalo and Euromarket. Each of these has their own unique character, but they all have their local store philosophy in common. They all want to be close to their customers. This is also the Finnish translation of the name Lähikauppa.

Suomen Lähikauppa (beter known under the former name Tradeka) has 760 stores in Finland, with new ones constantly being established. Finland's most popular local store, Siwa, has some 550 stores, and the number of Valintatalo stores is just under 200. Euromarket, with its more extensive product range, operates in 23 locations around Finland.

Jos de Vries The Retail Company and Lähikauppa have been working together for over 8 years now, developing and improving the three different concepts Siwa, Valintatalo and Euromarket.

www.josdevries.eu

Spanish supermarket chain Aquié Grupo Cuevas example for innovative and green retailing concept

2009-07-18T22:36:00.002+02:00

Grupo Cuevas is a famous Spanish chestnut manufacturer, who had the wish to develop a new innovative supermarket concept in the region of Galicia, especially in the Ourense Area, next to their 25 supermarkets. Together with Jos de Vries The Retail Company the formula Aquié has been developed during in 2008 which was based on a new, modern design, the use of new technologies and a well-balanced assortment of healthy groceries. Everything developed thinking of the trend on sustainable Retailing. The company only supplies bio-recycable bags and when the client brings his own bag the client gets a small reward from Aquié. The furniture and lightning was selected on the environmental advantages because of the low consumption of energy.
Next to these innovative aspects of Green Retailing the clients can choose from a selected assortment of daily varying fresh and healthy menus (to prepare or prepacked). These products are tested and prepared by the university of Vigo to create an ecological and healthy product assortment and offering meal solutions for the customers.

This fifth generation supermarket of Aquié directly was very succesfull with this new innovative concept. They are that succesfull that they opened their 2nd store already (in A Porriño, Galicia). The first supermarket could welcome over 1.250 visitors on a daily base and the turn-over is over 29% higher than the other stores of the Grupo Cuevas.

The supermarket concept of Aquié has been choosen as one of the most innovative new retail concepts in the world during the recent World Retail Awards in Barcelona.

Sustainability - should it be just about "green" products or should we focus on sustaining our generations?

2009-07-15T21:03:00.001+02:00

By Kyle Howell - VIP Recruiter at NWA Green Expo

Most of the topics and discussions about Sustainability are always focused on products or services related to making products more sustainable. I have been working on planning for the 2010 NWA Green Expo and had a meeting today with a non-profit called Teen Action Support Center. This was an eye opening experience that led me to this discussion.

Sustainability is not just about the "greening" of products or our habits, but it also is about taken care of our generations to ensure they are aware and able to take care of the environment. There is always a human side to everything we do. Now, the NWA Green Expo will be partnering with the Teen Action Support Center to create an overall expo that addresses products/services for both the earth and human benefit.

I would like to know what your thoughts on this are and if you have already seen this type of partnership in action, let me know some tips on how to make it successful. Now, to advertise the expo. The expo is hosted by the Bentonville/Bella Vista Chamber of Commerce. It will take place on April 30th - May 1st, 2010, in Bentonville, AR. I am currently trying to sign up keynote speakers, so if you know any or are aware of companies that would be willing to sponsor such speakers, please contact me at kyle.howell@wal-mart.com.

Latest trends and developments in retail: Retail Magazine of Jos de Vries The Retail Company

2009-07-07T19:35:00.004+02:00

The Retail Courier is a periodical from Jos de Vries The Retail Company. In this Periodical we inform you about the latest trends and developments in the Retail area in The Netherlands and in other Countries. Herein we also discuss the most recent Projects from Jos de Vries The Retail Company and there are a number of interesting subjects like Instore-Communication, Lighting concepts, etc.

Spanish supermarket chain Condis focuses in green retailing by using electric delivery van

2009-07-07T15:21:00.000+02:00

The Spanish supermarket chain Condis gives a new impuls to sustainabilty in retail. The last result is the introduction of the electric delivery van, delivering the internet orders at home. The initiative will be tested first in the region of Barcelona, but there are plans to adapt it also to the rest of the stores in Spain.

The new ecological delivery van reaches a maximum speed of 80 kilometer per hour and has a reach of 160 kilometer with an availability of 2 tons of weigth. The recharge point is located at the central office in Montcada I Reixach (province of Barcelona), where the chain also placed 200 sun panels and biodiesel tank for the current vans.

At this moment the Condis Group posesses 20 delivery vans in the metropolitan area of Barcelona to deliver the internet orders at home. The new delivery van, being the first food distributor in Spain, will not be added to the current number of delivery vans but will replace the traditional ones. The big advantage of this new delivery van is that there is no emission of CO2, next to the lower costs in maintenance there the motor is more easy to repair.

Condis supermarkets are located in Catalonia and in the centre of Madrid, with 193 owned supermarkets and 224 franchisers. In 2008 the Condis Group made a turn-over of 762 million euros.

Trends in retail marketing: marketing for singles

2009-07-05T15:50:00.005+02:00

Retailtrends from all over the world. This item appears monthly in the German magazine for food professionals Rundschau für den Lebensmittelhandel and Jos de Vries The Retail Company is responsable for the articles where the latest trends on the different topics are presented.

The theme we would like to present this time is “single-marketing”. The increase of single families is every year higher and higher, this leads into increased interest in convenience. Below you can find some examples of how international food retailers adapt to this retail trend.

Trader Joe´s (United States)
Lifestyle-convenience for an honoust price is the successful motto of the American supermarket specialist Trader Joe´s. In the cities this supermarkets focuses on convenience, the assortment, the lay-out of the supermarket and the service-aspect. Employees wear hip hawaii-shirts and just as the decoration of the supermarket it gives the image of a relaxed life-style.

