Jysk exec backs physical stores in post coronavirus world

The physical store will be very much alive in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, according to Jysk Executive Vice President Retail, Mikael Nielsen.

The Scandinavian furniture retailer has 18 new stores across 14 European countries coming up this month.

“From the beginning of this crisis, it has been important for the management team that we carry through as many new openings and rearrangements as possible, as the crisis does not change our plans for the long-term,” Nielsen says.

Also of interest: Jysk: 'UK retail isn’t dying, it’s changing the ground rules'

“So far this strategy has been confirmed by the fact that we have had a lot of customers since we reopened our stores, which means that the physical store is still very much alive.”

“Colleague and corporate spirit are two of the central values at Jysk. We have really had to be creative and help each other in new ways to keep our projects running, and we have been able to do that,” he adds.

Nielsen expects a continuous high activity level during the summer, so the retailer can make up as much lost ground as possible. He concedes, however, that there won’t be as many new stores in FY20 as was originally planned.

Sign up for our free retail technology newsletter here.