Get Connected Magazine - November 2014

NOVEMBER 2014

gcmagazine.co.uk

T H E M AG A ZI N E O F T H E E L E C T R I C A L G O O D S I N D U S T RY

Discover the

THE KITCHEN STUDIO The kitchen comes full circle

CUSTOM INSTALL Home networks of the future

GEORGE COLE GETS CONNECTED Standards war for the Internet of Things

GUEST COLUMN Dan Thornton, Head of Solution Development, Hughes Europe

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FROM THE BENCH Alan Bennett on energy saving

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High technology filtration ensures that all the dust they capture is safely trapped inside, protecting against harmful allergens, as well as keeping the home clean. Some models even filter out odour, which is great if there are pets.

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Contents

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16

VERTICAL SCREEN SANDWICH HOOD

BY AEG (MODEL X94484MV10) www.aeg.co.uk

Editor in Chief: Marlinda Conway Telephone: 01420 886 33 marlinda@gcmagazine.co.uk Magazine Advertising Sales: Brian Shilling Telephone: 01892 677 741 brian@gcmagazine.co.uk

The Word

In and around the industry

16

The Product Gallery

18

The Kitchen Studio

Subscriptions & Circulation: (GCCD) Telephone: 01420 886 33 circulation@gcmagazine.co.uk Creative Director: Will Dobson will@gcmagazine.co.uk

Editorial Comment

28

The multifunctional environment in which guests are received, wined, dined and entertained

Custom Install

A look at some of the life-changing innovations in home connectivity

Sharon Maslen Telephone: 01892 677 742 sharon@gcmagazine.co.uk

Advertisement Production Administration: Will Dobson Telephone: 01342 850 456 artwork@gcmagazine.co.uk

31

Editorial & Publishing Director: Terry Heath Telephone: 01420 886 33 terry@gcmagazine.co.uk

Production and Print: Blackmore Press, Shaftesbury, Dorset www.blackmore.co.uk

32

Guest Column

33

From the Bench

Annual subscription rate (inc. postage): UK £88; Overseas £108.

© Copyright 2014 Mud Hut Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mud Hut Publishing Ltd. Greyfriar Cottage, Winchester Road, Chawton, Alton, Hampshire. GU34 1SB www.gcmagazine.co.uk No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior permission of the publisher. Get Connected is published by Mud Hut Publishing Ltd., Greyfriar Cottage, Winchester Road, Chawton, Alton, Hampshire GU34 1SB.

34

George Cole Gets Connected

The Internet of Things: the latest standards war

Dan Thornton, Head of Solution Development, Hughes Europe, examines in-store Wi-Fi as a means of customer engagement

The home truths on energy saving and selling efficient equipment: Alan Bennett tells all

Backchat

A 2-minute power trip

NOVEMBER 2014 GET CONNECTED

3

Editorial Comment

Comment News on the shop front is not brilliant, as Autumn (with unseasonal warmth deterring shoppers) slips into Winter, and the discount-driven game of nerves that we are now accustomed to during Christmas and the New Year grips the country.

S

hoppers have been forced to be more careful, canny and selective in their buying, and retailers are having to be more inventive, specific and adaptable in their product/price/ service offerings.

The economic and retail climate has changed permanently, and adaptability is the key to survival in the new world.

We’ve seen more retail “dinosaurs” fade into extinction, first weakened by their failure to react quickly enough to changing circumstances, and some then finished off by the pernicious parasites known as private equity organisations, which consume the assets from within and leave the empty shell for others to cope with.

To stretch the analogy further, the demise of one species creates opportunity for another, and it was the faster-moving, more diverse mammals, able to adapt to a wide range of climates and – crucially – with the intelligence to devise and implement specific survival strategies, who took advantage of the gap in the evolutionary market. At first timid and tentative, these intelligent creatures diversified and adapted to colonise the planet and become dominant. So it will be with retail.

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Speed, intelligence and strategy bring choice. The new retailer understands the importance of making decisions based on a combination of economic climate and specific individual strengths.

A case in point is the way in which the “smart home” has moved rapidly in 2014 from being a semi-science fiction concept, with the fridge ordering your food for you and the cooker devising your menus, to a viable, growing market in which the Internet of Things can be seen to have an active role in making everyday life more convenient. New concepts need explanation, support, installation, ongoing service. And that’s where the niche opportunity exists for retailers – those who make the effort to acquire the right expertise and technological equipment.

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Marlinda Conway Editor in Chief

Terry Heath Editorial & Publishing Director

Will Dobson Creative Director

James McIntosh Consumer Consultant

George Cole Consumer Electronics Consultant

Have a look at this month’s feature on home connectivity (pages 28-30), and the Guest Column on page 32.

In 2014 Get Connected is celebrating its tenth year of survival in the trade press jungle. It seems that the name “Get Connected” was even more prescient and appropriate than we believed it to be back in 2004.

Database independently audited by Firgrove Consultancy. Average net 10 issues: 5,927 Mar 2012 – Feb 2013

SMART HI-FI AUDIO Wireless Multi-room

LG MUSICflow creates a whole new way to re-connect with your favourite music. Whether it’s moving tracks from speaker to speaker, group playing or creating your very own home cinema, the LG MUSICflow provides endless possibilities. Simple to set up and easy to control thanks to LG’s intuitive MUSICflow player app*, our range of speakers and soundbar will transform your audio experience.

www.lg.com/uk/musicflow

Live in Flowing Sound “...this isn’t a half-baked entry into multi-room audio, it’s an explosion.”

August 2014

*LG MUSICflow Player app is available on android, iOS and Windows PC only.

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Industry News Lacklustre performance for October retail sales

L

ike-for-like UK retail sales were flat in October compared to the same month last year, but total sales rose 1.4%, according to the BRC-KPMG Retail Sales Monitor.

The Furniture and the Home categories continued to perform best, lifting the non-food sector by 2.8% over the quarter but underperforming against its 12-month average of 3.7%.

Food sales fell 1.4% during the quarter and recorded a 12-month average decline for the second consecutive month, at -0.4%.

Online sales of non-food products grew 15.4% on the prior year – the highest online growth since Christmas 2013 – with penetration at 18.2%, 1.7 percentage points higher than in October 2013.

Consumer confidence on the wane Consumer confidence dipped again in October as expectations for the general economic situation of the country declined.

GfK’s UK Consumer Confidence Index decreased one point to -2, with three of the five measures used to calculate the score falling.

The greatest decline was measured in the Major Purchase Index, which dropped five points to -5.

Nick Moon, Managing Director of Social Research at GfK, said “the almost constant improvement that saw the Index rise 28 points between April 2013 and June 2014 seems to have run completely out of steam.”

Shop prices record continuing decline Overall shop prices recorded deflation for the eighteenth consecutive month, accelerating to 1.9% in October from 1.8% in September.

According to the BRCNielsen Shop Price Index, food inflation fell to 0.1% after three consecutive months at 0.3%, the lowest recorded rate since the series began in December 2006, while non-food deflation slowed marginally to 3.1% in October from 3.2% in September.

Helen Dickinson, British Retail Consortium Director General, noted that value was a mainstay across the home category “with great offers on small appliances, and electricals doing particularly well as retailers competed to cater for strong pre-Christmas demand.”

A third of UK shops vacant for over 3 years The UK’s shop vacancy rate remained at 13.2% in October, the lowest level since June 2010, but one in three vacant shops in the top 650 towns have been empty for over three years.

According to figures released

by The Local Data Company, this equates to 7,697 out of 25,393 shops having little hope of reoccupation, which means they could be removed

from the rating list at the next revaluation in 2015.

