You can view the digital issue of December/January ERT here.
Editor’s comment:
Welcome to this month’s issue of ERT, and a very happy new year! I hope 2020 is a prosperous and successful year for you all.
This month there are a couple of special topics. One is a look at home cinema installations; there’s been significant growth in the television and home cinema market, which continues at a rapid rate, and in this issue you can read all about what options to consider and how best to show off these products.
Experiential retail is spoken about a lot in this industry, but when it comes to home cinema, there’s no better way to try before you buy than sitting in a big, comfy chair with a carton of popcorn and immersing yourself in the full audio and visual experience. Impress the socks off your customers in this way and you could be on to a winner.
This is what Matt Renaut from Dacombes of Wimborne is hoping for. He and his team at the Dorset store spent most of 2019 building and installing a new cinema demo room. It’s seriously impressive.
I was lucky enough to attend the grand opening event for the cinema at the end of November – it was big screen Hollywood themed, with film character fancy dress, flashing lights and a red carpet. It was great to see and feel the buzz around this retailer’s exciting new venture, with all the staff, customers, industry experts and even the town Mayor getting fully involved.
It’s activities like this that really attract new and existing customers to a retail store, which goes back to my point about experiential retail. Giving shoppers a reason to visit is one of the main aims of electrical retailers today’s tough climate. Dacombes of Wimborne is a good example of this.
You may have read in last month’s issue, the company was recognised at the ERT Awards in October as it was given the special Turning Point Award. And you can hear more from Matt Renaut about this and his new home cinema venture from page 32 this month.
The leading lady
Also this month, I sat down with Teresa Arbuckle, UK MD of Beko, to catch up on the manufacturer’s latest innovations and picking up two trophies at the ERT Awards last year. One of these was the Training Provider Award, and Ms Arbuckle spoke about how independent retailers can provide a great local service in the market.
The brand’s systematic training helps keep the independent trade alive and kicking, she said. “Training isn’t just a nice thing to do, it’s a must-do in terms of investment and it’s amazing to get an award for this.” Read more from page 14.
2019 was a busy year for Beko, with a number of key product launches and a huge stand at IFA. Progress doesn’t look to get any slower as we move into 2020 and, as Chair of AMDEA, Ms Arbuckle also told me her thoughts on the rapidly changing appliance industry, which is certainly in the spotlight at the moment, especially with the ongoing recall saga at Whirlpool. It’ll be interesting to see how that plays out…
Jack Cheeseman – Editor – jackcheeseman@ertonline.co.uk
You can view the digital issue of ERT December/January here.
