One day, marketplaces will be on the high street.

Take the internet marketplace model, bring it into the physical world and you get shops in shop: specialist shops within other shops.

It’s something that the hypermarkets, which have been losing speed for a while, are introducing in droves. And what if that was the future? Spotlight on this growing phenomenon.

Faced with diminishing traffic, hypermarkets are increasingly “cornershing” shop floor space. It demonstrates that relations are improving between pure players and physical brands…and everyone seems to be finding their place for the time being. But by opening up this much, are they at risk of diluting their brand ?

A Boulanger stand in the heart of Leroy Merlin?

That’s what customers found at the end of May in their DIY store. The idea is of its time. The two brands complement each other with services geared towards the smart home.

It’s a collaboration that parent company Auchan is inspired by. The major retailer recently stated its desire to expand testing of shops in shop throughout its stores. In the coming months areas dedicated to Decathlon, Kiabi and even Norauto may even be found.

The system is made easy by the fact that they all belong to the one group and have the same corporate culture.

These alignments go beyond just affiliation…they complement each other.

Will Tediber wake up Carrefour?

3 Carrefour hypermarkets in the Paris and Lyon regions have been hosting the DNVB Tediber for several weeks.

The pure player in mattresses gains visibility for its products and concept. Customers will be able to “touch” the products, order, have them delivered quickly and free, try them out for 100 nights, enjoy free returns and even removal of an old mattress.

What’s in it for the retailer?

Attractiveness. Now more than ever this is key for hypermarkets.

2018 was the second year in a row of reduced turnover (on average 1.5% across the aisles).

To put a stop to this decrease, the hypermarkets’ choice has been two-fold. Firstly, reinventing their value proposition in the non-food sector by adding recognised brands. Secondly, by renting out square metres.

Entire sections have been franchised, like the 1,000m2 of “electro-video-sound” at Carrefour Ville-du-Bois in the Essonne, which are now managed by Darty.

Is it a good way to become the place to be? Only time will tell…