Even greater co-operation Like all former voluntary chains, Expert organizations began as purchasing organizations. Nowadays however, buying together is important only because it makes selling together possible. We consider ourselves to be marketing organizations at national and international level. Our goals for the years to come will be to concentrate on the rentability of our members’ business, on our identity in the global market place, on common assort-ments, common advertising and sales promotion programmes and on purchasing loyalty. Growth of the Organization Our member dealers are ideally prepared to serve customers and provide them with all the necessary products and services. They are all independent entrepreneurs, their stores are well-located and their staff well-trained. Intensive national and international co-operation ensures broad, professional assortments for consumers to choose from. We therefore expect our organization to grow, both through the autonomous growth of our members and by finding new members. In fact, instead of expecting to find new, individual members, we see a development of groups of new members joining us collectively, either through mergers or through other forms of co-operation under the Expert umbrella. Already in Norway, Finland, France and Spain we have formed strategic alliances with other groups of retailers who now work closely with our National Expert organisations. More groups will follow!