Albert Heijn To Go (The Netherlands)

The Dutch marketleader recently launched some new supermarkets concepts; Albert Heijn to Go and the new Albert Heijn to Go XS (Extra Small). With these formulas Albert Heijn has choosen for comfortable meal solutions in a premium-quality, fast and fresh. The smallest Albert Heijn to Go XS (located at the train station Rotterdam Alexander) has a big assortment focusing on the single / single-travelling consumers with the big assortment in sandwiches, paninis, drinks and fruit&vegetables in practical, small packages.

Louis Delhaize Brussels Airport (Belgium)

The new “Shop&Go”-formula of the Belgian retailer Louis Delhaize created an assortment that focuses on the demands of the passengers, visitors and employees of Brussels Airport Zaventem. (convenience, speed and assortment). Stewardess can buy new socks, passengers can buy dvd´s for on the road and if the refrigerator is empty you can find your fast and healthy food before to return home.

Ipercoop (Italië)
Ipercoop in Italy focuses on the wishes and demands of the single consumers. In Bologna this Italian supermarket chain offers a wide range of ready-made-pizza and pasta products. The assortment is supported by punctual focused lighthing, handwritten offers and a well-balanced fresh assortment.

Contact data:

Jos de Vries The Retail Company BV

Safariweg 6-11

3605 MA Maarssen

P.O. Box 1194

NL-3600 BD Maarssen

The NetherlandsTel. : +31(0)346 - 563764

Fax : +31(0)346 - 572722

maurice@josdevries.eu

Retail trends in food: Convenience stores, c-store concepts

2009-07-03T16:25:00.005+02:00

Retailtrends from all over the world. This item appears monthly in the German magazine for food professionals Rundschau für den Lebensmittelhandel and Jos de Vries The Retail Company is responsable for the articles where the latest trends on the different topics are presented.

A big number of consumers is looking for saving time and convenience at the hour of shopping, preparing the meals and consuming the meals. Convenience is the key word. This articles therefor explains some of the latest trends in convenience store concepts in the European food sector.

Tesco (United Kingdom)
"Food to Go" is now not only symbol for prepacked meals if you ask today´s consumer. The British supermarket chain Tesco, famous for their convenience store concept, does not only offer prepacked meals and ready-to-eat sandwiches, but also prepares these fresh-made meals in the supermarkets. That the clients can see, smell and taste the freshness of the meals gave a good impulse in sales of the convenience articles.

IKI (Lithuania)

A topic what generates a lot of discussion in the food retail sector is the theme of self scanning in supermarkets. In Lithuania it is very common to self scan your products in the supermarkets. In the supermarkets of IKI (In English: Hello), one of the most important players in Lithuania with over 200 supermarkets, the clients can choose between self scanning or paying at the traditional check-out. The self-scanning they can do with the customer loyalty card or credit card. Here you can see that mayority of the consumers already use the option of the self-scanning service.

Holiday Classic (Russia)
"Ready to eat" with this concept clientes are being seduced by the Russian supermarket chain Holiday Classic. Fresh presented ingredients are being prepared instore. For the chain the change into convenience en fresh concept resulted in an increase of customers with over 30%.

Jumbo (The Netherlands)
Cheap, friendly personell, good assortment, fresh products, fash shopping and money-back warantee, these are some of the 7 warantees of the Dutch supermarket chain Jumbo. If not all the check-outs are occupied, the fourth client in waiting row can obtain the value of their shopping for free. All these warantees resulted into success, new stores are being developed and for the 5th year in a row the supermarket chain has been choosen “best supermarket chain of The Netherlands”.

Contact data:
Jos de Vries The Retail Company BV
Safariweg 6-11
3605 MA Maarssen
P.O. Box 1194
NL-3600 BD Maarssen
The Netherlands
Tel. : +31(0)346 - 563764
Fax : +31(0)346 - 572722
maurice@josdevries.eu

Click here to visit the homepage of Jos de Vries The Retail Company.

Retail trends in food: Senior marketing in supermarkets

2009-07-03T16:18:00.001+02:00

Nah&Frisch (Germany)
Wine, beer, water or juices, everything in the Nah&Frisch supermarket in Karlsruhe is also available in small formats. The chain Nah&Frisch adapts to the differing demands of the senior consumers. In Karlsruhe, with competition of for example the Aldi, the supermarket is very successful. The last year this supermarket obtained the award “ supermarket with most senior friendly service “.

Sainsbury´s (United Kingdom)
The British supermarket chain Sainsbury´s is very active in marketing for senior people. With pictures of smiling older people (and junior) the supermarket communicates that everybody is more than welcome. The image obtained with this publicity campaign is that there are no boundaries for the different generations and that for everybody the right articles are available.

Easy 24 (Norway)
The Norwegian supermarket Easy 24 created an own “best-age”concept. The convenience concept offers meals which are very suitable for senior peole, they are able to do the shopping with special shopping cars. Furthermore the supermarket organizes activities and projects for older people, for example cooking classes.

Coop (Italy)
The Italian supermarket chain Coop involves the senior clients directly with the supermarket concept. Entering the store they directly see a smiling senior with additional welcoming information text. Next to a special assortment, focusing on the senior clients, the clients can also buy there medicins, do their banking and book a trip. At Coop all the seniors can do all the shopping under one roof. Everything supported with good readable texts and signings in the supermarket.