LDC director Matthew Hopkinson said: “38.9% of the empty shops in the top 650 towns have been vacant for less than a year which is an acceptable situation, but that means that the vast majority (61.1%) have been vacant for more than a year with landlords having to pay business

FOR THE

rates with limited hope of reoccupation.

“Whilst the top line numbers are broadly positive, the devil is in the detail with regards to what can be done with one in 10 shops that are surplus to requirement. In the top 650 towns alone, the number of empty shops equates to four Birmingham City centres lying empty.”

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LUCKY DRAW FOR NORWICH COUPLE AT HUGHES HOME TECH SHOW

A

couple from Costessey in Norwich won over £10,000 of prizes at the Hughes Home Tech Show, held at the Royal Norfolk Showground at the end of October.

Emma-Jayne Parfitt and husband Gav entered the free draw when they visited the show for the first time.

Hughes sales director Andy Pallant (pictured left) said the show was “another great success.” 38 trade stands from leading manufacturers attracted over 12,000 visitors. More than 1,000 entered the draw.

“This year we teamed up with Samsung to offer one lucky visitor just over £10,000 worth of state-of-the-art equipment and we are delighted Emma-Jayne won it,” said Pallant. “We hope she and the rest of her family get many years enjoyment from all of the great products.”

Mrs Parfitt (pictured right) was presented with her prizes at the newly refurbished Hughes Plus store in Hall Road, Norwich. They will be delivered and installed by the Hughes Smart Home team.

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The TheWord Word: Industry : IndustryNews News

WWW.LIVINGKITCHEN-COLOGNE.COM

Discount Domestics celebrates ownbrand success D

iscount Domestics, the largest independent retailer of domestic appliances in North Wales and the Northwest, has celebrated the 2nd anniversary and success of its own brand of domestic appliances.

The Teknix brand was established in 2012 by Discount Domestics managing director Paul Hughes (pictured) after he identified what he believed to be a considerable gap in the appliances market for high quality, reasonably priced goods.

Having grown two busy retail stores in Wrexham and Hawarden and built a reputation for providing reliable products at prices to suit varying pockets, Hughes decided to build on this success with the development of his company’s own range of high-performance appliances that could be retailed with an affordable price tag.

“In today’s market of vast choice, many internationally recognised brands are adding all sorts of appliances to their everincreasing product ranges and not always for the right reasons,” he said, proposing that, in some cases, the old adage ‘Jack of all trades, master of none’ could be applied to such brands.

“We wanted to introduce a brand that could consistently offer quality at the right price for every appliance within its range.

To ensure we could achieve

this, we travelled the world to determine which manufacturers are the best at developing specific products. We have the ability to select the very best from each of our suppliers for the Teknix portfolio.”

Hughes maintains that he only sources appliances manufactured by product-specific experts. If he adds a cooker to the Teknix range, he approaches a manufacturer specialising in the design and manufacture of ovens. The success of this approach is evidenced in the fact that Discount Domestics sells over a thousand Teknix electric cookers every month. Hughes also commits to ordering large quantities of these own-branded products to ensure customers enjoy competitive prices.

Discount Domestics also supplies its Teknix range to wholesale operations and other independent retailers throughout the UK. Retailers interested in the brand are welcome to contact the firm on 01244 535 929.

The Teknix range of appliances comprises refrigerators, electric and gas cookers, built-in ovens and hobs and Hughes says that new products are continually being sourced. As the brand marks its 2nd anniversary, it will be strengthened further with the development of a range of washing machines.

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HUGHES ELECTRICAL SUPPORTS LOCAL RNLI H

ughes Electrical in Clacton has donated a TV with stand and a vacuum cleaner to its local RNLI Station, after learning that the crew’s existing products had seen better days.

Store manager Chris Shelton, said. “Rather than let the RNLI use its own funds, which they could find better things to do with, we decided it would make much more sense for us to donate the goods to them given the outstanding job they, and all lifeboat crews, do. We

have supported the RNLI in Clacton for about ten years.”

Clacton’s Lifeboat Operations Manager Dave Wells explained that the Station has many visitors from schools and other groups from all over East Anglia. “We will be able to use the new TV kindly donated by Hughes to show educational videos and real life footage of some of the rescues we have carried out in Clacton. It will certainly be put to very good use,” he said.

John Lewis opens shop at St Pancras International J ohn Lewis has opened its first railway station store at one of the capital’s key transport hubs.

The 3,000 sq ft outlet at St Pancras International in London offers an edited selection of electronics, gifts, beauty, home and fashion accessories. Customers can also take advantage of the retailer’s Click and Collect service, ordering products from johnlewis.com for next day collection during their daily commute.

The opening of John Lewis St Pancras sees CE goods such as iPads, laptops and cameras available at the station for the first time.

Electronics brands available include Apple, Sony, Hewlett Packard, Sennheiser, Toshiba, Panasonic, Nikon, Lenovo, Canon, Acer, Microsoft, Beats, Samsung, Asus and Skullcandy.

48 million people a year visit St Pancras International.

A group of RNLI Clacton team members pictured with the products donated

Lord Digby Jones officially opens Ebac factory Business and community leaders joined former CBI Director General Lord Digby Jones (pictured) at a special event to mark the launch of a new factory returning Britishmade Norfrost chest freezers to the market.

The Ebac Group welcomed “The New Troubleshooter” back to the region to see the fruits of the project on which he worked with the company as part of his BBC 2 series earlier this year.

An audience drawn from the business world and regional community witnessed the event and heard how new product lines being launched by Ebac were helping to create up to 200 new jobs at its two sites on Aycliffe Business Park.

Ebac bought the Norfrost brand and equipment in 2013.

“It was fantastic to not only have Digby back, but also to welcome people from across the regional community to witness the start of a new era for Ebac. The revival of the Norfrost brand is the start of

our move into domestic appliances, with washing machines coming next year,” said Ebac Managing Director Pamela Petty (pictured left).

Former Trade Minister Lord Digby Jones told the guests: “I feel as if I have come home – there is a degree of belonging here. Business is not about screaming ‘you’re fired’ at people. It is companies like this working in a community, generating wealth.

“It never crossed my mind that Ebac would not succeed in this venture. I am very proud of this family and this facility.”

H&H ELECTRONICS HOLDS SUCCESSFUL LINSAR OPEN EVENING

B

iggleswade-based H&H Electronics reported a “very successful” open evening, at which it promoted Linsar TVs using the brand’s new light box displays and product and brand videos.

The Bedfordshire retailer commandeered the local village hall for the event, which ran from 4pm to 8pm and proved to be a hit with the public, attracting a steady stream 8

GET CONNECTED NOVEMBER 2014

of people and providing H&H with product sales including the new Linsar X24 TV with soundbar and the brand’s 4K TV models due early next year.

H & H Electronics’ Phil Sheldon was full of praise for Linsar: “The wonderful thing about Linsar is that there is a great story to tell and that’s exactly what consumers like to hear.

It was great to have the new USB

sticks from Linsar to provide all that information. And the customers loved the fact it was a young British company with a very personal story.

“In fact, that’s exactly what we like about Linsar too. We know the guys behind it; no one is hiding behind a big corporate brand, and that is a real bonus.”

Free TV has never been so easy So incredibly advanced, so clever … yet so beautifully simple. That’s what puts Humax so way ahead of all STBs on the market.

Through its choice of products, Humax offers the best possible ways to make the most of all the free non-subscription TV options. And that includes all the online services — but with no need to connect to a laptop or other digital device.

