BCC customers surprised at closed door: ‘Now I have that voucher’ Yesterday, 7:37 PM in Economy Chaos for customers who want to pick up orders at BCC. Two-thirds of cases are not open after deferment of payment.

After Big Bazar, another large retail chain is now fighting for its survival. But while the Big Bazar stores are still open in bankruptcy proceedings, approximately three-quarters of the branches of electronics chain BCC closed their doors today. This happened after parent company Mirage requested a deferment of payment. Customers are in the dark as to whether they can still go to collect an order or repaired purchase, for example.

Many people looked not only curiously, but also disappointedly through the windows of the closed BCC on Bilderdijkstraat in Amsterdam. A customer who wanted to redeem a voucher does not know whether this is of any use to her. “I had taken out an energy contract in this store. You received a voucher for 75 euros for it, and I wanted to use it today,” she says. “Now I’m stuck with that receipt.”

Another visitor also doesn’t understand the closed door. She came specifically to purchase a vacuum cleaner that she had viewed online. “I called this week. And then they said: ‘Come over’.”

Threatening situations

Due to the unclear situation with open or closed businesses, customers do not know where they stand. For example, if they have made a purchase from the online shop that was opened today, which they actually have to pick up at a BCC branch. For example, the site still promises that an online purchase can be picked up in a store after just one hour.

BCC director Caspar Klinkhamer told NOS that “about three quarters” of the 56 branches did not open today. “This has to do with the fact that unfriendly, sometimes threatening situations have arisen in certain stores that are unacceptable,” he confirms stories from employees.

Various employees tell the NOS that they are afraid of aggression from customers, as recently happened at branches of the bankrupt electric bicycle brand VanMoof.

Partner companies are also taking action: for example, employees of transport and transportation companies blocked the chain’s distribution center in Almere for some time this afternoon, Omroep Flevoland reports. They say they have not been paid for months and fear that they will lose their money if the chain goes bankrupt.

Security guards

The concerned BCC employees told the management in a video call that they did not want to reopen the doors without a security guard. BCC meets this requirement. “In consultation with the administrators, we have decided to organize security in the stores,” Klinkhamer responds.

However, this does not mean that customers can go anywhere again. According to Klinkhamer, security cannot be arranged “immediately”. “From tomorrow this will be gradually organized and on Monday in all stores where necessary.”

Lots of staff, few customers

In Bilderdijkstraat, local residents paint a mixed picture of ‘their’ BCC. For example, an upstairs neighbor reads with astonishment the note on the door stating that the business is closed until further notice.

She actually thought it was a “doing well” store. “But that’s apparently not true,” she stammers. “I have also bought something here. And you are treated well. I don’t know why this would go bankrupt.”

Another neighbor is less surprised. “I came here often. In front of a TV, a refrigerator. But yes, I thought it was quieter. Lots of staff, few customers.”