WWW.JOSDEVRIES.EU

Retailtrends in the world of food retail: sales of cosmetics in the supermarket

2009-07-03T15:31:00.003+02:00

Mercator (Slovenia)
The biggest problem of big superficies in supermarkets are the atmosphere and orientation. Mercator focused a lot on these points realizing the new hypermarket concepts (realized by Jos de Vries The Retail Company). Creating extra ambiance, focusing with spot lightning and a good lay-out, the food clients find their way to the non-food section. Next to the correct lightning concept, Mercator uses a lot of colours, smells and ecological construction materials to point out their cosmetics department.

Carrefour (Spain)
The French hypermarket chain developed hand in hand with Procter & Gamble a project to stimulate the sales of cosmetics in their hypermarkets. The project was leaded by Jos de Vries The Retail Company and the main objective was to optimalize the men section inside the cosmetics department. Special shelving plans were developed to attract the men to the cosmetics department and increase the sales of the cosmetics (like for example shaving creme and perfume) of Procter & Gamble and the other manufacturers.

Kozmo (Croatia)
It is not necessary to have a big cosmetics department in the supermarket, but also smaller departments can work out well, as we see in the supermarkets of Kozmo in Croatia. With a restyling of the concept, a new 150m2 cosmetics department was created with a more modern design and a broader assortment. The results of this first new restyling-operation was the increase of sales in cosmetics with over 30%, in a short time of period.

Loblaw (Canada)

The sales are not only generated by food products but also by nonfood products as we see at Loblaw in Canada. Loblaw is the market leader in Canada, famous for the high standard of design, high quality and the big assortment of food and nonfood products. The cosmetic products play an important role, for the turnover but also the profitability, resulting in some stores into a cosmetics department of up to 10.000m2.

WWW.JOSDEVRIES.EU

Trends gourmet stores – innovative retail concepts

2009-07-02T22:08:00.001+02:00

Barrrique (Germany)

Barrrique Feincost directly shows entering this gourmet, where they want to stand for, everything focused on delicatessen, varying from many international different types of wine till fresh brewed beer, including experienced knowledge of the personell.

The formula focuses on all different types of households, the specialities can be prepared for every size the customer wants and the customer can also please the label they prefer.

The tendency of this gourmet chain is very positive, currently you can find 27 Barrrique stores in Germany.

Marinello Comestibles (Switzerland)
The ones that are looking for luxery, exclusive delicatessen are at the right place at Marinello Comustibles. Especially the assortment of cheeses is very exclusive, the way it is presented, the big assortment and the taste center. It offers a well-balanced assortment of the best Swiss and foreign cheeses, presented at a high standard and in an innovative way. The right wine is recomended and offered by a well-balanced cross-merchandising system

Globus (Czech Republic)

A selective assortment of delicatessen gives a lot of success for Globus in Czech Republic. This concept developed by Jos de Vries The Retail Company offers a wide range of international specialties.

These delicatessen from the different countries are a must for this chain, the customer are crazy for the assortment and combine a lot of the international products. Therefor the Italian delicatessen are presented next to the English tea and French wine.

Food Emporium (Verenigde Staten)
At Food Emporium in New York, what is in a name, the client has a big choice of a wide range of all international specialties. This is all presented in an open space, which creates an imposing ambiance. Products from all the continents are well presented in this store.

Premium-brands and catering service make it that this formula is considered as one of the most succesfull specialists on food in the United States. Just in Manhattan New York you are able to find 16 Food Emporium stores, all with the typical assormtent of products, presented in an impressive ambiance.

Retailtrends: biological products in the supermarket

2009-07-02T21:35:00.000+02:00

Just a small assortment and referral to these products are not sufficient anymore, biological products are “hot”. How do big retailers adapt to this trend? Below you can find some sales ideas which you find at some big European and Northern American retailers.

Supercoop (The Netherlands)
The Dutch supermarket chain Supercoop developed an own biological zone in their supermarket. Customers can find a wide range of biological and health products. The department is specially excitrated, support with communicative messages and special graphical materials. Everything focussed with special spot-lightning to bring full atention to this wide range of biological products.

Planet Organic (Ireland)
Who wants to sell biological products with success has to present it in an interesting manner and offer authentical products. The British chain Plant Organic succeeded at both points. This formula, with currently 4 stores, goes for the most exclusive quality (communicative supported with POS-material and the packaging) and for a wide range of organic products. The products are considered to be fresh, healthy and unique in the market.

Hediard (France)

Luxery products are also available in the assortment of biological products, this we see at the French supermarket chain Hediard. This formula is famous for the premium-quality of biological products, where the origen of the product and the quality check are the central points.

Whole Foods (United States)
The big American food retailer Whole Foods made a big change to biological and ecological products. In the 270 stores there is a wide range of fresh, biological produced fruits and vegetables. The products directly come from the field what guarantees the freshness and quality.

www.jdv-trc.blogspot.com

Retailtrends from all over the world: Fairtrade Marketing in shops

2009-07-02T15:55:00.001+02:00

This item appears monthly in the German magazine for food professionals Rundschau für den Lebensmittelhandel and Jos de Vries The Retail Company is responsable for the articles where the latest trends on the different topics are presented.

The theme which is very actual is Fair Trade and Green Retailing. The increase of social responsability, environmental friendly and honest products is big. Below you can find an overview of how some big international food retailers adapt to this development.

Marks & Spencer (United Kingdom)
FairTrade in optima-forma. The British supermarket chain Marks & Spencer named 5 objtectives: reducing the level of CO2, less garbage, fair trade, sustainable products and motiving the customer to live healthy. In the cafetarias of the Marks & Spencer for example you can only find FairTrade-products. All supported by various communication media to present and promote the Plan A.

Migros (Switzerland)
Continue low pricing and a FairTrade-bonus is one of the warranties of the Swiss supermarket chain Migros. The bonus is being used in worldwide social projects, for example building schools in India. These constructions are done with environmental-friendly materials, good working conditions and minimum wages.