Best of all, through their Electronic Programme Guides, these set-top boxes make it easy to enjoy great features. Like ‘Catch up’ TV, plus recording, pausing and rewinding of live TV. Humax. A whole new dimension in TV, with absolute quality that comes from the most advanced technology.

www.humaxdigital.co.uk

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Jessops returned to profit in its first full year of trading

LG Electronics reported unaudited Q3 consolidated

with sales rising to over £56 million and an operating profit of

revenues of KRW 14.92 trillion, an increase of 7.4% year-over-

£280,000. The specialist photography retailer, which was bought

year, and an operating profit of KRW 461.3 billion, more than

out of administration early in 2013 by Dragons’ Den star Peter

double that from the same period a year ago. Net profit rose

Jones, had 28 stores in prime locations at the time of reporting,

from KRW 109 billion in Q3 2013, to KRW 203 billion. LG said

and was due to open a further six.

its earnings reflected a strong performance from its mobile

Home Retail Group reported a 2.9% like-for-

business, which saw record smartphone sales in the quarter with sales of 16.8 million units, an increase of 39% year-on-year

like increase in sales at Argos for the 26 weeks to 30 August,

and 16% more units than in the previous quarter. Sales of KRW

up from £1,716.8 million in the same period of 2013 to £1,769.1

4.25 trillion and operating income of KRW 167.4 billion were the

million. Benchmark operating profit increased 57% to £12.0

highest since the third quarter of 2009.

million. Electrical products, although margin dilutive, continued to deliver sales growth, with good performances in TV, video gaming and white goods partially offset by declines in tablets.

Gross margin rate remained level with the same period last year.

Third-quarter net sales at

Amazon increased 20% to $20.58

billion compared with $17.09 billion in Q3 2013. Operating losses rose to $544 million from $25 million in the same period last year.

Net losses grew from $41 million to $437 million.

Samsung Electronics saw its quarterly operating profit fall to its lowest level in more than three years because of slowing smartphone sales. The South Korean manufacturer said profit fell 60% to KRW 4.1trillion in the three months to September. Quarterly sales fell 20% to KRW 47.4 trillion.

Sony posted a net loss for the three months to September of ¥136 billion, despite sales increasing 7.2% to ¥1.9 trillion. The loss was attributed to

Electrolux reported a 42% rise in Q3

the company’s struggling mobile phone

profit in spite of tough trading conditions in Europe. Net profit for the three months ended 30th September rose to SEK 933 million from SEK 655 million in the same period last year. Net sales amounted to SEK 28.8 billion, up from SEK 27.3 billion a year ago. Operating income increased 29% to SEK 1.4 billion.

Whirlpool Corporation posted Q3 net earnings of $230 million,

Electrical products, although margin dilutive, continued to deliver sales growth, with good performances in TV, video gaming and white goods partially offset by declines in tablets.”

compared to $196 million in the same quarter of 2013. Net sales grew from $4.7 billion to $4.8 billion. North America revenues increased 6.3% to $2.8 billion with a record operating profit of $304

year loss of ¥230 billion.

Apple posted Q4 revenues of $42.1 billion, up from $37.5 billion in the same quarter last year as iPhone sales topped 39.2 million units. Net profit during the quarter reached $8.5 billion, up from $7.5 billion in Q4 2014. In its guidance for the first quarter of 2015, Apple said it expected revenues between $63.5 billion and $66.5 billion and gross

margin between 37.5% and 38.5%.

million. Sales in the EMEA region rose from $778 million to $785

Lenovo Group reported Q2 revenues of US$10.5

million, with an operating profit of $9 million. Sales in Latin

billion, a 7% increase year-over-year. Pretax income increased

America were flat, at $1.1 billion, with operating profit falling

24% to $329 million while earnings grew 19% to $262

from $133 million to $118 million, while Asia’s net sales fell from

million. Lenovo said it shipped a record high of 35.6 million

$197 million to $157 million. The region reported an operating

smartphones, PCs and tablets globally.

loss of $8 million, compared to an operating profit of $7 million in the same period last year.

Beko parent Arçelik reported Q3 revenues up 11% on the

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business. Sony said it now expects a full-

BSkyB recorded a rise of 6% in revenue for the quarter ended 30 September 2014 and an 11% increase in operating profit.

Operating profit rose to £316 million on revenues of £1.9 billion.

same period last year, from TL2.902 million to TL3.234 million.

The company added 760,000 new paid-for products, 8% more

Gross profit grew 16% to TL1.046 million, but net income slipped

than the previous quarter. Sky’s home communications business

from TL169 million to TL160 million. In its outlook for 2014, the

added almost 300,000 products during the quarter, with 37%

company said it expects total revenue growth in excess of 10%

of customers now taking all three services: TV, telephony and

and long-term EBITDA margin around 11%. Revenue for the first

broadband. ARPU grew by a further £17 to reach £576 while the

9 months of the year rose 13.9% to TL9.112 million.

churn rate remained stable year on year at 11.0%.

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The Word : Industry News

Liebherr shelves Coolectric

SHORTCUTS

German manufacturer Liebherr has announced that the arrangement with its current importer of cooling appliances, Newport Pagnell-based Coolectric Ltd, is to cease.

Scott Bannatyne has been appointed Managing Director of JVC Europe Ltd and will combine the role with his current position as Managing Director at Kenwood Electronics UK Ltd. Both companies are part of the JVCKENWOOD Group.

L

iebherr-Hausgeräte GmbH, which is responsible for Liebherr Group’s domestic appliances division, said it is to establish its own organisation in the UK to provide sales and service.

Liebherr-Great Britain Ltd will assume responsibility for the business from early 2015, at a date yet to be communicated. The new organisation will be based in

Biggleswade, Bedfordshire.

“We would like to thank Coolectric for their contribution over the years,” the company said in a brief statement.

LG Electronics has extended its parts and labour warranty on all TrueSteam™ washing machines and washer dryers of 9kg and above from two to five years.

The offer applies to models purchased from November this year until 30th April 2015.

Retailers requiring further information can contact Liebherr on the following hotline number: 01767 602221 or e-mail info. ukrefrigeration@liebherr.com

AMDEA MAKES PRODUCT RECALLS EASIER

T

rade association AMDEA has introduced Register my Appliance, a new project to improve product traceability.

AMDEA members have committed to a long-term programme to encourage owners to register their appliances and to promote understanding of why this is a wise safety precaution.

A Register my Appliance web portal which will bring the registration pages of 46 leading appliance brands into one location has been developed by members, offering a simple, secure route for the public to register new products and older appliances up to 12 years old.

The site will also include a product recall listing, hints and tips on maintenance, safe usage and installation, product standards and testing, guarantees and warranties, consumer rights and the AMDEA Code of Practice on Product Safety.

The portal is currently being tested in preparation for public launch in early January.

Former Sharp CEO Paul Molyneux has been appointed Managing Director of Vestel UK and European Head of the recently formed Sharp

Beko fined for procedural omissions over oven safety A case brought by Hertfordshire Trading Standards against Watfordbased MDA manufacturer Beko resulted in Beko pleading guilty to charges that it did not inform authorities “in the way required” of potential safety risks pertaining to some models of Beko and Flavel ovens made before 2009, until August 2013. The company was fined a reported £76,660.

The safety issue, which Beko has been addressing since it arose in 2009, involves the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, but is limited to a very specific modification to convert the affected models from FOR THE

mains gas to LPG, and then only when the appliances are operated contrary to the manufacturer’s instructions as set out in the user’s manual issued with the appliances.

The charges related solely to Beko’s communications with Hertfordshire Trading Standards around the LPG kit issue, not its extensive activities to trace the kits.

Beko said it is only looking for a limited number of LPG kits in relation to this issue. None of the current range of cookers is affected.

Anyone with any concerns about this issue should visit: beko.co.uk/Pg/LPGConverterKit AND

:

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Brand licensing programme, reporting to Ahmet Erol, Executive Committee Member, Vestel.

Gorenje has teamed up with KBB business management software company EQ Software to provide retailers with a quick and easy way to order products. The new software solution enables the completion of a range of tasks, from quoting customers to placing orders direct with Gorenje, in just a few clicks.

