new format stores

The growth of the mobile phone market is slowing down, and mobile phone operators are forced to look for new niches. The Tsifrograd group, one of the largest cellular retailers in Russia, is launching a second format - Tsifromarket. “Digital Markets”, one of which has already opened in Voronezh, are larger (75-100 sq. m versus 40 sq. m) and more expensive (average check – 4 thousand versus 750 rubles) of “Tsifrograd”, but the main thing is that they will specialize in selling digital equipment, not just phones. A test “Digital Market” opened in St. Petersburg, on Nevsky Prospekt, 63 in December last year. Based on the results of his work, it was decided to launch the network in working mode, Tatiana Moskaleva, PR director of Tsifrograd, said yesterday. According to her, “Tsifromarket” has already opened in Voronezh (Revolution Avenue, 48), and within three to five years the network will be expanded to 100 points.

The Tsifrograd group created the retail brand of the same name in 2003, and at first it was used only by its franchisees. Since 2006, Tsifrograd itself has been involved in retail; now its network includes more than 1.45 thousand stores, including 550 of its own. The area of a typical “Cifrograd” is about 40 square meters. m. In its sales, phones account for 47.5%, payments to operators, including payment cards, – 38.3%, digital equipment – 5.1%. The average bill is 750 rubles, including payments to operators. The parameters of Digital Market, according to Tatyana Moskaleva, are completely different. The emphasis will be on laptops, portable electronics, and technological accessories. The share of digital technology in revenue should already account for 36.1%, phones – only 35.6%, payments will take 17.5%. The average bill at the pilot St. Petersburg Digital Market is 4 thousand rubles. The cost of opening one store of a new format, says Ms. Moskaleva, reaches $200 thousand; about $20 million will be spent on the project as a whole.

l The revenue of the management company Tsifrograd (the operator of retail chains in the group) in 2007, according to expert estimates, amounted to about $900 million excluding VAT. Tsifrograd occupies approximately 10-11% of the cellular retail market, while its leaders Euroset and Svyaznoy have 34.8% and 15.5%, respectively. 40% belongs to the Russian Funds investment group (also owns 50% of the Telefon.ru network).

According to Finam's estimates, in the first quarter of 2007, 6.8 million handsets worth $1.5 billion were sold in Russia, during the same period in 2008 - only 6.4 million phones, but already for $1.8 billion, that is The market is growing only due to consumers switching to more expensive models. But the digital technology market, which in addition to phones includes computers, DVD players, mp3 and mp4 players, game consoles, televisions, photo and video equipment, grew by at least 20% in 2007 - to approximately 60 million devices ( $19 billion).

Dixis group spokeswoman Nadezhda Zakharova confirmed that “the growth rate of the mobile market is gradually slowing down, and almost all participants are diversifying their business.” Marketing Director of the Betalink network Andrey Khizhnyak believes that Tsifromarket focuses primarily on the format of higher-margin retailers - ION and White Wind Digital. According to ION Marketing Director Willy Kryuchkov, sales of laptops and game consoles in his network in 2007 increased by 56% and 62%, respectively.

Klavdiya Bolshakova, Maria Andrianova

Kommersant (Voronezh) No. 94 from 06/03/2008

Authors:

Klavdiya Bolshakova

One hundred will be added to “Cifrograd”