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Champions of Corona – Matej Pleškov: Now is the Time for the Digitalization of Physical Stores

Matej Pleškov
Matej Pleškov / Image by: foto

Online clothing stores have been popular for some time, and following the trends of widespread digitalization has ensured the continuation of operations in this sector during the corona crisis, where they were forced to close the doors of their physical stores. Many others, in whose business practices the word 'digitalization' is not yet a buzzword, peered behind closed doors observing the competition. Some tried to find a way out through rapid digitalization of physical stores. However, this process does not happen so easily, explained  Matej Pleškov, founder of Future Vision, specialized in creating websites and web shops.

– In the newly created situation caused by the coronavirus interest in the digitalization of physical stores has significantly increased due to the limitations on the operation of physical stores. Despite the desire of retailers to adapt to the new way of doing business, the vast majority of them are not familiar with the process of digitalizing physical stores, which leads to a decline in initial interest. The biggest problems arise from the lack of education among retailers about the process of creating a web store and the cost of the service. Namely, creating a web store on average takes three months, and at least one month. During that period, it is necessary to conduct an analysis of the retailer’s business to determine the best digital strategy and create a web store that will provide all the necessary information and best present the products to the customer – explains the young entrepreneur, who gained fame as a high school student with the innovative system for controlling wine cellars 'Winestem', winning second place in the Idea of the Year competition, specifying why it is impossible to expect that the digitalization of a physical store will be completed practically overnight.

– The greatest interest in digitalization has been shown by clothing, food, electronics, and cosmetics stores. We notice that stores from other sectors are also showing increased interest in digitalization, but most often due to more complex logistics, they abandon the process or postpone it – says Matej Pleškov. 

He emphasizes that it is a complex process because it requires the simultaneous work of designers, programmers, bankers, and retailers, and the timeline for completion is often questioned precisely because of the interdependence of the mentioned 'actors'. The delivery time is also influenced by the size of the store, i.e., the number of items the retailer wants to sell online. Pleškov explains that, quite logically, it is not possible to deliver a web store with one hundred or one thousand products in the same timeframe. However, special times bring special efforts. 

– As we are aware of the unfavorable situation in which retailers find themselves, we give our maximum to minimize the timeline. We strive to meet the clients' wishes, and we often find ourselves in a situation where the client feels 'the heat under their feet'. Taking such a pace as an example, we will create a web store in 15 to 30 days – says the twenty-one-year-old student of the Faculty of Economics in Osijek and calls on all retailers to embrace the process of digitalization so that they are not caught off guard by such or similar crises again.

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