Retailers are breaking down borders between all types of commerce online, which is why Noriel is selling teas and sweets, besides toys, cel.ro also carries diapers and perfumes, besides electronics and home appliances, and Altex is also selling water and car tires.
The strategy to expand the number of product categories carried did not start during the pandemic, says Bogdan Ciungradi, Noriel CEO, but the pandemic led to a fast-paced development of an online supermarket. Noriel was already selling books and apparel for kids besides toys and games and development plans continue.
“Although the pandemic did help in making a decision and sped up implementation, our plans about supermarket products are not limited to this period.” The online store of the retailer will continue to sell food and even household care products, even after the pandemic.
“The omnichannel approach which provides shoppers with a unitary experience, and where benefits are the same, regardless of the channel used for the final purchase, will lead to a change in customer behavior and a dilution of borders for the retailers applying the right strategy.”
This is mostly used online, where retailer eMAG gave the lead several years ago. The company started as a computer and electronics store and is now a mall, having added a marketplace and sells everything from furniture and apparel to TV sets. Other companies have followed its lead and the trend continues.
“We want our own marketplace. We started working on the platform this year and will begin populating it in 2021. It will be fully operational in 2022,” Dragos Sirbu, CEO of computer and electronics retailer Flanco, the second largest actor on its market, has recently said.
The trend picked up speed during the pandemic, when physical stores were closed, and the online operations were the only option left. In a time of uncertainty people wanted to find everything they needed in one place.
The business model is moving towards the offline commerce, with computer and electronics retail market leader Altex one such example. The company has diversified its online portfolio in the past couple of years and continues but thinks there is room for such moves in its physical stores.
(English version by Loredana Fratila-Cristescu)