IER-DEC09-PG20-21-22-24.4:Layout 1 25/11/2009 14:52 Page 21
Accessories
opportunities. Comments Category Techlink’s Ric Stevenson isn’t quite so
Marketing Manager for Essentials, Ben convinced, although he does feel the
Law: “The myth is that an accessory has situation is changing: “Not appearing to
to be sold at point of purchase, but good ‘get’ accessories or not maximising
service and after-care support can result accessory sales as a viable revenue
in the consumer returning to purchase the stream is certainly true of many retail
accessory. Independents are the best stores – mostly because the end sale
suited channel to fully understand the comes down to floor staff rather than
consumer’s accessory needs and offer management – but this is definitely
great advice as a result.” changing,” he says. “Within the current
climate, there are simply fewer feet
Has the penny finally dropped? marching through the store, and this has
So having heard for 15 years or more that meant there is great time for sales staff to
accessories really do offer a great add-on spend with each customer. This naturally
sales opportunity, do all manufacturers and leads to better sell-through of accessory
retailers finally ‘get it’? products – particularly technical products
Sony says it now recognises the like HDMI that need a certain amount of
importance of accessories to retailers to explaining.”
such an extent that it has created a
dedicated department for this function, Supermarkets in on the act
although it’s slightly surprising this hasn’t If there was any doubt about the
existed before, given the historical and importance of after-market accessories in
current breadth of products in the today’s market, you only have to take a
Vivanco Prowire cables
company’s portfolio. look in the consumer electronics section of
Armour Home PR manager Steve any Tesco or Sainsbury’s store… They may
Reichert sounds slightly irritated that the not always stock the most upmarket TV
return home with their new purchase, only question is even being posed, and DVD player brands – and whether it’s
to find that the salesman hasn’t sold them commenting: “Well, we sell a huge volume worth paying extra for a high-quality lead on
everything they need to get their product of accessories, and as they are nearly all a budget own-brand box is a moot point –
up and running due to fear of being sold through independent retailers, I think but the fact that stores such as these
misunderstood as pushy or trying to it is reasonable to deduce that successful devote significant amounts of prized retail
increase their commission by selling ‘add- retailers have understood and acted upon space to accessories should be enough to
ons’.” the message very well. To be frank, in convince even the most hardened sceptic
Sony rightly makes a point of today’s challenging market conditions, of their worth. Armour Home’s Steve
differentiating between accessories that any retailer not attempting to maximise Reichert points out that Tesco has stated its
should be introduced at product sale time every sale by attaching accessories is intention to obtain a one-third share of the
and those that are ripe for after-market facing a very bleak future.” headphone market, and also applauds
Chris Emerson with
Alphason Viewsmart offers
December 2009 The Independent Electrical Retailer 21
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46