The UK hi-fi industry’s trade body The Clarity Alliance has welcomed two new members to its ranks. Manufacturer of home cinema stand systems, Somle, and hi-fi electronics retailer Fanthorpes Hifi.

The UK’s leading electrical safety charity Electrical Safety First is the UK’s leading campaigning charity and technical authority on electrical safety.

We campaign to improve safety regulation and provide expert information and advice to help people protect themselves from faulty, damaged, sub-standard, and poorly maintained electrical installations and appliances.

» Visit www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk NOVEMBER 2014 GET CONNECTED

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A washing machine sold every 8 seconds...

That’ll be an LG LG

Elipson installs Sound Tree at London venue A special gold version of Elipson Audio’s Sound Tree, the distinctive sound system first presented at the Milan Triennale during Design Week 2011, is on show in London from now until January 2015, in collaboration with Ideaworks London Experience Centre.

High-end AV installation company Ideaworks will be showcasing cuttingedge acoustic technologies and fabrics during the London Acoustics Season. The Sound Tree is an integral part of the event.

Samsung loses its mojo S

now occupy places in the top ten, amsung failed to fight back with the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 in the smartphone stakes in and S4 Mini failing to make the October, after being pushed out of climb back, and the Galaxy S3 the top three in September for knocked off last month’s the first time in a year. spot at number ten.

The disappointing However, uSwitch findings, recorded sees a “glimmer” of by uSwitch’s Only three hope for Samsung latest Mobile Samsung handsets Tracker, followed thanks to its Galaxy now occupy places Note 4 phablet, Samsung’s weakest quarterly which made a new in the top ten...” earnings for more entry despite only than three years (See hitting the shelves shortly before the end of page 10 of this issue), October. and with smartphone Apple’s newest release – the business accounting for more than iPhone 6 – went straight in as the half of the Korean manufacturer’s UK’s most popular phone and is total sales, uSwitch’s tracker is a still perched comfortably on the clear reflection of its struggle. top spot.

Only three Samsung handsets

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has announced that it has sold more than twenty million of its 6 Motion Direct Drive washing machines globally in the past five years, and is claiming an industry milestone with one appliance sold every 8 seconds.

“Since day one, LG has focused solely on developing innovative technologies that benefit consumers first and foremost,” said Chris Yi, executive vice president, LG Electronics Home Appliance Company. “The 6 Motion Direct Drive technology is a result of that philosophy and tradition at LG. When you build the products that customers want

and take care of them throughout the lifecycle of the product, your market share will be a reflection of their satisfaction.”

LG said its washing machines have become the “industry standard” in markets such as the US, Russia, China and even in Korea, where there is no lack of strong competitors.

The Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology (KIAT) recognised LG’s 6 Motion Direct Drive by awarding the technology ‘Green Technology’ certification for its contribution to minimising greenhouse gases and emissions.

SHORTCUTS Panasonic is running a Christmas cash-back promotion offering consumers purchasing a Lumix camera or camcorder from participating retailers up to £100 cash back. The promotion runs to 12th January 2015.

Beko has become the corporate sponsor for the Icon Conservation Awards 2015. Icon aims to advance knowledge and education in conservation and achieve the long-term preservation and conservation of cultural heritage.

Hoover has launched a new promotion with detergent brand Ariel, offering consumers a free 6-month supply of Ariel 3in1 pods when they purchase selected Hoover large-load laundry appliances before 31st January 2015.

Miele UK’s Three Peaks Challenge team has presented Ben Sharpe, senior corporate fundraiser at the Motor Neurone Disease Association, with a cheque for £10,000.

The team raised the money

for the charity by completing the demanding activity of conquering Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon.

Smeg UK will be donating £20 from every FAB 28 fridge sold in December and January to its national charity of choice, Action Medical Research, in celebration of its iconic retro fridge appearing in the new Paddington Christmas blockbuster.

Leisure is to run an incentive across its 90cm, 100cm and 110cm range cookers, offering purchasers £100 to £200 cash back.

The promotion commences on Boxing Day and will run through to January 31st 2015 with participating retailers.

HD+, the leading provider of high definition, freeto-air satellite channels to the German market, has joined the FreeTV Alliance, the association formed this year by Fransat, Freesat and Tivùsat to promote the harmonisation of free-toview satellite TV services and technology across Europe.

The Word : Industry News

ARGOS PARTNERS WITH BOSE Argos has joined forces with audio specialist Bose to sell the brand’s headphones, Bluetooth speakers, docking stations and the newly updated SoundTouch™ range in stores and online.

T

he announcement came as Argos launched its multimillion pound advertising campaign in the biggest strategy change in its 40-year-plus history. The ‘GET SET GO ARGOS’ campaign, already running during primetime viewing, highlights the wide range of brands shoppers might not expect to find at Argos and signals its shift to become a digital retail leader.

Key Brands Buying Manager at Argos Fay Williams said: “Music sounds so much better when listened to through premium audio systems, home cinema systems and quality headphones. That’s why the addition of the iconic Bose brand to our extensive range of audio technology is exciting news for our music fans.

Offering must-have brands that

our customers demand is really important to us.”

Phil Carpenter, UK Managing Director at Bose, commented: “Our aim is to bring quality sounds to as wide an audience as possible and we believe that through our partnership with Argos we will increase our potential reach in the market whilst maintaining the uniqueness of our brand.”

Bose joins a growing list of highly respected audio brands newly available at Argos, including Marley, Denon, AKG, Audio Technica and Marshall.

Co-op Electrical offers costprice extended warranties The Co-operative Electrical has become the first UK retailer to sell all extended warranties on electrical products at cost.

James Holland, Managing Director of Co-operative Electrical, said: “A significant number of consumers seek the reassurance offered by an extended warranty; however, we believe that this market should be easier to understand and represent real value, particularly when you compare the price of the warranty with the actual price of the electrical product. In most cases it is just far too expensive.

“If customers do choose to take out the additional cover we want them to benefit from one of the best policies on the market. That is why our warranty not only insures against breakdown or accidental damage, but also protects against food loss in the case of freezer breakdown, and if the product has to be repaired for a third time it will automatically be replaced with a new one.”

It is estimated that the warranty market for electrical goods is worth £1bn a year in the UK.

The Word : Industry News

Dynaudio to distribute German audio specialist T+A in the UK T+A, Germany’s largest specialist audio manufacturer, has announced the appointment of Dynaudio UK as its new UK distributor. Dynaudio UK will be responsible for all sales and support activities across the UK specialist audio retailer network.

The change in distribution signals a new period of focus for T+A within the UK market, with Dynaudio UK seen as having the right relationships with the right retailers to continue developing the brand. Siggi Amft, owner of T+A, said: “We have always seen the UK as a key market as it is respected across the world for its integrity and musicloving population. We have worked with Dynaudio in other markets and know that their attention to detail and professionalism matches our own.

“T+A has been active in the UK high-end industry for many years, and has developed a strong fan base. 2015 will see significant new product launches across the T+A range.”

IS

WITH ALL THE VERY LATEST IN THE ELECTRICAL GOODS INDUSTRY

EPE Group says small appliances are great retail moneymakers UK

distributor of branded small domestic appliances EPE Group has urged electrical and cookshop retailers to make positive moves now to ensure they do not miss out on the profit potential of the category.

“The Christmas gifting market cannot be ignored and it’s key that retailers realise that, at a time where margins are being squeezed, there is still money to be made in the small domestic appliances category,” said EPE Group managing director Noel Pamment.

EPE is actively looking to recruit retailers across the UK, and Harry Singh, the Group’s investment and marketing director, commented: “Ignore the category

and your customers will go elsewhere to buy the branded product that is most suitable for the task they want to undertake. I would encourage independent electrical retailers and cookshop owners to look at their product mix – the SDA market is a good market to be in, as every main SDA category is growing.”

