“Differentiation is a must”

Located in Horst, not far from Venlo and right next to the motorway, is Interchalet, the oldest megastore in the Netherlands. Proprietor Jan Clabbers started up his business twenty years ago, choosing to go his own way from the very beginning. “Only much later came the opening of the large-format Praxis and Hornbach outlets, but these stores are differentiated by not much more than their logos.” Interchalet has just recently reopened. The store has been renovated and Mr Clabbers believes that it now matches up to the expectations of the modern customer – a customer who wants both to relax and to shop thematically. “The modern customer is expert at collecting information through the new media and the internet. He knows precisely what he wants. Shopping also becomes a deliberate, rational act. That’s what I call thematic shopping,” says Jan Clabbers. “People get up in the morning and ask: ‘What shall we do today?’ If they are planning to do something in the home the answer will be: ‘We’ll go to the Interchalet shopping centre.’ But you can’t talk of success until their expectations have been fulfilled. Interchalet must offer retailtainment, a total shopping experience.” Certain conditions need to be met to make this success possible: there must be enough parking space available, the store must be easily accessible, and the entrance area must somehow be made welcoming to customers. As Dirk Franck, head of sales and marketing, says: “Brand names are necessary as customer magnets. What is more, we put great emphasis on good merchandising. It is not a clever idea to squash together ten kitchens – rather to display five kitchens with room to spare.” Mr Franck describes his goal as displaying all products, whether cheap or expensive, in an attractive way. “We take away our customers’ worries and help them to fulfil their wishes. “ The whole environment is designed to contribute to a feeling of well-being. For example, the atmospheric Intermezzo Brasserie offers customers a welcome break for a coffee after their shopping has been done. “You can easily spend an entire day at Interchalet,” in the enthusiastic opinion of the marketing boss. Jan Clabbers is a member of the IBW, a cooperative buying organisation of independent entrepreneurs. What is more, he also works in collaboration with specialist organisations such as Budget Wonen (furniture), Bad in Beeld and Thuisin (wall design). His philosophy: “You simply have to differentiate. That is why you decide in favour…