Twenty years from now ? “I do not let anyone say that it is the most beautiful age of life “, wrote Paul nizan france. The employees of GrosBill can only experience the same feeling of confusion and decay. Twenty years exactly after its creation, in October 1998, the banner of high-tech products is on the tightrope.
Placed into receivership on October 1, by the tribunal de commerce of Paris, the company sweetheart of geeks is looking for a buyer urgently. Interested candidates have until October 24 to submit their offers. A symptom of additional competition is particularly fierce, which hurts the entire distribution, and the reconstruction that it entails.
Florent Hunsinger, one of the two court administrators, with Christophe Thevenot, is optimistic : “GrosBill is a strong brand, in full recovery, for which we have already received expressions of interest,” he stressed. We expect multiple offers. “If all goes well, the transfer could be concluded before December and the Christmas sales.
Among the five or six groups competing, a candidate is a favorite : RRCA, another big name in the trade of computer hardware and high technology on the Internet. “On our market, very complicated, the size counts a lot, including to negotiate the price with suppliers, says its director general, Olivier de la Clergerie. The sector, therefore, are experiencing a phase of consolidation. “Surcouf has closed, Carrefour has purchased Rue du commerce and FNAC has absorbed Darty.
Hesitation on the strategy
RRCA, for its part, remains wary after having put the hand on the site Materiel.net. “We are opportunistic, summarizes the director-general. We are presented with a lot of folders, we are looking at it. “Between acquisitions and its own growth, the group has pledged the Stock to double…