In other EPE news, the Group has announced a partnership with Rainy Day Trust, which helps people who have worked in the UK’s home improvement and enhancement industry. “The Rainy Day Trust has been assisting those from our industry for many years and we wanted to give something back,” said Singh.

Big boys’ toys…

A

merica’s leading premium RC brand Propel RC has launched its top-selling remote control products in the UK via Maplin Electronics.

The targeted range of four main lines initially has been selected to appeal to a broad spectrum of RC consumers, from beginners to advanced flight enthusiasts, at key price points. They will be sold through 217 Maplin stores nationwide and online at maplin.co.uk.

Maplin’s Oliver Meakin said: “We know our customers have a huge appetite for flying tech toys, having seen sales of our range soar by over 200% in the past weeks.

“We’re excited to get the Propel range into stores ready for Christmas. We expect it to be a huge hit with our customers.”

Visit

14

for the stories behind the news...

Still time to enter the Linsar Christmas display competition Linsar is running an instore display competition incorporating the use of its recently introduced light boxes, header boards, additional POS material and the promotion of its 5-year warranty.

The annual competition runs through to Christmas Eve, offering prizes both for proprietors and store staff.

This year, retailers have the opportunity to create displays from Linsar’s CE

products or major domestic appliances, the latter of which were introduced to the UK market early this year.

“Having recently provided the retailers with a wealth of promotional support material we are confident that our 2014 in-store Christmas display competition will definitely be our biggest and our best,” said Linsar director Terry Reed.

The prize for the owner of the top store is Linsar

product worth £1,500 at RSP (ex VAT). The runner up will receive product worth £750 and the third prize is product worth £500.

Prizes for shop staff of those winning stores will include goodie bags containing Linsar & Dealer branded Polo Shirts and Wolverine DVDs. The designer of each winning in-store display will receive a luxury food hamper worth more than £100.

Samsung Culinary Class opens in Paris

London leads in digital radio

BRC puts case to Chancellor for “fundamental reform” of business rates

Silentnight heaters do the business for Benross

ESF roundtable discussions focus on recalls and traceability

Sky creates Europe’s leading entertainment company

GET CONNECTED NOVEMBER 2014

The Word : Industry News

Smeg joins BBC Good Food Show’s Winter extravaganza S

meg is to exhibit at the BBC Good Food Show Winter for the first time, with a 50s-style, retro themed stand featuring its new small appliance collection including kettles, toasters and mixers in a selection of bold and pastel shades, alongside the brand’s retro fridge-freezers and range cookers.

Live demonstrations presented by Smeg Customer Experience Manager Clare Edwards (pictured) will take place throughout each day of the show. Visitors will be invited to sample sweet treats at ‘Macaroon Madness’ during

the morning session. At lunchtime, the finest pasta and stone-baked pizza will be cooked at ‘Cucina Italiana’, followed by an Afternoon Tea of freshly-baked Christmas cupcakes and syllabub served with shortbread biscuits.

The demonstrations will focus on Smeg’s small appliance collection.

The BBC Good Food Show Winter 2014 takes place 27th – 30th November at Birmingham’s NEC. Smeg will be situated adjacent to the Saturday Kitchen Theatre, on stand S232.

BRITANNIA PROMOTES COLOURANGE WITH CORNISHWARE RANGE COOKER

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ritannia Living is showcasing its Colourange service at the forthcoming Good Food Show Winter with this range cooker in the blue and white stripes synonymous with the Cornishware brand.

The Colourange service is available across all of Britannia’s range cooker families and allows

customers to specify exactly what colour they would like.

The appliance was first shown at Grand Designs Live accompanied by a display of Cornishware crockery.

Britannia Living marketing manager Michael Haigh said the show was a “great success” for the brand.

Liza Levy of Cornishware commented: “As two Stoke-based companies that have been placed in the centre of British kitchens for years, the partnership of Cornishware and Britannia is the perfect match.

Wherever there is a Britannia range cooker, a Cornishware mug won’t be far away.”

Our most beautiful picture ever New Sony 4K Ultra HD TV Now you you can can see see everything everything at at four four times times the the Now detail of of Full Full HD. HD. It’s It’s not not just just detail, detail, it’s it’s Sony Sony 4K 4Kdetail. detail. detail

#Sony4K #Sony4K ‘Sony’and and its its logos logos are are registered registered trademarks trademarks or or trademarks trademarks of of Sony Sony Corporation.

Corporation.

‘Sony’

703198-25_SNY_Get_Connected_132x186_3110.indd 11 703198-25_SNY_Get_Connected_132x186_3110.indd

24/10/2014 15:19 15:19 NOVEMBER 2014 24/10/2014 GET CONNECTED

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The Product Gallery

The

Gallery Wash and dry dishes in just an hour Whirlpool’s new freestanding (ADP 900 IX) and built-in (ADG 2020) 6TH SENSE PowerClean™ dishwashers have a new PowerDry option that delivers a complete wash and dry programme in just an hour. No clouds of steam escape when the door is opened after the cycle and even plastic items are completely dry and ready to put away.

The new A+++ energy-rated models sense the level of soiling and automatically adjust the programme variables to save up to 50% on water, energy and time. 28 PowerClean jets provide the power to remove burnt-on food, without prewashing. j

www.whirlpool.co.uk

Watch the video at gcmagazine.co.uk

Pure launches portable Bluetooth speaker Pure’s new Voca Bluetooth speaker sports hard-wearing rugged aluminium casework and illuminated controls. It features dual passive radiators that enhance the low-end tones produced by two full-range speakers and lets users play music stored on smartphone, tablet or computer from up to 30ft away. It also has an auxiliary input, conference facility and provides up to ten hours of use on full charge. j

www.pure.com

Gorenje+ arrives on the high street Gorenje +, a new generation of stylish appliances created exclusively for high street retailers, has been formally launched onto the UK market. The new built-in line includes ovens, microwaves, coffee machines, warming drawers, dishwashers, hobs and fridge freezers, and can be installed in banks, columns or rows of appliances with a choice of combi, multifunctional and steam ovens. j

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020 8247 39 80 | www.gorenjeplus.com/uk

GET CONNECTED NOVEMBER 2014

Fancy a sandwich?

The new collection of designer cooker hoods from AEG incorporates this Vertical Screen Sandwich hood (model X94484MV10) with perimeter extraction, electronic touch-controls, LED display and LED lighting. It has 4-speed control, including an intensive setting, and an automatic ActiveHeat sensor.

Extraction rate 748m3/Hr, noise level 60dB(A). j

03445 611 611 | www.aeg.co.uk

The Product Gallery

Serious small audio The third-generation Ruark R2 compact audio system incorporates internet and Bluetooth capabilities, giving access to global radio stations and allowing users to stream music direct from numerous devices.

Multiple R2s connected to a single wireless network can simultaneously stream music from a central computer, creating an easy to manage, multi-room system. j

01702 601410 | www.ruarkaudio.com

Loewe introduces new Art TV German brand Loewe has launched a new range of Ultra HD 4K TVs with state-of-the-art speaker technology from SOEN. The units offer high-speed channel switching, programme streaming to tablets and dual-channel configuration. Available in 40”, 48” and 55” screen sizes from December 2014, in silver or black finishes. j

www.loewe.tv

Stay ahead with product updates at gcmagazine.co.uk B&O PLAY unveils first

Bluetooth speaker

Marantz HD-DAC1

premium headphone amplifier with DAC mode

Miele extends induction

hob collection

Dyson brings health-

boosting humidifier to market

Vertigo cooling from KitchenAid

Haier introduces

The KitchenAid Vertigo cooling range allows households to custom design their refrigeration needs, offering a double fridge, single wine cellar, and fridge and wine cellar combination. The shelves are easily adjustable and the large multipurpose bottom drawer can be used in fridge, freezer or Dynamic 0° mode, which preserves fresh produce in the best environment. The wine cellars accommodate 81 bottles and are equipped with smart features to preserve and chill with care.