Globus (Czech Republic)
Without demand products will not be offered. In Czech Republic for years there has been limited demand of fair-trade-products. Globus started to offer fairtrade-products in their assortment, following the worldwide trend of fairtrade-products. By offering fairtrade-products a demand was created, creating new opportunities for this German retailer in Czech Republic.

WAAR (The Netherlands)
This new Dutch formule of the FairTrade-organization improves the world by giving. Giving opportunities and telling a story. Every product is different, the origen differs and every product therefor has his own story. This is clearly communicated in the store (first store opened in Nijmegen, The Netherlands), where a big assortment of “honoust products” can be found.

Contact data:

Jos de Vries The Retail Company BV

Safariweg 6-11

3605 MA Maarssen

P.O. Box 1194

NL-3600 BD Maarssen

The Netherlands

Tel. : +31(0)346 - 563764

Fax : +31(0)346 - 572722

maurice@josdevries.eu

Retailtrends from all over the world: marketing focusing on kids

2009-07-02T14:18:00.007+02:00

This week we show the latest trends on marketing for kids, retailing focusing on the kids. Children are the future, the consumers of today and tomorrow. Who wants to create loyalty of the kids needs more than a conversative concept, Jos de Vries The Retail Company shows you the latest trends in marketing for kids.

American Girl (United States)
The store American Girl focuses experience and services go hand in hand. Directly after the entrance you can find the “American library for girls”, decorated with 3D paintings. On the first floor the young clients can dress up their dolls or go to the doll doctor. Also they can walk with their doll through a mini-New York shopping street. There is place for 220 “doll-mothers”. They also can take a photo shoot with their favourite doll in a professional photo studio.

Instore Kids Corners (Spain)
Instore Kids Corners is worlds market leader offering a large number of different Play Structures, Play Systems and interactive games but the basic principle for all these products is the same: “Turning Play Into Profit”. More turnover by entertaining the client’s children or by guiding them through the store with play systems installed at strategic points. The play systems are suitable for 1m2 to unlimited space. Instore Kids Corners also offers Child Furniture, indoor and outdoor Play Structures or custom developed products. Jos de Vries The Retail Company is in Spain the official distributor of the products of Instore Kids Corners.

Ikea (Sweden)
Children form an important role at the famous Swedish Retail chain Ikea. "Småland , land of the small the children is an added value which we can see in every Ikea-store. The children are in these kids area able to create their own experience world. Children between 3 and 10 year are accompanied by experiences personell. The possibilities are almost unlimited, if necessary parents can be informed. Throughout the store you can see that they focus on children, including own bath rooms.

Jamin (The Netherlands)
Delicious, hand-made and crispy products – in the marketing strategy of the experienced Dutch candy specialist these are the key words. With these themes the company focuses on the children, creating a wide range of various candy products. Since over 125 year this candy company is a big player in The Netherlands, especially with the children.

Imaginarium (Spanje)
At the Spanish toy chain Imaginarium the children are the most important clients. This directly is obvious when you see the entrance of the store, a normal entrance for the parents and a special entrance for the children. In the store, next to the big assortment of toys, there is a restaurant. Here the children are able to prepare their own meals with professional suport. All the meals are healthy and show the children what is good and healthy but especially why this is. The Flagship-store at Passeo de Gracia in Barcelona Centre is also for the parents very interesting to visit.

Globus (Germany)
Learning by playing this is the idea of the new Globus stores, in these stores the green theme is central. Their green retail also focuses on children, like in the Southern German city of Freilassing. Here the children learn how recycling works by clear recycle-furniture where they can collect plastic, cartoon and batteries. (every type of material has their own colour). With this idea, on a innovative and pedagogical way the children learn how to show the environment.

Contact data:

Contactgegevens:

Jos de Vries The Retail Company BV

Safariweg 6-11

3605 MA Maarssen

P.O. Box 1194

NL-3600 BD Maarssen

The Netherlands

Tel. : +31(0)346 - 563764

Fax : +31(0)346 - 572722

maurice@josdevries.eu

www.josdevries.eu

Green retailing: the green revolution that changes the retail landscape

2009-06-30T14:12:00.000+02:00

Jos de Vries The Retail Company and Retail Bouw Management are focusing on the the development “ The Green Shopping Experience “, green retailing and environmental thinking ánd acting in retail. We have to think of the paradox between of earning money on the one side and on the side to “educate” the consumer of consuming less, that the customer adapts will be adapted and that environmental friendly and social responsable products are being purchased.

Last week Alexis Mavrommatis, senior consultant at Jos de Vries The Retail Company Spain gave an inspring presentation on green retailing for the prestigious EADA Mba business school in Barcelona. This school will launch a new speciality of retail management, where one of the central themes will be “green retailing”.
In the presentation he mentioned that especially in these difficult crisis it is difficult to think and act environmental friendly. Important aspects for green retailing for retailers are adapting to the different senses of the consumers: the mental, emotional, intellectual, fysical and motivation aspect.

It is necessary to be different, authentic and to increase the multisector perception, break routines and communicate with the customers. The green revolution is not just a trend, but an increasingly important phenomen in the world of retail, it will change our lives, the way we consume and the way we buy.

In the United Kingdom and Germany we can see the retailers develop their own green plans, like for example Marks&Spencer with their Plan A. But also Tesco and Sainsbury focus on the green aspect in the retail landscape.

Below we give some of the example of green retailing in the United Kingdom.

Investment in logistics and recycling: Tesco invests 150.000 euro per store in recycling.

