Penza, 29 February 2012. PenzaNews. Strategy and plans of the company in 2012: advertising and marketing director of retail chain “Caravan” Vitaly Vlasov’s answers.

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Vitaly Rudikovich, who belonged to the initiative of opening stores "Caravan" in Penza, and how was the work held to create a network?

Retail chain “Caravan” appeared in Penza in 2003. The initiative of its creation belongs to the founder Dimitriy Lavrentiev. Name of network of shops has not changed these years. It includes 36 self-service grocery stores, 17 of which are located in Penza, 19 of them are in the regional centers of the Penza region now.

The total retail space of all “Caravan” network objects is 12 thousand square meters, buying traffic is 1.7 million people per month. “Caravan” retail network has its own distribution center, can store products in all temperature ranges.

The network also consists of five self-service shops, which make specialty out of the sale of alcohol and working under the brand “DutyFree Penza,” pets supplies “Lyubimchik,” working under companys “Mars” franchising policy and two pizzerias located in supermarkets.

What are the preferences of your customers and what is the percentage of imported goods and goods produced in the Penza region available in your shops?

It is difficult to identify specific preferences. I cannot say that our prices are the lowest because in fact they are average, we try to take into account the needs and desires of our customers. The company has a sufficiently high potential, thus able to react quickly to market changes and offer products that fully satisfies the demands of consumers. Range of products in our network is about 8 thousand items.

Nowadays using credit cards becomes more popular to pay for purchases. Are all “Caravan” and “DutyFree” shops cash desks equipped with appropriate terminals and which bank cards are accepted in the retail network?

All the cash desks of “Caravan” supermarkets in Penza are equipped with terminals, as well as “DutyFree” network. All bank cards of international payment systems “Visa,” “Maestro” and “MasterCard” are accepted.

The capacity of the Internet provided to “Caravan” by the telecommunications holding “ER-Telecom” allows us to smoothly accept payment cards immediately at all cash desks, to broadcast from surveillance cameras installed in all supermarkets and work in the program of remote access and with electronic payment systems simultaneously.

What do you expect from 2012? Do you plan to open additional outlets in the Penza region, or even outside it, and whether you intend to continue to cooperate with “ER-Telecom?”

In 2011, the retail chain “Caravan” has increased the turnover of existing stores by more than 55% without taking into account the opening of new facilities with respect to 2010.

The opening of at least 25 new stores is scheduled for 2012 in Penza, the Penza region and beyond. Obviously we will continue our co-operation with “ER-Telecom” since the network just cannot function without the Internet.

We prefer “Er-Telecom” company, precisely because it develops an individual offer for each corporate client, focusing on particular business and provides any necessary speed of the Internet, depending on the needs of the company.

Thank you for the informative interview.