The Media-Saturn In-Store Digital Experience

Steven Keith Platt
Platt Retail Institute
October 2012



Platt Retail Institute’s Research Article “The Media-Saturn In-Store Digital Experience” provides an in-depth look at the broad range of customer-facing technologies employed by Europe’s largest electronics retailer, Media-Saturn-Holding. In a conversation with Ingolf von Wittken, head of Digital POS Concepts at Media-Saturn, PRI explores how the German-based retailer is using digital technologies to enhance its customers’ in-store shopping experience.

Media-Saturn Group is Europe’s largest electronics retailer. Operating under two competing retail brands, Media Markt and Saturn, they together operate 909 stores in 16 countries. In 2011, revenue exceeded €21 billion ($26 billion). The retailer employs more than 70,000 people. Interestingly, not only do the two brands compete, but also each store is run as an independent company, with each store manager owning up to 10 percent of the business. This decentralized approach incentivizes store managers, who also select local advertising and products, as well as determine pricing and personnel planning, which enables them to respond quickly to customers’ needs.

Additionally, the Research Article examines Media-Saturn’s objectives for building an in-store TV network as well as the network’s size, capabilities and reach. It also takes a look at how Media-Saturn leverages technology to manage its network. Von Wittken talked to PRI about the in-store network, its maintenance and management, and the technologies that power the in-store digital experience as summarized below.

According to Von Wittken, the primary objective of using digital technologies is to provide customers with the best possible information to make educated purchase decisions. He cited some additional reasons such as making the store attractive and innovative, generating advertising revenue, speeding communication to the store, and optimizing customer messaging.