Sainsbury´s invests in logistics: the trucks use fuel which is generated from the recycled garbage of the stores.

Environmental friendly shopping bag of Tesco, which includes the recycling of 15 cans of Coca Cola.

Clients are being rewarded with the loyalty system when they do green purchases.

www.actgreeninretail.blogspot.com

Carrefour removes all plastic bags from Spanish stores

2009-06-29T15:26:00.002+02:00

Carrefour is taking the admirable green step of removing all plastic bags from its Spanish outlets in its bid to have a positive impact on the environment. Carrefour is the first supermarket chain to take this step.

The chain hopes to make its stores in Spain plastic bag-free by the end of this year. The aim is to replace them with "long-life" bags which can be re-used, and are thus better for the environment.
The cost of the bags has not been made public.

Top-10 most visited pages Jos de Vries The Retail Company

2009-06-22T15:42:00.003+02:00

We would like to share the top-10 of the most visited pages of our Jos de Vries The Retail Company blog. Below you can find the overview based on the more than 31.000 visitors of the "blog".

We thank you all for visiting our website and hope to welcome you again soon.

Please contact us for further questions on our company or our projects.
maurice@josdevries.eu www.josdevries.eu

Official Russian Award for Dutch Retail Design office; Jos de Vries The Retail Company wins Rus Prix Award

2009-06-08T13:18:00.005+02:00

Friday the 5th of Juni, Christiaan Rikkers, Managing Director of Jos de Vries The Retail Company received in Noordwijk (The Netherlands) the prestigious Rus Prix Award from the Russian Ambassador, Z.E.K.G. Gevorgian. Jos de Vries The Retail Company received this award for the special support of the good relationship between Russia and The Netherlands.
On the Russian Indepence Day the Rus Prix Award is handed out yearly to the persons and institutions that achieved highest results in development of business and cultural relationts between the Netherlands and the Russian Federation.

The awards this year were among others for The Royal Dutch Shell Group, the Dutch minister of Economic Affairs Mrs. Van der Hoeven and Mr. Wientjes, Chairman of VNO-NCW. Jos de Vries The Retail Company is awarded for the best results achieved by a Dutch company of middle/small business on the Russian market.

During the festive Rus Prix Award celebration in the Palace Hotel in Noordwijk, Rikkers shared his appreciation for the cooperation with Russia and the Russian people. Furthermore he agreed the award is a big compliment for the team: “This award is a coronation for all the labour our team realized for our Russian contacts. It confirms that our special retail know-how untill the highest level is being appreciated. For Jos de Vries The Retail Company it is is a big stimulation to continue with even more energy on this challenging market.”

Jos de Vries The Retail Company based in Maarssen is active on the Russian market since 2006 developing retail concepts, shopping centers and airport retail. The teams of specialized designers and retail-marketingspecialists guarantee a direct link between creativity and commerce. A combination which proves to be a success formula for our customers in The Netherlands and Russia, but also in many other European countries, India and the Middle-East.

Technical developments and their role in helping create the store brand's distinctive profile.

2009-06-08T09:36:00.009+02:00

- Developing the store formula: The right combination of creativity and process based development

- The Discovery Phase: Discovery: Evolution or revolution? That is the question

- Translate trends into a successful strategy for the new store formula

- The new store formula: The concept phase, the actual design phase

- The store lay-ou t

- Store design and the 10 golden rules of store design

Technical Innovation
Stagnation means decline.
Technical developments and their role in helping create the store brand's distinctive profile.
Of all the tools in the toolbox used to create a store formula, (technological) innovation is the
one least benefited from. This is mainly caused by ignorance – what is innovation and what can I achieve with it? – and the resultant fear of innovation.
What does innovation mean? Briefly, innovation means keeping up to date (or keeping ahead of) technical developments in the field of retailing. Innovation can be introduced front stage or behind the scenes. Behind the scenes, the latest technical developments – with regard to logistics, to take one instance – can save a great deal of time and money.
In the past few years, some innovations have won ground in the store. For instance, self-scanning devices have appeared in supermarkets, both saving employees’ time and adding a service for the consumer. This kind of innovation is also very important for the store brand. If you wish to be thought of as a trendsetter or at any rate want to be up-to-date in the market, you can ill afford to fall behind your competitors; rather, you would like to be at the forefront. Use of the latest gadgets in the shop tells the customer in a very direct way that your store is modern. Lagging behind in this respect can be fatal; consumers very quickly get used to the new possibilities offered by innovation and will want to see them in your store. At one store you can see yourself on a television screen wearing the shoe of your choice, at another the computer is used to fit the right sports shoe.

Convenience, service and professionalism are general characteristics of good technical innovations that can be used in the store. Modern consumers are no longer interested in TV screens simply showing a music channel. However if the screen displays explanations of recipes
combined with a special offer, this would be called added value and the consumer would certainly appreciate it. Supermarkets are currently working on a self-thinking trolley. When it passes special offers or special product ranges, the consumer's attention will be drawn to the product by the trolley's computer and he or she may be tempted to buy the product. This may be a lucrative way of advertising for the supplier, but it remains to be seen whether the consumer really needs it…

So, in order to fit technical innovations into the sales process in the best possible way, one will have to think carefully each time what value is added. Ten guidelines for using technical innovations in the most appropriate way are listed below:

Rule 1
Before adopting any technical innovation, ask: ‘What does it add’? What real added value do I offer my customers? What do I want to achieve with the innovation?

Rule 2
What are the management costs? Not only is the initial investment in a technical innovation important, but so also are the costs of long-term use.

Rule 3
How long will my innovation remain new? Will what is new today not be outdated tomorrow? Technological developments simply happen very fast.

