ThinkSmart To Trial In France With Media – Saturn

08 Jul ThinkSmart To Trial In France With Media – Saturn

ThinkSmart To Trial In France With Media-Saturn

– To Expand In New Zealand With Dick Smith-

ThinkSmart Limited (ASX:TSM), an international computer and office equipment financing company, today announced it has reached agreement with Media-Saturn France to trial its RentSmart B2B rental finance product in their stores. 

ThinkSmart has also reached an in principle agreement with Dick Smith Electronics to launch in its New Zealand stores. 

Media-Saturn France is a part of the German company Media-Saturn-Holdings GmbH, a €15.2bn electrical goods retailer, that operates the “Media Markt” and “Saturn” retail brands in 15 countries across Europe. The trial, which is scheduled for the second half of 2008, will take place in four Saturn brand stores in the north of France. 

“The French market remains a significant opportunity in Europe with Media-Saturn being one of the dominant players in that market,” said ThinkSmart founder and Chief Executive Officer, Ned Montarello.

“Strategically, Media-Saturn presents not only as an important beachhead retailer for us to re-establish nationally in France, but also clearly provides significant scope into the wider European market should we achieve the desired synergies.”

In New Zealand, ThinkSmart will launch into Dick Smith Electronics’ 65 stores which will expand its market presence in New Zealand to circa 80 stores inclusive of the JB Hi-Fi Group stores that it currently services.

About Media-Saturn:  With a net revenue of 15.2 billion Euros and a headcount of 42,109 in 2006, Media Markt and Saturn are Germany and Europe’s Number One electrical goods retailers. The success enjoyed by the two retail brands, which are housed under the roof of Media-Saturn-Holding GmbH, is based on a unique selection of low-priced brand-name products, competent staff, excellent service, a distinctive advertising presence and a decentralized organizational structure. The Media Markt and Saturn brands are managed independently of one another and are competing retail brands.  The Media-Saturn Corporate Group, in which METRO AG has a majority shareholding, currently operates 701 stores in 15 European countries.