It is too early to take stock of the recent actions

Posed on a plush carpet, a black leather sofa and a Pouffe frame a low table on which are asked of the candles. Room has lounge speeds, a shade close: turntables and loudspeakers equipment out of the ordinary, even for a music fan. No wonder. This exhibit devoted to the hi-fi is located within the FNAC, defence, and is more user-friendly than a classical auditorium. It illustrates one of the new axes of the sign, the Passion spaces. Just as jazz from the store of Montparnasse, with its high stools bar and its headsets, or space BD of the Forum des Halles with its funny of benches and tables of dedications.

Inaugurated today, these places together on different universe an offer of expanded products, specific developments, expert vendors carefully selected and likely to give custom appointments. They are one of the spearheads of the muscular marketing policy deployed by the FNAC. Since the spring, the distributor of cultural goods and electronic products has continued initiatives at a steady pace. In a difficult and complex market, it has little choice. As its parent company, PPR, decided to get out, ultimately its perimeter through a sale or an introduction on the stock market, as confirmed its CEO François - Henri Pinault, November 18 in an interview with the "echoes".

To arm itself against the competition

This action of combat acquires a further strong news that competition has increased. Saturn has thus opened on 11.500 square meters of sales space, store Mastodon electronics and household appliances to Rosny-sous-bois. While the first Apple Store of the hexagon has invested the Carrousel du Louvre, in Paris earlier this month.

FNAC is integrating the new watchwords of the client relationship. At a time where the Internet has become a channel of purchase full, encourage them to come in shops requires indeed propose activities impossible to live when it is bolted behind his computer. "The Passion spaces are intended to strengthen the preference for the FNAC and the role of referee on the market." This is a way to respond to the need for customisation expressed by our clients, who wish to share their areas of interest and their tastes, having a real exchange around their passion. "It is also to resume a head start with the most comprehensive offer possible on some poles", said Christophe Cuvillier, CEO of the sign.

Three for the moment concerned stores, the programming of cultural events - that is was already accelerated throughout the system in the last months - will be in connection with their flagship themes: hi-fi for defence; BD, manga, and home theater at the Forum des Halles. classical music, jazz, photo and hi-fi in Montparnasse. Next year, other stores, including that of Ternes, Paris, will have their own spaces focused on a strong theme.

The multiplication of these actions is justified especially marks electronics themselves have not been forgotten. Sony has developed some 85 modular squares in specialist signs as Digital or connection. Space also includes a sofa, with screens broadcasting programs for soccer enthusiasts or fans of cinema, to helmets to measure the sound quality of a Walkman. "The experience creates emotion, and thus another relationship to the products and the brand." "It also has a strong educational value," said Philippe Mareilhac, CEO of Market Value, a subsidiary specializing in points of sale of the Team creative design agency, who made these squares. About LG, he created a place of discovery in situ of its different devices in café du cinéma MK2 library in Paris, with an area reserved for the home cinema, reloading of mobile services, screens LCD integrated into tables to do demonstrations of its watch-phone...

Own brands

To assert its own specificities, FNAC also focus its offers own brand development. Date last offensive: the grouping under the name of Labo FNAC of different services. This umbrella covers both products, launched in 1973 and regularly gathered in technical issues, and tests of new benefits to home: training in computer science, photo or video, hardware diagnostics... This new claw to benefit all stores "corners" guides with boxes providing access to these services. Another axis of attack: the arrival of new niche, as this stationery to Bordeaux, the defence and Grenoble. "The results are encouraging and we will develop this new offer in five to ten other stores next year," said Christophe Cuvillier.

It is too early to take stock of the recent actions. But, after a difficult first half, the third quarter was better for the sign, which saw turnover grow by 0.5, which brings back the decline in sales in the first nine months of the year to 3. France, the performance is superior, with an increase in the third quarter of 1, attributed to a strong growth in online sales, net development of services and initiatives as the opening of a market between individuals (see below). "It want to buy, both offering interesting promotions and more highlighting innovations", said the CEO. And distributor account more than ever on the maintenance relationship with his followers. Its members are a true treasure of war. Representing 10 to 15 of clients depending on the country, they generate 50-60 of the turnover. Their number is growing by 200,000 to 250,000 per year.

In 2010, the link with the enthusiasts will be more maintained on the canvas. On themes such as classical music, comics and manga, community spaces must be developed with blogs, enriched content and opinion of the expert vendors to the key. Stores will also have their pages to enhance the relationship with their regular customers. What to play, the Group synergies between real and virtual worlds.