Jack Cheeseman EDITOR’S COMMENT


April 2019 ertonline.co.uk


15


It’s back... To the future!


S


ince I started working on ERT, I’ve had many different conversations with retailers about how tough trading conditions are at the


moment. With reports of decreasing footfall, slow sales and business closures on high streets across the UK, and not to mention the uncertainty caused by the current on-going political issues, it’s no wonder people are sceptical about the future. This applies to consumers carefully choosing where to spend their money, and retailers competing and vying for that money to be spent with them. However, at the same time, it has been great


to hear of all the ways that retailers are adopting new ideas to encourage customers to visit. We try and reflect this in ERT through interviews and store visits to help inspire retailers to make the necessary changes to become a destination that shoppers will want to head for. In addition to this, we also have various industry commentators and analysts sharing their thoughts on the future of independent retail and what businesses could be, or should be, doing now in order to stay one step ahead of the game. And then there are the hundreds of manufacturers across this industry


that are constantly evolving and developing new products and technologies – who knows what the future looks like? There is an ever-increasing desire among consumers to have the latest gadgets in their homes, and electrical retail has already demonstrated in many ways that it has the capacity and potential to be at the forefront of profiting from the most current smart home opportunities. As a community we should be sharing these ideas to ensure we not only survive the current conditions, but also thrive.


Save the date! The ERT Awards and ERT Turning Point Live! are returning again this year to recognise the success and excellence of retailers across the consumer electronics and home appliances industries. Taking place at the Grand Connaught Rooms


in London on Monday, 7 October 2019, Turning Point Live! is a unique opportunity where retailers, manufacturers and key industry figures will join together to educate and be educated on new ideas and opportunities to encourage customers back into stores. It is effectively a stage version of our Turning Point campaign, where we hear from retailers up and down the country about how they


As Doc Brown says, your future hasn’t been written yet. No one’s has. Your future is whatever you make it. So make it a good one.


are trying to stay ahead of the game. In addition, the ERT Awards in the afternoon


is the leading awards event and it’s a great way to celebrate the industry and the people that are driving it forward. We have introduced some new categories for this


year’s event and entries open in just a few weeks. So keep an eye on www.ertawards.co.uk and www.ertonline.co.uk for plenty more information! I look forward to seeing you all there in London in October!


Email the editor at jackcheeseman@ertonline.co.uk What do you think ? A snapshot of last year’s event


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