Sprint has opened 1,435 new Sprint-RadioShack retail stores to provide customers better access to the company's industry-exclusive services, which include unique unlimited plans, Boost and Virgin Mobile prepaid deals, and leasing programs.
After General Wireless, an affiliate of Standard General, acquired 1,743 RadioShack Stores, Sprint has now become a co-tenant that occupies one-third of the said stores. The move is part of the carrier company's initiative to invest in local communities further.
The co-branded stores will exclusively offer Sprint mobile devices in postpaid and prepaid services, including Sprint's premium Samsung Galaxy S6 plan, and other RadioShack merchandise. They will also feature Sprint's concept of a "store within a store" geared toward improving customer store experience.
According to Scott Sloat, spokesman for Sprint, the rebranding and build-out of this novel store concept is scheduled to take place in waves and will take some time to finish in all branches.
Sprint also views the expansion as part of its effort to help build stronger communities in the country by creating new jobs and preserving old ones. The company will begin recruiting a skilled workforce to fill in 3,500 full- and part-time positions.
Sprint expects the transformation to be complete in the second half of the year.
In an official statement, Sprint CEO Marcelo Claure explained that customers are switching to Sprint because of the company's line of premium products and services, such as the Cut Your Bill in Half offer.
"Customers value the ability to walk into a neighborhood Sprint store near where they live and work. With more stores, and including Boost and Virgin Mobile, we're providing additional shopping opportunities and making it easier and more convenient for consumers to do business with us," Claure said.
Former Motorola and Dell executive Ron Garriques has been named RadioShack's new chief executive by Standard General. He stated that the agreement between Sprint and Standard General has allowed RadioShack to continue providing a trusted destination for its valued customers.
"Together, we can preserve jobs and an iconic American company specializing in mobility, connectivity and innovation. This arrangement is truly a win-win, giving Sprint a much larger footprint and providing both companies immediate access to each other's customers," Garriques said.
Industry analyst Jeff Kagan pointed out that the expansion allows the telecom giant to spark significant growth in the business. By establishing new storefronts, Sprint plans to reach more customers in the country more quickly.
Photo: Mike Mozard | Flickr
