Merging E-commerce models and face-to-face sales, through the implementation of apps that allow shopping in a physical store without going through the checkout line or selecting a fitting room from a cell phone, are the challenges for companies in the new reality.
In order to adjust to the new demands and challenges that arose from the covid-19 outbreak, at a global level companies are focused on understanding the trends that will predominate among consumers in the short and medium term.
Considerable investments in the digitalization of operations, the closure of small stores and the expansion of the commercial area of the best located sales points, is part of the strategy that companies are beginning to implement in the new context of business transformation.
Managers of large corporations agree that several companies were already making progress in digitizing sales and operations, but the pandemic ended up persuading decision makers of the need to focus on online sales, and simultaneously accompany it with a plan to transform physical stores.
A trade mission of twenty Spanish companies will arrive in December seeking business and investment opportunities.
Between 3 and Dec. 5 Spanish businessmen, representatives from the sectors of clothing and textiles, food processing, outsourcing services, electricity and infrastructure will hold meetings with their Guatemalan counterparts.
Sergio de la Torre, Minister of Economy of Guatemala noted the interest of the company Inditex (Zara, Pull & Bear, Bershka, Oysho and Massimo Dutti), in expanding their investments in the country.
The Salvadoran Siman Group, a conglomerate that operates franchises for Zara, Zara Home and Massimo Dutti and the department stores Aliss, Yamuni, Carrion and Ekono has announced expansion plans.
In 2013 the Siman Group will open a new 10,000 square meter store in the new stage of Multiplaza del Este Mall which will generate 250 jobs.
Between 2016 and 2017 it expects to have four or five outlets for which it is investigating venturing into new areas such as Heredia, Cartago and Alajuela.
The Spanish chain Inditex expanded its textile empire to the Oakland Mall where on Thursday it inaugurated its new Stradivarius and Massimo Dutti formats.
Alejandro Azurdia, Stradivarious manager, explained that the Inditex group stores are geared towards particular tastes and life styles: "Pull and Bear is for urban youth, Bershka is for fashion youth, Zara has a wider appeal.
A high purchasing power and demand for goods and services is attracting big competitors such as the Salvadoran Siman Group which inaugurated a 11,000 m2 store.
A market that was once characterized by competition between local stores such as La Gloria, Yamuni and LLobet on the national level has turned into a regional dispute with the arrival of the international department store chains.