Turkish fashion retailer Koton is planning to expand its Romanian network. The chain currently has nine stores in Bucharest as well as locations in Timisoara, Iasi, Ploiesti and Constanta. Erhan Tuncer, country manager at Koton, said at this year’s CEDER conference that the retailer is also looking at retail parks in secondary cities. “We do not just open in malls. We also consider other retail schemes, but we need at least 1,000 sqm given the variety of our collections. We plan to cover Cluj and Brasov, followed by other cities,” Tuncer said, adding that Romania could become a logistics hub for future expansion in Central and Western Europe due to its geographic position. “Russia and Romania are among our priorities, and Romania is a gateway to Europe. When we launch the online sales platform for the Romanian market, we will need a storage space,” Tuncer added.
He said online sales account for around 7 percent of the total Turkish market, where Koton operates 300 stores. “There is enough room for growth in Europe. For the moment, we are especially present in the eastern part of the continent. I have not tried Poland yet, which is different because of fierce competition, strong local brands and higher rents,” said Tuncer.
