David Jones Set To Challenge Specialist AV Channel With New AV Store Concept
Last week we revealed that LG has cut a deal to sell their Premium range of products via LG, now Scott Sullivan, David Jones’ head of audio-visual, has revealed that the Company who had a disastrous experience with the former Dick Smith store is looking to expand their premium sound and AV offering.
He has also revealed that the big department store is hoping that their stores will become a destination for consumers to trial a premium product which they are prepared to look at “price matching” up against Amazon.
Sullivan told Fairfax Media the store would be market competitive – to an extent he also said that the Company is now delivering “Concept and experience rooms” in a move that could challenge the specialist Hi Fi and AV channel.
“Hopefully our customers will see the value in what we are doing from an in-store aspect. The aim for us is to definitely be on par with the market when it comes to major products.”
ChannelNews understands that several Japanese brands who have premium appliances have expressed an interest in working with David Jones if they can deliver the right instore experience for their products which are popular with buyers of premium products in both Japan and China.
The new offering is being supplemented by an in-home installation and after-sales service “to ensure customers get the best” out of its new products.
It’s essential in this area and range of technology that we are market competitive he said.
David Thomas, chief executive officer of David Jones, said that the reason why it took so long to relaunch the technology section was that he wanted to get it right.
“It’s not that it’s taken so long, ” Mr Thomas said, “it’s just the opportunity has never been as significant as it is right now.
“I think that our ability to bring back to the customer an environment that we have before us is really second to none. So, it’s about getting the timing right.
“We ideally would’ve … when we identified the opportunity about 12 or 18 months ago … we probably would’ve invested then – but it was about getting the right talent, getting partnerships with the right brands, being able to execute it properly. We didn’t want to rush and not do it properly.”