David Jones Back In CE, After Initally Denying The Move

David Jones is back in the consumer electronics business after categorically lying to ChannelNews earlier this year.

Back in March when we exclusively tipped that the Company was looking to get back into the CE business after a disastrous relationship with Dick Smith, PR executives for the Company categorically denied the move, they even demanded that we take our story down.

8 months later the PR hacks at David Jones are now out spruiking their latest move.

See the original story below.

EXCLUSIVE: David Jones To Get Back Into CE Looking For Buyer

Under the banner of David Jones Technology, the retail giant is set to offer a selection of consumer products including AV, smart home and personal offerings.

Available in eight physical stores across Australia, in addition to online, the chain will sell several brands including product from Apple, Samsung, Sennheiser, Bang & Olufsen, Sony, Panasonic, Samsung, LG, Audiopro, Naim and Devialet.

Specifically, retail stores include Market Street, Bondi Junction and Chatswood in Sydney, alongside Bourke Street Chadstone in Melbourne, Queens plaza in Brisbane, Adelaide Central Plaza in Adelaide and Hay Street in Perth.

“We have created an entirely new experience for our customers which brings together the latest and best edit of audio-visual and technology in an interactive environment,” David Jones CEO David Thomas said.

David Jones, which in 2014 was bought by South Africa’s Woolworths Holdings for $2.2 billion comes into the market weeks out from Amazon launching into the market with pricing that is set to be significantly under David Jones.

The new merchandise will be available in stores from November 9.

“With a focus on delivering premium audio-visual solutions, David Jones Technology will provide a unique and interactive destination where customers can experience the latest lifestyle technology in action,’’ David Jones said in a statement.

In late 2013 David Jones got out of the consumer electronics space, recognising this wasn’t one of its core competitive strengths with better margins to found elsewhere such as in its key fashion offering, and outsourced its tech offering to Dick Smith.

David Jones and Dick Smith signed a deal to rebrand David Jones’ electronics departments as David Jones Electronics, Powered by Dick Smith.

Products covered in that agreement include TVs computers, tablets, home office, audio visual and other digital products. Dick Smith later collapsed.

About Post Author

David Richards

David Richards has been writing about technology for more than 30 years. A former Fleet Street journalist, he wrote the Award Winning Series on the Federated Ships Painters + Dockers Union for the Bulletin that led to a Royal Commission. He is also a Logie Winner for Outstanding Contribution To TV Journalism with a story called The Werribee Affair. In 1997, he built the largest Australian technology media company and prior to that the third largest PR company that became the foundation company for Ogilvy PR. Today he writes about technology and the impact on both business and consumers.