Frank Aldorf, chief brand officer at German multichannel retailer Internetstores, presented the company’s digital-first strategy at ISPO Munich Online. With its 40 online stores in 14 countries, including the stores fahrrad.de, Bikester, Brügelmann, Probikeshop, Campz and Addnature, Internetstores sells 1,350 brands. 49 percent of sales are made via mobile devices, and 254,000 bikes were shipped last year. To adapt the returns processing to its further growth plans, Internetstores invested in a new, automated returns center in Stuttgart-Untertürkheim. “This means that we can store 99.9 percent of all returns – provided they come back in perfect condition – back into the existing warehouse and resell them,” Aldorf explains. This time-consuming process is only worthwhile financially if the returns can be processed efficiently. In the new returns center, packages are automatically opened, then sorted and automatically transported to the appropriate work areas for processing. Certain product groups can also be prioritized. The new system not only creates efficiency in returns processing, but also consumes 30 percent less energy. The commissioning of all workstations will take place gradually until 2022.
Internetstores has been part of the Signa Sports United Group since 2016 and employs more than 800 people in Stuttgart, Esslingen, Berlin, Lyon and Stockholm. The group achieved record sales of €373 million in 2019. According to Internetstores, the company has grown by more than 30 percent every year since the acquisition.
