|
- What were the losses of the Russian IT market in 2009?
- Several once large retailers have left the market, both specialized and full-range operators of household appliances and electronics such as “Startmaster,” “Formoza,” “Mir,” and “Expert.” The number of stores decreased in “Eldorado,” “Tehnosila” and “Polaris” chains, and “Beliy Veter” has also closed several outlets.
- How did the market structure change?
- I believe there have not been any drastic changes to the market structure. I would rather say there was some reorientation of customers from the market players who left the market to those who stayed in the field.
- How did the customer change?
- The customer became more careful, thoughtful and scrupulous. Now he is better-informed and tends to spend more time on preparation before buying anything. Before they buy, customers are now using the Internet more actively.
- What was your mood at the end of 2009? What was this year like for your company?
- In the last year, our retail chain managed to overcome the stagnation, and we started developing quickly. At the height of the crisis, we had no more than 150 stores, but at the end of the year our chain included more than 170 sales outlets. In general, we are in a good fighting spirit now, we are living in an age of new opportunities and we are planning to use them actively.
- What are your expectations for the first half of 2010?
- The first half of 2010 will allow us to prepare a basis for further extension of our retail chain, and these expectations are coming true, as a matter of fact.
- What are your plans for 2010?
- In the 2010 financial year, which started for us in the 2nd quarter of 2010, we are planning to increase our network by 100 stores and to virtually double our sales volumes.
- What will this year bring for the Russian IT market?
- The market indices may fluctuate between the 2007 and 2008 figures, and by the end of 2010, it will probably come closer to figures once planned for 2008 thus realizing the plans frustrated by the crisis.
- What are going to be growth drivers? What segments of IT market are going to develop most actively?
- Retail is the moving power of the market and it will develop along with the increasing demand. We will probably witness interesting experiments with formats of retail sales, and I expect the boom in mobile technologies in the sphere of retail to finally reach Russia as well. |