Rule 4
Capitalise on your edge. Tell your customers about the developments at your store. This will give you the image of being an ‘innovator’.

Rule 5
Keep it simple. Consumers have no patience for learning how to use complicated systems.

Rule 6
Consider the styling. Besides technical quality as regards content, a technological development also requires the right ‘emotional’ design to support the concept.

Rule 7
Bricks and clicks. Where possible, try to link the technical developments in the shop to your website.

Rule 8
Know who your users are. Where possible, try to get your customers to identify themselves. These customer ¡groups are often trendsetters who are also up for other modern marketing communication applications.

Rule 9
Collaborate. Technical innovation is an outstanding example of an area where new possibilities and solutions can be created together with manufacturers.

Rule 10
Try to make the results measurable and evaluate them on a regular basis. Dare to make decisions when something is not working. Daring to make mistakes is also part of innovation.

This chapter is part of the book "the store manual" of Jos de Vries The Retail Company The Store Manual (2005) Jos de Vries The Retail Company has been working his way through the marvels of the Retail world since twenty years. Since the Retail branch on its way to professionalism is developing and also scholarly interest was growing, there still wasn’t a manual.Jos de Vries The Retail Company has made a definite change in bringing out “The Store Manual” a must for every store. You can order this manual for € 35,00 (excl. Postage and Package)

M.vanderkooij@josdevries.eu
www.josdevries.eu

Store design and the 10 golden rules of store design

2009-06-06T18:45:00.007+02:00

- Developing the store formula: The right combination of creativity and process based development

- The Discovery Phase: Discovery: Evolution or revolution? That is the question

- Translate trends into a successful strategy for the new store formula

- The new store formula: The concept phase, the actual design phase

- The store lay-out

Store Design
When the store formula is being developed, the careful determination of the store layout is followed by the design of the 3-dimensional image of the store: the store design. Store design is much more than simply a matter of translating the flat store layout into a visually attractive spatial design. For this component of the toolbox, too, it is essential that your design clearly translates into the strategic positioning and market approach of the store formula. Colours, shapes and materials are therefore not only selected on the basis of the taste and vision of the designer or client, but rather on the basis of the image you wish the consumer to have of your store. The designer has to operate within this context. His or her creativity, quality and talent determine the final result.

The emotional aspect is highly important in the store design. Colours, shapes and materials, combined with the right selection of furniture and lighting, evoke a certain feeling: the visitor experiences the store emotionally. And fitting this emotion into the desired store brand perception is where the real art comes in.

Besides these emotional objectives of the store identity, the effect of the store design also has some functional aspects. These aspects have less to do with how the customer perceives the store, and more with how he moves around and finds his way. The store design can provide the customer with points of reference in the store. For instance, by painting walls in different colours or creating higher or lower rooms with a view. The excitement and surprise thus created is also important. Lighting plays an important role in this respect. The final – but not the least – important factor is that the design of the store is important for product presentations and displays. You can read more about this in the section on visual merchandising.

10 golden rules for store design
Rule 1 – The store as storyteller
The store interior should match the positioning of the store formula and is selected in such a way that the communicative aspect of the message conveyed by the design is never forgotten. This means that you need to make decisions that have been well thought out. There are a number of store design types that match certain positioning types. Store formulas are often developed on the basis of a combination of one or several types. Roughly, seven different store types can be distinguished:

The no-design store
The store has not been designed, but has been developed on the basis of sheer functionality. Straight aisles, white walls. General lighting at a high level. Hardly any emotional perception of colour, materials or spatial arrangement. Familiarity often prompted by nothing more than parts of the interior in the logo colours.

The market place
A store where product presentation and visual merchandising determine the ambiance. No advanced display formulas, but simple, product-oriented presentations. A great deal of atmosphere and warmth. Use of natural materials and colours. Often Mediterranean atmospheres. Accessible. Product-focused lighting. A high level of emotional perception. The store creates the impression that it has grown organically.

The formula store
Well-considered and well-thought out store image. Good integration of all the aspects of store design, layout and in-store graphics. Good variety of various types of lighting. Can be contemporary and modern, but also classic and traditional, depending on the position opted for. Highly recognisable for the target group. Professional. Often a little less distinctive.

The white world
Modern and contemporary store. Clear and bright interior. Sharp contrasts. Colours mainly in product and presentation, in-store graphics and some wall surfaces that determine the image. Currently very popular.

The experience store
This store formula focuses entirely on theme and experience. Recognisable environments in combination with product groups. Often very much focused on the target group. This type of formula seems to be somewhat past its peak now. The design palace Not the product presented, but rather image and design are the focus of these formulas. Distant and inhibiting. Introvert. Luxury materials. Exclusive lighting, product-oriented. Often used by brand stores in the top end segment.

The Pop-up store
Temporary store, often in a remote but eccentric location, for instance on an industrial estate. Not just intended as a sales location, but much rather as a brand statement. Attraction not only by design and product range, but also by the events around the store during its short period of existence. Much talked about and contemporary. Highly focused on target group.

Rule 2 – Combine and integrate
If you are to fit the store design into the formula in the right way, all the communicative and spatial elements need to be applied in a well-balanced manner. Nothing is in isolation. A well-balanced link is created to the other parts of the toolbox: layout graphics, shop front etc.

Rule 3 – Focus on the consumer
When developing all of the aspects within the store design you always need to take into account the consumer’s behaviours and wishes. Here, too, you should distinguish between emotional aspects (how do I reach the consumer?) and functional aspects (does the consumer know how to use it?).

Points requiring attention are: the right amount of lighting, use (or, rather, absence) of bright colours or materials, the height of displays, but also such things as the adjustable shelf for shopping bags at the cash desk. These functional details are the practical aspects of store design developments.