Pure launches Evoke D6

j

www.kitchenaid.co.uk

premium wine cellars with Bluetooth

Whirlpool offers a cool

solution for open-plan living areas

Victoria accepts a technology makeover NOVEMBER GET CONNECTED

17

The Kitchen Studio

Life’s a circle Time present and time past Are both perhaps present in time future And time future contained in time past...

T

he kitchen has come full circle, from the parlour room in which families once gathered for food, warmth and chat, to the resurrected nucleus where occupants of the home again congregate to dine and socialise on a daily basis, eschewing the idea of separate living and dining areas in favour of the companionship offered by a convivial space where experiences are shared.

Although the lifestyle choices for those occupying the parlour kitchen would clearly have borne little resemblance to those available to 21st century households, the fundamental use for what is now the most investible room in the home has reverted back to that of the Victorian era. Yet there is a distinct difference in the character and ambience created in the kitchens of today and in the manner in which they are regarded. Be they large or small, most are now more reminiscent of the ‘great hall’ of yesteryear. The modern kitchen is the grand room of the home, the multifunctional environment in which guests are received, wined, dined and entertained with pride and panache.

While the great hall of old was adorned with elaborate carvings, mouldings and portraits, the heart of today’s home is typified by the floor to ceiling chic offered by a wealth of materials, colours, lights, striking cabinetry, accessories and appliances. And eye-catching, design-led interiors are no longer the preserve of the wealthy classes.

Mass produced kitchens opened up the market to those with modest disposable incomes, and as Whirlpool’s Neil Austin, Trade Marketing Manager UK & Ireland, points out: “Appliances are now available in many sizes, colours and designs, so there is something to suit everyone’s budget and décor.”

KITCHEN TRENDS

Looking at the dominant trends in today’s kitchen cabinetry, Doug Haswell, Furniture Manager at Caple, notes that gloss continues to be a big seller, but painted and matt-painted cabinetry is going to be a strong trend next season and colour 18

GET CONNECTED NOVEMBER 2014

trends are tending to lean towards more muted shades such as mussel, dakar, stone grey and charcoal. “Choosing more subtle shades enables the consumer to decorate open-plan areas more easily, as they will translate just as well in the living or dining areas of the kitchen space,” he elaborates. “Lighter colours such as green and grey complement wood perfectly and work particularly well with wood or woodeffect work surfaces which go hand-inhand with the latest trends for modern, natural shades with a calming influence, and bringing the outside in.

“Homeowners are now using more neutral shades on the main areas of cabinetry to clearly define the food prep and cooking areas. Pale grey wall cabinets will further enhance this design and provide a brilliant, neutral contrast. The user can jazz up this traditional colour with a high-gloss lacquered finish for a more up-to-date look.”

Caple Sales Director Danny Lay adds that homeowners have become “a lot more adventurous and some will use a cabinet colour such as grey with a white glass, stainless steel or black glass appliance for a subtle, contrasting finish.”

Servis’s Rita Balestrazzi characterises kitchens in the new generation of homes as “big on personality, not on space”, stating that this all-important area of the house is now more dependent than ever on the clever and style-driven design of its furniture. “Thanks to the availability of a greater range of light-reflecting glass door finishes, cabinets have helped to create the illusion of additional kitchen space.

Cabinets are now available in a wider selection of soft shades and colours and being built to infuse character and warmth into the kitchen. Industrial chic has been abandoned in favour of a more relaxed and personable look, with professionalstyle high glosses losing ground to more homely matt finishes. Shaker style cabinets are making a comeback, their unadorned, flat paneling offering a contemporary style for the kitchen.”

Balestrazzi’s opinion is that a new emphasis on individuality has had a

The Kitchen Studio

knock-on effect on the white goods industry. “Manufacturers have been inspired to create a more diverse and creative range of appliances that can enhance the look and style of the kitchen.

No longer bound by the constraints and excesses of minimalist design, brands are now free to develop a greater range of show-stopping products.”

CREATING SPACE

Whether the style of the kitchen is contemporary or classic, matt or gloss, wood or lacquer, the one shared objective for kitchen designers is to find ways to create space within the design, maintains Baumatic

Marketing Manager Owain Harrison. “In the main,” he says, “this is performed by installing every required appliance built-in within cabinetry, so that any previous freestanding appliances in a customer’s former kitchen, such as a microwave and coffee maker, are no longer placed on the worktop, but are actually installed within the layout.

“Because small-space kitchens are designed with socialising in mind, this has given rise to the fashion for peninsulas to be designed in the layout, and because the major cooking appliances are installed in a

“Steam is no longer a luxury reserved for the lucky elite. Over 50% of the market for steam ovens is below £839” Robbie Prestedge, Product Manager for Built-in appliances at Electrolux UK & IRE

bank behind, the perfect working triangle can be formulated by installing the hob facing out to the room. In this layout, a flat ceramic glass touch-control induction hob is the ideal option as its minimalist design keeps a level eye-line.”

Harrison highlights major refurbishment projects in which the current trend is either to extend or to knock down walls to create an open-plan cooking and entertaining space, “and in these cases a kitchen island is a must,” he asserts.

Elegant design with a durable, lasting finish from Whirlpool

NOVEMBER 2014 GET CONNECTED

19

The Kitchen Studio

Baumatic BO667TS.DD Premium Line 60cm multifunction oven with accompanying compact appliances and warming drawers

becoming increasingly elaborate in their design. “Many look less like extractors and more like pieces of art,” he remarks.

Beko’s Salah Sun, built-in cooking product manager, adds that the cooker hood has become a key component to consider in the design process of a kitchen, as consumers can make a real style statement with such appliances.

Beko recently launched the CAST Line

by Patricia Urquiola, the globally renowned architect, which incorporates a 90cm-wide hood with a unique design that integrates a functional shelf. The collection also features a 75cm gas hob, 60cm induction hob and 60cm built-in ovens. But if an overhead ‘statement’ is not your customer’s bag, the subtle rise and fall of a downdraft extractor installed next to the hob will create its own, understated, sense of the dramatic.

GET THE DESIGNER LOOK...

“Kitchen islands have the benefit of providing lots of additional workspace and tend to be where the hob or hobs are situated so that all surface cooking takes place facing the room.”

“With kitchen space on the decrease for many, keeping worktops clutter-free is a necessity, and a kettle or water filter jug is just another item taking up space”

AMATEUR DRAMATICS

Linda Phoutthasak, Marketing Manager for Europe, InSinkErator

This idea of social cooking and ‘theatre’ in the kitchen has been inspired mainly

by TV cooking programmes such as Come Dine With Me, which Harrison maintains has turned entertaining into a “competitive sport” and changed the needs and aspirations of consumers.

Hence the requirement for a variety of hob types.

Baumatic has developed a range of 60cm, 70cm, 90cm and 112cm hobs to suit most cooks and to assist in developing some thespian flair. It also offers two

collections of dominos: the Slim Line range featuring 30cm gas and ceramic versions, and the Premium Line with flush mounted touch-control 38cm gas or induction hobs, or a 40cm induction wok.

The sense of drama now associated with the kitchen extends to cooker hoods, which Stuart Benson, National Sales Manager for Gorenje UK, maintains are

JURA INTRODUCES THE IMPRESSA A9 Swiss bean-to-cup coffee expert Jura, is setting new standards in the coffee world with the introduction of its IMPRESSA A9, which features an in-built extra shot option for those who love their coffee strong.

