Spark to buy back stores in attempt to connect with customers, promote Spotify and Netflix

By Sophie Boot
June 19 (BusinessDesk) - Spark New Zealand is planning to buy back all its stores from external management as it works to connect better with customers bored with online shopping.
The telecommunications provider directly owns 36 stores, while 26 are under management by its dealer partners Leading Edge and Orb, and Spark wants to own all 62 retail stores by late 2017. It doesn't plan to close any stores and employees in the bought-back stores will be able to keep their jobs, it said.
"While e-commerce and online channels...
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