Rule 4 – The product is boss
At the store, everything revolves around generating sales. This means that the store design as developed should never outshine the actual product or the product presentation. Attraction and transaction are the watchwords here. Being easy to reach, accessibility and clarity are the main starting points. The design should be developed in such a way that the consumer can find his way quickly, without having to ask employees.

Rule 5 – Create excitement
A store should be exciting. Visiting a store is like a trip through various exciting countries. And in the same way that a country has various landscapes, the store should also offer change and surprise. High and low walls, clear and bright rooms, panoramas and peepholes, cool and warm environments.

Rule 6 – Dare to be different
Everything is increasingly similar and trends alternate more and more rapidly. Store design is the tool in the toolbox that can really help you to be different. Dare to use it to push back frontiers, get off the beaten track. A store is often designed to be used for a long period, and what seems too modern today, can be 'ordinary' by tomorrow.

Rule 7 – Be clear
Make sure that your concept is clear. The consumer quickly gives up trying to understand a concept that is too complicated. Consumers are often in a hurry and have little time. Therefore, a communicative message should be conveyed quickly and clearly, otherwise the consumer ignores it. The development of the concept should be based on simplicity.

Rule 8 – Use the right lighting
Lighting is one of the most important aspects of store design. It provokes a strong emotion. A store where the colour of the lighting is warm has an ambiance completely different from that found in the same store using cold lighting colours. Use of direct or indirect lighting also has a visible impact on the store. (See also the information about lighting in the frame on page [number].)

You’ll make it with lighting
In brief, the following types of lighting can be used:
> daylight
> general lighting
> focused lighting
> department lighting
> special lighting
Daylight, of course, creates a natural impression, but the disadvantage is that the light intensity varies with the time of day and cannot be influenced. Many shopping centres and hypermarkets use daylight, but combine it with artificial light.

First, general lighting
The same amount of lighting throughout the store can be achieved by means of symmetrical strip lights or spotlights (high). In this type of environment the light levels are often intense and there is not much stimulation.

Adding directional lighting
When you use directional lighting for products, this influences the atmosphere and creates an emotional environment. Supermarkets often use an asymmetrical strip light for products. Other store types often use spotlights, whether or not combined with general lighting. When products are focused on, the amount of general lighting should be considerably less so that the spotlights
can have the intended effect. The consumer perception sought for can be achieved with the creative use of warm and cold light colours and wide and narrow beams of light.

Creating emotion using department lighting
To complete the ‘shopping experience’ different lighting can be used for each department. This creates ‘environments’ with a different ambiance, each with its own atmosphere. Customers will be pleasantly surprised by this. An additional advantage is that for each product the right source of light, light colour and possibly a filter can be used to display the product in the best possible way. For instance, you can use lights for the vegetable department that enhance the red colour of tomatoes.

Special lighting
Special lighting can be individually designed to form part of the store formula's brand identity. Special lighting also includes lighting for visual merchandising, shop windows, showcases. Frame lighting continued
Exterior lighting etc. A lighting object can be a work of art inside (or outside) the store and will be directly associated with the store concept.

Rule 9 Collaborate
Collaboration with suppliers is very important when developing store design and layout concept. Suppliers often have the latest in racks, display materials etc. But never forget that your own identity comes first!

Rule 10 Draw up investment guidelines.
A fantastic design is great, but it is also an investment that should yield a return. This is the basis of retail design. It means that the budget should be known when the design phase starts. By drawing up guidelines beforehand and integrating them into the design process you will avoid having to make adjustments in the course of the process.

Award for the best results achieved by a Dutch company of middle/small business on the Russian Market

2009-06-02T22:30:00.000+02:00

The aim of RUS Prix Award

The main aim of RUS Prix Award is the encouragement of Dutch companies, public organizations and figures of culture and art, that achieved highest results in development of business and cultural relations with the Russian Federation. Establishment of RUS Prix shows the improvement of investment climate in Russia. It helps to attract the attention of Dutch state and business to the positive development of economical and cultural cooperation between our countries, and will demonstrate mutual interest in such cooperation, and improve the image of Russia around the world.During last years the economic relations between Russia and The Netherlands are characterized by favorable, stable development.

Today The Netherlands are one of the most important commercial and investment partners of Russia. A significant increase in mutual trade is noted in recent years. In 2005 its volume exceeded 17 billion dollars. According to the index of mutual trade The Netherlands are one of the most important straight investors into the Russia' economy. Dutch investors actively leave for the Russian market, manifesting characteristic of them innovating and readiness for the specific risk.

"The Netherlands and Russia demonstrate an example of business collaboration to remaining Europe and world." - From the letter of President of the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Mr. E.M. Primakov to laureates of RUS Prix Award.RUS Prix Award is conducted under the patronage of Embassy of Russian Federation in The Netherlands.

RUS Prix Award’ promoters

Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs

Trade Representation of RF in The Netherlands

INTRINA & Public Diplomacy CorpsUnion of Journalists of Russia

Netherlands Council for Trade Promotion (NCH) [since 2006]

Format of ceremony RUS Prix Award

Annual ceremony of awarding RUS Prix, timed to Independence Day of Russia.The ceremony is taking place in The Netherlands.The quantity of persons invited to attend official part - 300 - 500 persons.Program of ceremony RUS Prix Award consists of Official part, Cultural part and Reception.JuryJury staff consists of the representatives of state structures, cultural organizations and creative unions.RUS Prix nominationsDutch companies achieved the best results on Russian marketThe best Russian-Dutch project in cultural field Award for mass media

Jos de Vries The Retail Company
- Award for the Best results achieved by a Dutch company of middle/small business on the Russian market. This award will be handed out on the 5th of June. More information and pictures will follow after the Rus Prix Awards.

