Red Futura held its seventh commercial meeting with the participation of almost 60 exhibitors and around 240 visitors, which represented more than 120 social reasons. The day brought together proposals from different areas and functioned as a space for contact between suppliers and merchants, with stands aimed at generating new business opportunities.

As they explained Jorge Pocztaruk, president of Red Futura, and Simón Pocztaruk, Operations Manager, the call marked a record for the organization. The demand for spaces grew during the previous months and some companies even participated with more than one stand.

The meeting was concentrated on a single day, with the aim of generating an agile and sustained dynamic throughout the day. The format allowed suppliers and merchants to gather in the same space and facilitate circulation through the different stands. "We try to make it full, so that people see that it is there. So, today everyone is working, everyone is busy," explained Jorge Pocztaruk.

In a situation in which businesses and suppliers must manage their resources more carefully, Red Futura sought for the meeting to function as a concrete instance of commercial exchange.

The selection of companies and products also responded to a reading of the consumption scenario. Red Futura sought to incorporate brands of different scales to offer alternatives in line with different purchasing levels. “The idea was to focus according to people's pockets,” explained Jorge Pocztaruk, referring to the presence of second and third brands along with other more recognized ones.

A proposal that goes beyond the purchase

Red Futura nació con el objetivo de facilitar el proceso de compra de pequeñas y medianas empresas dedicadas a la comercialización de artículos para el hogar, muebles y tecnología. Comenzó con 18 comerciantes de dos provincias y actualmente cuenta con 266 businesses in 23 provinces. During September, it also registered a record of incorporations, with around 25 new members.

The network is made up of businesses run by their own owners and has professionals linked to economics, accounting and business administration, who provide advice in different areas of management.

For its organizers, the differential is not only in the negotiation of prices and commercial conditions, but also in the daily support. The proposal includes economic and financial advice, after-sales, e-commerce, social networks and digital marketing.

“Red Futura is not simply a pass-price network,” said Jorge Pocztaruk. Along these lines, he explained that the objective is to provide tools and assistance so that businesses can professionalize their management.

Simón Pocztaruk summarized the proposal in one word: service. “We try to understand what is important for a business and develop actions to improve in each of these aspects, from customer service and searching for product prices to after-sales and everything that makes a business operate,” he explained.

This support also extends to specific daily operation situations, such as problems with orders, deliveries or customer complaints. For Jorge Pocztaruk, the difference is precisely in not limiting the link to commercial negotiation: "It's not that we sell you the network and then you settle. We are here all day."

In addition to the services and commercial conditions, the organizers highlighted the bond between the members as one of the aspects they seek to preserve as the network grows.

Simón pointed out that respect for suppliers, colleagues and the work team is one of the organization's core values. “Before being merchants, we are people,” Jorge Pocztaruk summarized, a phrase that, as he explained, represents the way in which they seek to build the relationship with the members.

Grow, diversify and accompany commerce

Category diversification is another of the strategies promoted by Red Futura. The organization incorporated businesses in complementary areas, such as hardware stores and bazaars, and developed alliances to expand the marketing possibilities of its members.

In parallel, the network has an import team and markets products under its own brands such as Futura Home y Apollo. Among the incorporated categories are televisions, tenders, fryers and bicycles.

The incorporation of new categories responds to the need for businesses to expand their proposal and find new sales opportunities. In this sense, Jorge Pocztaruk was forceful when raising the need to review the traditional model: “Either you expand the offer or you are going to have a bad time.”

The strategy also includes the development of digital tools. The network has its own technological platform and continues to work on solutions related to online sales and business management.

The growth of Red Futura is also reflected in the evolution of its meetings. The organization went from 18 initial members to 266 businesses and plans to exceed 300 attendees at its next event.

For Jorge Pocztaruk, the growth of the network does not mean losing close relationships. "I didn't get on the horse of success. We grew exponentially, but I'm like I was 18," he said, referring to the number of members with which the project began.

The next goal is to reach between 320 and 350 attendees. Beyond the numbers, the organizers consider that the growth of purchasing networks can become more relevant for independent businesses in a scenario that requires working with lower volumes, improving purchasing conditions and having greater support.

The story of Red Futura began in January 2019, when Jorge Pocztaruk decided to transform his experience as a merchant and economist into a purchasing network model with advice. Seven meetings later, the project continues to expand its scope and add tools to accompany businesses in a market that requires reviewing strategies and finding new opportunities.