Electrical and IT retailers: the only increases come from the online segment

The only growth niche for sales in the electrical and IT sector seems to be online retail, a segment all classical retailers have focused on in the past year. Investments are amortised now, and specialised websites bring sales increases each month, retailers say. “The online channel may be the only distribution channel likely to grow as compared with the entire market, which will fall further. Online sales will rise, but we cannot anticipate the percentage for this year,” stated Jiri Rizek, general manager with Flamingo. Flamingo launched the online sale platform around a year ago, and, according to the company’s representatives monthly sales growth has ranged between 90 and 100% since the beginning of the year. Altex, leader of the market of electronics and electrical home appliances, too, launched a new web page allowing for online product purchases last autumn, and set a sales target of 5% of overall turnover. Online sales account for 10% of the total value of electronic home appliances sold annually on the Romanian market.