The largest retailer selling Apple equipment in Russia, the re:Store network, has changed its name and positioning. Now the stores are called restore and devices from other manufacturers have appeared for sale on the Internet. This is reported by RBC with reference to the managing partner of Inventive Retail Group (IRG, owner of the retailer), Tikhon Smykov.
On Thursday, September 14, the opening of the chain’s first renovated store took place at Neglinnaya 8/10 in Moscow. Now in restoration: you can purchase smart devices (watches, sports bracelets), as well as smart accessories for animals, speakers and other equipment from different manufacturers.
Laptops, smartphones and tablets from other brands have not yet appeared in the main category of the network. However, the network admits that devices from different manufacturers will appear in retail in the future.
The new logo and internal architecture were developed by creative agencies ONY and Signal (part of ONY). These companies previously participated in the rebranding of MTS, Start and Ekonika.
The network’s logo has undergone changes: the pink color has disappeared, the capital letter S has become a line, and the colon has moved from the center of the word to the end.
Next year, the company will update its design nationwide. The stores will be larger and new points of sale will begin to open on an area of 150 to 200 square meters instead of the usual 100 square meters.
As Smykov notes, the changes are related to the events of 2022. Previously, the company had strict obligations to Apple. But after the American company limited its activities in the Russian Federation in connection with the entry of Russian troops into the territory of Ukraine, the obligations ceased to apply.
“We understand that we now have many more opportunities, this is what determines the decision to expand the range,” he stated, adding that contacts with the American corporation have not been renewed since 2022.
Smykov clarified that contact with Apple was interrupted in 2022 and now there is no communication with the company.
Author:
Natalia Gormaleva
Source: RB
I am a professional journalist and content creator with extensive experience writing for news websites. I currently work as an author at Gadget Onus, where I specialize in covering hot news topics. My written pieces have been published on some of the biggest media outlets around the world, including The Guardian and BBC News.
