The new owner of JRC game stores is the Smarty -apkrig group
The network of JRC brick-and-mortar stores with video games, game hardware and promotional items is changing owners after six years. The era of investor and energy advisor Michal Šnobr ends and the era of the Smarty CZ group of businessman Petr Syrůček begins and begins. The report was brought by Hospodářské noviny, by which the former owner confirmed the shop. As one of the reasons for the sale, the JRC cited the coronavirus pandemic, which greatly affected the economies of most countries in the world and significantly affected individual trade and services sectors. And while the stone shops were closed for most of last year due to various measures, the e-shops were unusually successful, which also applies to the aforementioned Smarty group and its Smarty.cz stores, resp. iWant.cz.
Customers will meet the Smarty.cz brand in premium shopping centers in more than thirty places, which brings us back to JRC stores, of which there are over thirty and are mostly located in premium shopping centers.
Czech Crunch states that Smarty CZ recorded 20% year-on-year growth and sales of 2.3 billion crowns, which encouraged interest in consolidating its market position, including through similar purchases. “We are planning big things. We are preparing a massive entry into retail, thanks to which we want to create a comprehensive omnichannel for customers, ie a full-fledged combination of online and brick-and-mortar stores, “said Rudolf Konečný, Smarty CZ sales director for the mentioned magazine. It also promises that soon people will meet the Smarty.cz brand in premium shopping centers in more than thirty places throughout the country, which brings us back to JRC stores. There are over thirty of them and they are mostly located in premium shopping malls, therefore, renaming or closer association of the brand with the Smarty logo is not excluded.
As for the JRC, Hospodářské noviny states with reference to the Cribis database that the company reported a loss of approximately 28 million crowns last year, which was clearly caused by the coronavirus pandemic. However, the economic results of JRC Czech have been on a downward trend for several years now, with similar revenues hovering around 500-600 million crowns. “In 2016, the company earned 13.5 million crowns. In 2019, with revenues of almost 600 million crowns, only five million crowns, “adds the iHNed portal. This is one of the reasons why Šnobr explains that JRC stores need a stronger and larger partner if their future is to be secured, which ultimately does not only apply to physical sales, but to e-commerce. Despite the fact that the JRC, of course, operated online even without stores, it did not signify the profit, and According to Šnobr, he realized that it is necessary to invest much more money in the further development than it might seem.