This feature allows coffee lovers to add an extra shot of coffee to their favourite latte macchiato or cappuccino drink and is a first in the coffee machine industry. The brand new IMPRESSA A9 also features the latest slide and touch technology, along with a highresolution TFT colour display screen, enabling users to select their ‘preferred perk’ from an à la carte menu of 12 speciality coffees.

uk.jura.com

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GET CONNECTED NOVEMBER 2014

Gorenje’s Benson also believes that modern-day open-plan living is leading to a rise in the popularity of appliances with eye-catching colours or “exemplary” design. He highlights Gorenje’s Colour Edition range and its retro cooling range, the latter of which comes in a broad range of colours. But he also draws our attention to the brand’s partnership with leading designers Karim Rashid and Ora-Ïto.

“Our Karim Rashid collection is a flagship Gorenje product line that targets top-end consumers looking to achieve a showstopping, ultra-modern kitchen through the use of rounded lines and bold MoodLite technology which can be set to any of six stunning hues. The oven and cooker hood feature matching MoodLite panels to achieve a striking synchronised look.”

Mid-market customers can also achieve an aspirational designer finish with Gorenje’s Ora-Ïto collection, which features glass and brushed aluminium to create a stunningly bold effect. It comprises fridges, ovens, cooker hoods, microwaves and hobs, and the added benefit of fridge, dishwasher and microwave panels.

Whirlpool describes its latest appliances as being of “defined feminine, leadingedge design.” Products concentrate on ease-of-use as well as sporting inviting designs with refined details. “Generally they have fewer buttons and knobs, neat integrated handles and high-tech, lighttouch, intuitive interactive control panels to make it easy to integrate into any kitchen/living area,” says Neil Austin.

The Fusion iXelium™ range from Whirlpool is of elegant design and offers both durability and a lasting finish. The exclusive iXelium™ nanotechnology treatment applied to the stainless steel

THE POWER TO GO BEYOND

The Blend-X Pro goes far beyond what you would expect from an ordinary blender. It’s the most powerful and intelligent blender that Kenwood have created, the product of years of experience in food preparation.

• 1400W Motor with load sensing technology • MultiZoneTM Blade Technology – specially developed to blend, crush, grind and chop ingredients with ease • 1.6L ThermoresistTM glass goblet – Allows you to blend hot ingredients and ice cold ingredients without fear of the glass cracking or shattering • Variable speed dial plus pulse function to regulate the speed to your own specific requirements

• 6 pre-set programmes - At the touch of a button you can create drinks, soups, crush ice, coarse or fine chopping and even rinse using the 6 pre-set programmes

Tel: +44 239 239 2392 kenwoodworld.com/uk Kenwood Ltd, New Lane, Havant, Hampshire PO9 2NH

Available Now Free Kenwood Kitchen recipes app also available to download

• Safety Interlock – the blades will not operate unless the goblet is positioned correctly

App is now available on AndroidTM devices

• Energy Saving – 15 minutes standby mode • Stir stick – to assist the blending of thick mixtures, smoothies, ice creams and sorbets

CREATE

MORE

The Kitchen Studio

“Consumers are prepared to pay for innovative technology that delivers genuine benefits, including space-saving design”

BRAUN MULTIQUICK JUICERS

Dominik Pytel, Marketing Manager Groupe SEB UK Ltd

Braun’s range of Multiquick Juicers (RRP £99.99 to £149.99) boast powerful twospeed motors and wide 75mm feed chutes capable of juicing even the toughest fruit and vegetables in just 15 seconds.

With the juicing trend in full swing and demand for homemade juices growing, Multiquick juicers combine Braun’s iconic form and function for minimal fuss and mess.

The J700 (RRP: £149.99) features a 1000W motor, elegant stainless steel and grey design, innovative anti-drip system, dishwasher-safe parts and a 4-way safety system capable of cutting the motor within three seconds.

All Braun Juicers come with a 2 year guarantee.

surface of products ensures they are easier and less time-consuming to clean, resisting abrasions and remaining shiny and flawless over time with the finish quickly restored by the wipe of a wet cloth.

COLOUR MY WORLD

The British are mostly thought of as a conservative nation when it comes to interior design. This is not to say that homes are not stylish, nor that they lack any form of individuality in their decor, but safe palettes, even when contrasting, tend to be dominant in most UK homes.

Yet recent evidence shows a departure from this cautious mentality, as evidenced Servis offers a splash of colour with this retro 2-door fridge freezer

www.braunhousehold.com

by Jacqueline Poole, Product Manager for Built-in at Glen Dimplex Home Appliances, who, although conceding that traditional colours such as black and stainless steel remain the big sellers, voices an awareness of more vibrant colours such as brighter shades of red becoming increasingly popular in the run up to Christmas.

It’s an interesting observation, which perhaps does not suggest consumers are being swayed by the joyful sentimentality of an annual event, but by a growing trend for avant-garde statements.

and 6 colours, including Hot Jalapeno and Floral Burst, as does sister brand Belling.

Likewise, Rangemaster, Mercury, Britannia and Leisure are just a few of the other brands that provide a choice of colours, some a broader selection than others and with matching (or contrasting) hoods and splashbacks. And GDHA’s Dan Connell, Head of Category for Freestanding, is keen to note that consumers shouldn’t assume that a small space means they have to restrict themselves on style: “We offer the styling of a range cooker in miniature form, in the shape of the Stoves Richmond Mini Range.”

“We would encourage consumers to try and make their big ambitions for their kitchens a reality, whether they have a huge or tiny kitchen” Jacqui Hoctor, commercial manager, Britannia Living

Gorenje’s Benson notes a major trend among consumers “making a standout feature of appliances by choosing vivid or quirky colours.” The company’s aforementioned Colour Edition black, red and orange washing machines and accompanying dryers are complemented by a cooling range with additional colour options. Electrolux, too, has a modernstyled cooling range: the ‘Inspiration’ collection comes in glossy red, chocolate brown, lime green and ebony black stainless steel and is designed to give “any kitchen a lift.”

The trend for colour is best witnessed in the range cooker sector, where the choice is seemingly endless. Stoves offers its Colour Boutique in seven appliance options 22

GET CONNECTED NOVEMBER 2014

The trend for colour is particularly dominant, and has been for some time, in small appliances. Seb Goff, Trade Marketing Manager at Kenwood, observes a growing consumer appetite for smaller, colourful appliances as a focal point in the kitchen. “Rather than moving house,” he says, “consumers are increasingly investing in extending or refurbishing their existing homes and they are using small appliances to add an element of colour and style to their kitchens.” Goff highlights in particular the newly launched Kenwood kMix Pop Art Collective range, which the brand expects to be a popular choice for consumers. It is available in 6 new colours: Cadmium Green, Mars Black, Vermillion Red, Summer Yellow, Majestic Blue and Zinc Grey.

The Kitchen Studio

THE DRAWER THAT LOVES DOING THE DISHES Baumatic talks ‘theatre’

“Colourful, statement appliances have gained increasing popularity over recent years with the rise in open-plan living dictating the look of the kitchen be just as important as performance,� comments InSinkErator’s Linda Phoutthasak, Marketing Manager for Europe. But she points out the limitations of using big, bold appliances as a focal point, suggesting that their size can mean the trend may be difficult to replicate within smaller spaces. InSinkErator’s response to consumers’ penchant for colour is the delivery of its stylish Italian designed 3N1 steaming hot water tap. The model,

available in contemporary chrome and brushed steel finishes, is set for release in Orange, Pearl White and Oatmeal.