Contact data Jos de Vries The Retail Company

2009-06-02T07:09:00.002+02:00

New DIY-store Concept for Hagebau Werkmarkt

2009-05-21T08:28:00.001+02:00

The collaboration between the German Hagebau home improvement chain and Jos de Vries The Retail Company has once again resulted in a new shop concept for the home improvement market. The new ‘Werkmarkt’ concept has been designed and realised in the first outlet in Drensteinfurt near Münster (Germany) after only three months. The conversion’s success was immediately noticeable in the turnover, and as a result the next 26 new Werkmarkt outlets are already being prepared at the moment.

Clear and Well-organised

The Werkmarkt in Drensteinfurt has a sales surface of 1,100m² and an outside garden centre covering 600 m². The concept is characterised by a clear and well-organised structure that is aimed at smaller home improvement shops, and can be achieved with a limited budget both in new and existing locations.

If you have any questions about this concept or about other topics, please feel free to get in touch with our office in Maarssen. Tel. +31 (0) 345 563764 info@jdvtrc-retail.com
www.josdevries.eu

10 Mega Trends for Success in retail

2009-05-20T15:05:00.002+02:00

Datamonitor, the leading research office, has identified ten mega trends that our products have to fulfil if they want to remain successful. The trends vary from ease to gender confusion and individualism. Manufacturers and supermarkets that take proper advantage of these trends are set for the future according to Datamonitor.

Trend 1: Ease
Consumers are looking to save even more time. 82 percent of consumers in both Western Europe and Northern America list timesaving as a priority. The consumption of ready-to-eat meals is expected to double in the next ten years.

Trend 2: Healthy
Nearly every consumer sees health improvement as an important aspect. This is why companies that produce functional food have a future. But consumers are also looking for health in pure products, which makes the use of organic ingredients increasingly important. The annual growth in these segments exceeds 10 percent according to Datamonitor.

Trend 3: Age
Older consumers are acting younger every day, whereas young consumers would prefer to grow older as quickly as possible. Manufacturers who develop products that take advantage of the consumers’ age aspiration have the future in hand. Young consumers more often have a larger independent budget and develop brand loyalty at an increasingly young age. Older consumers want products that support a society in which old age is denied.

Trend 4: Phase in Life
The traditional family as a basis for consumption is vaporising at a rapid pace. People are more often on their own, live a lot longer and more and more children return to live at home, after their studies for example. This is changing the consumption patterns.

Trend 5: Income
An increasing number of consumers with a low disposable income has become used to buying luxury products at a low price. Well-to-do consumers have become just as price conscious. Top brands with a top quality at a low price are set for the future.

Trend 6: Individualism
Consumers are increasingly on the look-out for products that support their personal lifestyle. They are buying more and more products that they can also enjoy. Manufacturers will have to aim their future products at smaller target groups and give consumers more of a say in taste and volume.

Trend 7: Experience
Consumers are looking for products that offer a more intensive experience. They are therefore prepared to experiment more with new products.

Trend 8: Luxury
Consumers are increasingly often using food articles as a way to escape the pressures of everyday life. The majority of consumers uses so-called ‘comfort food’ as small temptations to enjoy life for a moment.

Trend 9: Groups
Despite the hunger for individualism, the consumption pattern of many consumers is actually looking to join a certain group with standards and values that attract them. This results in an increase in sale of ethnic products.

Trend 10: Gender
Men are after healthy food at an increasing degree and are leaving behind the traditional macho behaviour. On the other hand, the sale of typical macho products, like beer, is going very strong. By now, both men and women are attaching a lot of value to health improvement through a change in their food pattern.
Source: Datamonitor, written by Joep Meijsen

Development and opening of new showroom Collishop (Belgium)

2009-05-20T14:29:00.001+02:00

Recently the new Collishop-showroom in the Belgium city of Halle opened his doors. With the opening of the showroom, the clients of the Collishop-catalogue are able to watch and touch the products. There is a wide range of non-food products: kitchen material, bed and bath textile, complete garden sets and toys for example. The total sales area of this new store is almost 3.000 sqm.

Why did Collishop open a showroom?
Collishop offers more than 15.000 non-food products which can be ordered by catalogue or by internet. The assortment is huge: house hold articles, multi-media products and more products and product groups. The (online) catalogue offers a lot of information, but there was an increasing demand to see and touch the products and not only see it on paper or at the computer screen.

You can find for example an exhibition of complete garden sets. In the showroom the clients are able to compare the material, the format or the colour of the different models, this easens the process of choosing the best product.

What do we experience in this store?
Jos de Vries The Retail Company was responsable for the design and development of this new showroom-concept. Based on the years of experience in the retail sector (for example with the recently opened new Venca-store, Spain biggest online-fashion company.
The showroom is not only a place where the products are presented. Here you also can experience presentations of suppliers presenting their products. Furthermore there is a big number of personell to answer possible questions. Children have their own kids corner in the store. Parents can take their time to look around, compare the articles or to drink a coffee in the bar of the store. A unique shopping experience has been created, a trip for the whole family. This is also one of the main reasons the store is opened on Sunday´s.

Do you find the complete assortment of 15.000 articles?

You can will not find all the products, but you can find the biggest part of the assortment and the product groups. This also makes it interesting for clients who are looking for special gifts. There is an option to select the products and see how these products fit together. For this option there has been a special area created. If you for example want to see if the plates fit the glasses you can check it in this area.

For further questions on this project you can direct your questions to Maurice van der Kooij maurice@josdevries.eu