More than 60 Samsung stores to open across seven European countries
Samsung has announced that it's partnered with Carphone Warehouse to launch more than 60 standalone Samsung stores across Europe. The new Samsung stores will open in the UK, Ireland, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Sweden and the Netherlands in the next three months, following a pilot scheme of three Samsung stores in Spain operated by Carphone.
The stores will have a "premium look and feel," and will sell Samsung phones, tablets, laptops and wearables, according to today's press release.
The development is interesting in light of Samsung's ongoing rivalry with Apple, which is famed for its global retail presence. Samsung has previously operated "stores within stores" at Carphone competitor Phones4u, as well as a flagship "experience" store at the Westfield Stratford City shopping center in London. However the launch of 60 standalone stores across major European countries takes things a step further, and Samsung will surely be hoping to strengthen its grip on the mobile market with this much expanded retail presence.
Press Release
SAMSUNG AND CARPHONE WAREHOUSE COLLABORATE ON NEW STORE CONCEPT ACROSS EUROPE
London, 29 January, 2014 –Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. today announced that it has signed a ‘preferred partner’ agreement with Carphone Warehouse Group plc to operate over 60 Samsung stand-alone stores across Europe.
The agreement follows the successful opening in 2013 of three stand-alone stores in Spain, operated by Carphone Warehouse. The new stores will be rolled out in the next three months across seven European markets: UK, Ireland, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Sweden and the Netherlands. The stores will have a premium look and feel and will sell Samsung mobile communications products across Samsung’s full range of mobiles, tablets, laptops and wearables.
Shoppers can expect an exciting new customer experience which merges retail and technology innovations such as Carphone Warehouse’s assisted sales tool and connectivity platform using Samsung branded tablets.
There is potential to expand the relationship going forward, with Carphone Warehouse acting as Samsung’s preferred partner across Europe and operating the majority of dedicated Samsung stores.
This is an important alliance playing to both companies’ strengths. Together we will create a powerful new retail concept to showcase, for our customers, a wide range of products, content and services as well as injecting both investment and new jobs into the retail sector.
Andrew Harrison, Chief Executive Officer of Carphone Warehouse said: “We are delighted to have been chosen as Samsung’s preferred European partner for their store roll-out. Our Connected World Services business will combine Carphone Warehouse’s retailing expertise and systems with one of the world’s biggest brands and will help us make even more lives better through connected technology.”
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