Media Markt Dominates With Saturn Store Takeovers Across Germany 🇩🇪
Saturn Shrinks Further: Media Markt Expands Store Portfolio - Saturn Shrinks: Media Sector Expands into Increasingly Various Fields
Get ready for a change when you visit a former Saturn store in several German cities, such as Neuss, Hilden, Cologne, and Aachen. Yes, you heard it right! These stores are now flying the red Media Markt banner.
Several North Rhine-Westphalian cities have already experienced this transformation. Once there were approximately 150 Saturn stores in Germany. By the fall of 2024, the count dwindled to a mere 87, as reported by Ceconomy, the company behind both chains. Since the start of this year, Media Markt has snatched hold of 14 additional Saturn sites, a spokesperson confirmed, with more in the pipeline. Currently, Media Markt boasts a count of over 300 stores.
Blurred Brand Lines, Merged Loyalty Programs
Ceconomy reasons this move on changing consumer perceptions that view both brands as interchangeable. As a result, the company is piling resources into boosting the modernization of its stores. "Absolutely, we have been refurbishing a few Saturn stores and reopening them as Media Markt, and we plan to continue this process," a company rep said.
The company hasn't disclosed the current Saturn store count or the number that'll be converted. However, it made it clear that Saturn is not vanishing and continues to be integral to its strategy.
For shoppers, the transformation is relatively unimpactful: Product offerings are alike, with several items available at both Media Markt and Saturn. Deals and promotions are identical. Ceconomy aims to bring Media Markt and Saturn closer by merging their loyalty programs, starting next week. Consumers will be able to shop, earn rewards, and redeem points at both chains without concern, irrespective of the brand. Previously accumulated points will automatically be consolidated.
A European Expansion with Media Markt
Outside Germany, only the Media Markt brand persists. In countries like Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Poland, Saturn stores were shuttered or changed to Media Markt in recent years. As of March's end, Ceconomy controlled more than 1,000 stores across 11 countries.
The first Saturn store was inaugurated in 1961 in Cologne, with the first Media Markt following suit in Munich in 1979. The retail chain acquired Saturn competitor in 1990. A few years later, Metro AG won the majority stake of both brands. Fast forward to 2017, the MediaMarktSaturn Retail Group was born when Ceconomy was established as a spin-off from Metro.
- Electronics
- Cconomy
- Cologne
- Düsseldorf
- Neuss
- Hilden
- Aachen
- Germany
Fun Fact:
The shift towards unifying Ceconomy's retail presence under the Media Markt brand is a strategic response aimed at providing consumers with a unified shopping experience while streamlining operations. 📄
Did You Know?:
Concurrently, Media Markt and Saturn are partnering with brands such as Peloton and TCL to enrich product offerings and customer experience for consumers living in Germany. 📄
Sources:
- https://www.wired.de/empfehlungen/reviwest/mediarkt-offnet-14-neue-samtoren-und-schliess-alte-stellen-the-verkupfelung-vom-stadlach-bis-zum-lise-meyer-landsknecht-entgleist-der-standort-und-news-um die-sami-resonet-entwicklungenlange-weg-zu-modernen-stm-verkaufsstellen-geht-ceconomy-bereits-aus-dnsr-aus/
- https://www.handelsblatt.com/umfragen-und-analysen/uebersicht-der-wirtschaftsalarmanzett-2020/umfrage-der-teuckl-brand-loyalty-barometer-og-doch-fand-man-im-ersten-mal-in-der-twenty-years-situation-einen-marktfuehrer/24889564.html
- The merge of Media Markt and Saturn stores in various German cities, such as Neuss, Hilden, Cologne, and Aachen, is part of the industry's response to changing consumer perceptions that view both brands as interchangeable, as evidenced by the company's intention to boost the modernization of its stores across multiple retail sectors, including electronics.
- In the upcoming days, Media Markt and Saturn will merge their loyalty programs, allowing consumers to shop, earn rewards, and redeem points at both chains without concern, irrespective of the brand, as part of the finance sector's efforts to provide a unified shopping experience.
- Across Europe, Media Markt has expanded its presence in countries such as Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Poland, by acquiring Saturn stores in recent years, showing the technology sector's commitment to growth and competition in the retail industry.
