Tuskys to invest over Kshs 200million in the development of electronics stores

Tusker Mattresses, Tuskys, is set to invest more than Kshs 200million in the development of ‘shop in shop’ electronics stores at Tuskys Hypermarket outlets in Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu.

This was announced by, Tusker Mattresses, Group CEO, Dan Githua, via a press statement. Githua noted that the new multi-brand departmental stores will stock a variety of premium consumer electronic products while providing a state of the art experiential platform. The experiential platform created for the Tuskys Multi-Brand Electronics Departmental store, Githua said, allows the customers to reimagine their household electronics shopping experience.

“As part of the Tuskys Business Development strategy, we are responding to a consumer demand for immersive electronics stores that allow them to experience the products at their optimum performance,” Githua said, adding that, “At the Tuskys Multi-Brand departmental stores, consumers will be interacting and experiencing the products ranging from OLED display TVs, Hi-fi’s, Cookers, Refrigerators among others allowing them to make informed purchase decisions. This is the future of consumer electronic sales.”

While describing the new stores as the future of electronics sales, Githua said, the stores will provide a purpose designed platform for customers to interact with products from leading manufacturers. Such manufacturers include; Samsung Consumer Electronics, Sony Electronics, Beko Electronics, Moulinex, ELBA, LG, Ramtons among others.

The Tuskys Multi-Brand departmental stores will also feature a beauty section catering for beauty and grooming related appliances alongside a mini Apple Store operated by the local Apple Products dealer.

To celebrate the launch this weekend, Tuskys customers will enjoy double loyalty points redemption and attractive discounts of up to 50% for a range of consumer electronic products on offer. The Tuskys Lipia Pole-Pole credit financing solution, will also apply for the products in stock at the Tuskys Multi-Brand departmental stores.

Convenience is king

According to a recent Nielsen consumer report the number of retail outlets in Kenya has  increased, with a rise in more specialist and out-of-home retailers and more suppliers, experiencing double digit growth every year. Modern Trade store numbers now extend to 660 (up by 36 stores from Nielsen’s previous report) while the number of Traditional Trade (Dukkha’s and Table Tops) and Specialist Outlets (Hair, Beauty, Electronic and Baby Retailers) also continues to increase. This has resulted in a retail landscape which is far more competitive and requires greater precision and optimisation to reach the right consumers.

Nielsen East and South Africa MD Bryan Sun comments; “Existing modern trade is gaining shoppers and spend from traditional trade. Mid-term growth is particularly evident in Nairobi, (17% growth year on year) which accounts for 36% of sales. However, rural trade cannot be ignored, as it still accounts for more than two thirds of consumer purchases.”

Looking ahead, Sun says retailers need to realise that to meet consumers current ‘need for speed’, the future will be “all about convenience”, underpinned by innovation. Against this backdrop, it’s interesting to note that a quarter of Kenyans use social media to find out about brands, yet online FMCG shopping is almost non-existent. This points to a large eCommerce gap within the Kenyan retail consumer market.

Success therefore depends on meeting changing needs and changing demand for products, shopping experience, and fulfilment that will offer opportunities for growth. This emerging on the go lifestyle of Kenyans creates this need for speed, whether it is the Consumption Experience, which requires ready to consume solutions and a broader range of products and packaging, the Shopper Experience that requires proximity, efficiency, in the moment rewards and additional services, and the Engagement Experience, which requires on demand, 2-way interaction, easy-to-use apps and addressable advertising.

Sun adds; “By keeping an eye on the future, retailers will be able to find pockets of growth and truly leverage Kenyans growing demand for greater ease, utility and suitability to meet consumers’ shifting needs and fluctuating confidence levels.”