Consumption-oriented young people

Baumax launched its first stores in Turkey in 2010. From the company’s head office in Klosterneuburg near Vienna comes the message that its experience in Turkey has been positive so far. The good business climate prevailing there is evident among customers and business partners alike. No country in Europe has comparable growth rates at the moment, even though the forecasts are predicting that growth of gross domestic product (GDP) will be no more than 3.2 per cent this year. That figure was 7.5 per cent last year. The population is considerably younger than the European average and definitely consumption-oriented. Currently Baumax has a six store presence in Turkey: Istanbul (2012), Ankara (2011), Izmir (2011), Bodrum (2011), Samsun (2010) and Izmit (2010). The most recent opening was the company’s sixth store, in the megacity of Istanbul. Another outlet is to be opened in Eskisehir next spring. Turkey is the ninth country in which Baumax operates and it is the largest one as well. The emphasis in the product offer is on home fashion and technology, with all aspects of interior design heading the field. One unusual feature of Turkey is that it is a country without any DIY tradition and the population has especially high expectations of the availability of services. This is why Baumax offers a special service to all those who either will not or cannot carry out DIY projects themselves. In accordance with the “Buy-it-yourself” principle the sales staff provides advice on selecting the right products, before arranging to have them delivered directly to the customer’s home and installed there by pro­fes­sional tradesmen. What is more, there is a dedicated entrance and checkout area for trade custo­mers, which guarantees them rapid and exclusive handling of their purcha­­ses. Specially trained emplo­yees are available to look after custo­mers in the store. In the hope of encouraging the idea of do-it-yourself Baumax offers DIY courses free of charge in all its Turkish stores. Here the company’s experts are available to advise all interested customers on the best home improvement solutions and help them select the required products and accessories. More than 75 per cent of the suppliers to the Baumax stores in Turkey come directly from the country itself. Download: