Toolpark caused sales to grow

One year after the opening of the first three specialist stores of the Toolpark franchise concept, which was developed by the Austrian 3-E AG cooperative, the operators are taking positive stock. The three outlets have increased their sales by an average of 20 per cent with the new retail format. Chairman Dr Günther Pacher also refers to the results of a market survey. According to this, a high proportion of customers belonged to the 40 to 60-year-old age group before the conversion. However, with the introduction of the Toolpark concept came a disproportionate increase in the number of 20 to 40-year-olds.
The combined sales of the specialist stores break down into 35 per cent generated by hand and power tools and around 17 per cent by garden machinery. Which means that the specialist stores achieve more than half of their sales volume by means of tools and equipment.
There are in the meantime four outlets working in accordance with the new concept. The first three stores in Ybbs, Lienz-Debant and Hartberg were joined by a Toolpark in Oberwart last November. The cooperative is planning the opening of one more store in Villach for 24 March.