Bernardo Paco Castillo. CEO interview of Powerplanetonline
Powerplanetonline
E-commerce Company
Powerplanetonline is an e-commerce company selling consumer electronics to consumers and businesses across Europe.
- When born Powerplanetonline?
It has been a long time… When I was 21 years old, I loved computers and electronics, so I became self-employed and started setting up a small computer store… A franchise… 17 years ago now!
2. When and how did Powerplanet enter Portugal?
Well, I have to be honest, Powerplanet didn’t enter Portugal, it was the other way around and by surprise. Shortly after starting our website in 2011, we saw more and more Portuguese customers. In some product families they even made up the majority of customers, so we decided to translate the website into Portuguese, and increasingly allocate resources to Portugal in terms of translation, customer service, etc.. I always remind my team that we are half Portuguese and half Spanish.
3. Powerplanetonline has won this year an important award in the category of Electronic and Computer Equipment and the best price in the market. How important is this recognition for the brand?
Well, I don’t think you can measure its impact in an objective way… But subjectively, it has made us very happy!
4. Apart from receiving an award, what has made 2021 special for Powerplanet? What has the year been like for the company?
This year has been a real rollercoaster, we have implemented many organisational changes, and made many decisions to lay the foundations that allow us to continue to grow, and it seems that they are bearing fruit sooner than expected. We are on track to have the best Q4 of our history, even surpassing last year.
5. How have you dealt with the challenges caused by COVID? What are 3 pieces of advice for someone starting out in e-commerce?
A question with two very different parts…
In general I think that COVID was a big push for ecommerce. But this big push can be dangerous if you think of it not as a push, but as a new paradigm, so caution is always a great ally.
Advice for someone who is just starting out? It is like almost everything in life. For a project to be successful:
1- I always think that you have to put yourself in the client’s shoes, be honest, think about what you can really offer that could add value.
2- If in point one you have already found your answer, then as Deadpool says, “Maximum effort”.
3- Even if you are doing well, remember to always go back to point 1!
6. Have you been affected by the supply crisis? If so, how have you dealt with it?
Of course, a lot. The price of containers has increased almost tenfold in just over a year and the lack of chips and the shortages of many electronic products have meant that we have had to adapt, streamline and modify our operations. But our big advantage is that we have a very extensive logistics network, we have warehouses in SZ and HK, plus suppliers on every continent (literally) so I think this situation may have been more bearable for us than for the rest of our competitors, I don’t know… What I am sure of is that it has been challenging, and sometimes even fun.
7. What are Powerplanet’s plans for the Christmas season? Any special events?
This season we are currently immersed in is definitely a very special one for us. Under the slogan “At Powerplanet it’s always Christmas” we wanted to give visibility to some families that are unknown to our public, such as toys, radio control cars, sports accessories, retro consoles, gaming… And give a nod to the fact that these “powerproducts” awaken the child in us.
In addition, to make purchases easier for our customers we have also extended the return period until January 30.
8. Forecasts and goals for 2022?
Well, we hope to continue to grow in a sustained manner. Despite the difficulties in the sector, we are very happy with the pace of sales we have. Since Black Friday week began, we have had a turnover of almost €4.5 million, 20% more than the previous year, and we hope to continue like this in the coming months.
