Hearing that the new stores would welcome shoppers with special discounts and campaigns, thousands formed long queues overnight to wait for the opening at 6:00 a.m. Ignoring the recession still battering the country, customers in droves were lured by the attractive prices. More than 2 kilometers of safety fencing was used along with security measures to prevent overcrowding in the malls and congestion at the cash registers; only 200 people at a time were allowed in to the Media Markt store. The companies distributed blankets and offered tea to those waiting during the night.
The İzmir store became the 12th link in Media Markt's retail chain in Turkey. It has a total of 566 stores in 14 countries. The company currently has plans to open three more stores in Ankara and İstanbul by the end of the year.
Media Markt's customers were especially interested in LCD TVs, laptops, CDs, DVDs and cameras. The store offers 45,000 types of electronic goods in a 3,700-square-meter sales area. Speaking at the opening, Media Markt Turkey's General Manager Nuri Topatan said the company aims to reach a total area of 100,000 square meters by the end of this year, employing 1,500 people. “We are pursuing our growth plans with the same determination as on our first day in Turkey. Apart from our confidence in the country's economy, we are basing our investments on Turkey's potential and the size of its market,” he said.
Teknosa's new shop, one of 15 the company has in İzmir alone, also attracted great interest from consumers wanting to benefit from large discounts. Shoppers were allowed into the store in groups to avoid causing chaos inside.
