When the cash registers closed for the evening at the newly renovated department store at Torpavallen, the company was able to tally a day's turnover of 13 million Swedish krona, of which 1.3 million was generated in the first hour alone. According to Power, kitchen appliances, coffee machines, and robot vacuum cleaners dominated sales. Demand for mobile phones was also significant.
Store Manager Robin Gotin comments on the outcome:
We knew there was a lot of interest, and this is like a receipt for all the work we've put into this renovation. Our goal has always been to create a modern store that offers an inspiring experience for everyone who walks through the doors, and today's success shows that we've hit the mark perfectly.
Game Release Drove Web Traffic
In parallel with the physical store opening, the company has experienced a noticeable increase in its e-commerce business this week. In connection with the pre-orders for the highly anticipated computer game Grand Theft Auto 6 opening on Thursday night, high visitor numbers were registered. At its peak, around lunchtime on Thursday, the chain sold one copy of the game every twelve seconds via its Swedish website.
Lala Liu, Sales Manager at Power Sweden, notes that the launch is also driving sales of hardware, including PlayStation 5 consoles.
When sales explode in the middle of the night on a pre-order, it says everything about how big the gaming market has become. Both I and my colleagues in the stores have barely had time to do anything but answer questions about everything from exact times to technical details.
Faster Deliveries from Store Network
At the same time, Power announces that it is now expanding its collaboration with the delivery platform Wolt. After a period of pilot testing in seven selected department stores, fast deliveries are being rolled out to all of the chain's own stores in Sweden. The concept means that customers can receive smaller electronics products and accessories delivered in under an hour.
The initiative is part of shortening lead times by utilizing the physical store network as local warehouses.
The pilot has shown us that people want their goods quickly. A pure online store cannot deliver in under an hour, but we have the opportunity to do so. We have the stores, Wolt has the logistics solution, and together we get the electronics to the customers, says Johannes Ittelin-Brynildsen, Nordic Marketing Manager at Power.