STREAMLINING

Cooking and cooling are the showcase appliances that contribute to the expression of good judgment, tastefulness and personality in the home. Side-by-side cooling, range cookers, banks or towers of elegantly designed metal and glass built-in products all provide a feast for the eyes. Conversely, appliances such as laundry and dishwashing products tend largely not to fall into the ‘style statement’ category, and there is some evidence to suggest that the trend for uncluttered, streamlined design is encouraging consumers to hide the utilitarian workhorses of the kitchen from view.

DE’LONGHI ELETTA COLLECTION De’Longhi, the UK’s number one premium Italian coffee machine brand, is proud to unveil a new range of state-of-the-art beanto-cup coffee machines featuring brand new technology within a sleek and stylish design.

The Eletta collection uses new ‘Latte Crema’ micro-foam technology to create the creamiest milk froth at the perfect temperature, thickness and density. Like all De’Longhi bean-tocup coffee machines, the Eletta grinds fresh beans internally to deliver aromatic espressos, creamy cappuccinos and silky smooth lattes effortlessly, at the touch of a button. Benefitting from a contemporary design, the range features a slanted front, to fit even the widest of cups, and ergonomically positioned controls for ease of use.

All three Eletta machines sport an auto-rinse and a de-scaling feature, as well as an automatic cleaning system integrated in the froth regulating dial.

www.delonghi.co.uk 24

GET CONNECTED NOVEMBER 2014

Fisher & Paykel live life out of drawers and if kitchens are being redesigned around drawers, it makes sense that dishwashers are as well. That’s why we invented the DishDrawer™. A dishwasher at waist height, a real ergonomic break through.

Powered by SmartDrive™ intelligent technology with load sensing and 9 wash programs. The Fisher & Paykel DishDrawer™ helps make life easier.

All DishDrawers™ come with a 5 year parts and labour warranty.

For further information:

08000 886 601 www.fisherpaykel.com/uk facebook.com/FisherPaykelUK

Maurizio Severgnini, Managing Director, Built-in Division at Hoover Candy UK, believes that integrated cleaning appliances are becoming more popular, “particularly in compact kitchens, as the clean lines can evoke a feeling of space.

Plus, in small living spaces, kitchens often merge into the main living area; therefore, an appliance that is discreet but delivers good performance and reliability is essential.�

Paul Whyte, Director of Purchasing for MDA & SDA at online retailer ao.com, says sales of integrated appliances are “most definitely� on the increase. “The likelihood is that there is an increasing focus on aesthetics in the home, and that people opt for built-in appliances to give their kitchen a more streamlined, seamless look. Many people are opting to remove laundry and dishwashing appliances from their kitchen altogether, keeping them in a utility room, garage or outhouse. For these people the

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The Kitchen Studio

“Following the rise in more compact kitchens and the need to save space, there is a growing trend for multifunctional technology that can perform a variety of tasks”

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Seb Goff, Trade Marketing Manager Kenwood

kitchen is very much a room for cooking, and other appliances would detract from that feel. Integrated appliances aren’t required for this kind of situation, however, so freestanding appliances are as in demand as ever,” he adds.

AT THE COALFACE

Whyte also tackles the question of changing consumer requirements in the kitchen in relation to the appliances that have been trending at retail. “One thing that ao.com has noticed for certain,” he says, “is an increase in sales of home baking appliances and other similar smaller cooking appliances. Popular TV shows such as the Great British Bake Off appear to have awoken many people’s inner baker and inspired them to recreate the dishes and desserts they’ve seen on screen.

“This has had a knock-on effect on specialist ovens, such as the Neff Slide and Hide, and ovens featuring dual cook technology. As more people attempt increasingly complicated recipes, they’ll invest in the tools to help them do so, particularly the ones they’ve seen the professionals use. As these are such an expensive purchase, the rise has been much less significant, but still noticeable.”

With regard to small kitchen appliances, Whyte says that coffee machines are currently experiencing much interest. “As they become more commonplace, 26

GET CONNECTED NOVEMBER 2014

prices are dropping, making them a lot more affordable for those who want to recreate the coffee shop experience at home. Advancements in technology and the introduction of the coffee pod have also made them much more accessible to those who might not be able to easily buy fresh coffee beans.”

Robbie Prestedge, Product Manager for Built-in Appliances at Electrolux UK & IRE, adds that “customers considering built-in compact appliances are likely to consider a built-in coffee machine to add the finishing touch to their stylish new kitchen range.”

Baumatic’s Harrison sees the coffee machine as a key component in the appliance layout. “The most on-trend configuration today is a microwave or steam combination compact oven above a 14cm warming drawer, next to a multifunction single oven at the centre with a compact coffee machine or espresso centre and another 14cm warming drawer beneath.” Baumatic features this configuration within its Premium Line collection.

It is worth noting at this point that Caple and Electrolux both record a rising trend for steam ovens, and Caple’s Danny Lay also says that more homeowners are moving to pyrolytic ovens as prices are coming down.

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LOOKING AHEAD

Servis’s Balestrazzi says that 2015 will be an exciting time in terms of kitchen design. She predicts the launch of a greater number of coloured ranges, and the same colour finishes becoming more widely available for the cooling and wet appliance sectors. This, she says, will help to drive the sale of multiple appliance purchases.

She concludes: “Across all categories there is likely to be a wider selection of finishes on offer, with many manufacturers now experimenting with the look, feel and texture of their freestanding appliances. Painted finishes, low-gloss looks and even textured or embossed designs will become much more widely available, enabling consumers to create their very own style of kitchen.”

expertise and orderly marketing to your business. Hot products for this year include, amongst others, the VisiCook AirChef, Steam Mop Transformer and 3000W Steam Station – the World’s Most Powerful Steam Station.

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“Even with improving circumstances, the opening up of the ground floor and the integration of the kitchen and living space is showing no signs of abating” Neil Austin, Trade Marketing Manager, Whirlpool UK and Ireland

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NOVEMBER 2014 GET CONNECTED

27

Custom Install

Home Networks

of the Future

George Cole looks at some of the life-changing innovations in home connectivity, and the potentially profitable opportunities they present for those with the expertise and foresight to take advantage of them

T

he internet has already transformed our lives, but it’s about to have an even greater impact on the way we live. This is because more and more devices will be connected to the internet, and to each other, from smartphones and tablets to TVs and Blu-ray players, not to mention a host of home appliances including fridges, washing machines, coffee machines and even bathroom scales. Panasonic, for example, offers a range of network products, including TVs, speaker systems, Hi-Fi systems and Blu-ray home theatre systems. Linsar markets a range of network Smart TVs.

GLIMPSES OF THE FUTURE

Although not launched in the UK, LG’s range of network products in South Korea, shows us what home networks can offer. LG has launched a premium smart appliances range that allows homeowners to communicate, control, monitor and share content with LG’s latest smart appliances. The premium smart appliance 28

GET CONNECTED NOVEMBER 2014

line-up includes a cameraequipped refrigerator, a washing machine that allows users to start and download washing cycles remotely and a Lightwave oven with wireless control. GfK estimates that some two billion core internet devices will be sold globally in 2014. The buzz word Nick Phillips to describe this development is the ‘internet of things,” and at the heart of it will be the home network.

Nick Phillips, vice president of sales and marketing at Pakedge, says: “The home network is quickly evolving to become the ‘fourth utility.’ Our televisions and music audio systems are connected to the internet, so that we can stream television programmes and music. Voice over IP telephone services are common, as are videoconference services such as Skype.

Video games are played with others over the internet. Security systems and cameras provide cloud-based services.

Every day, more and more connected

An array of LG HomeChat appliances

Custom Install Panasonic Viera at the focus of home networking

The Novo System

products and internet delivered services come into the marketplace.”

Adam Marshall, head of category audio and AV accessories at Panasonic UK, says, “The main benefit of network devices to consumers is greater convenience. For example, wireless streaming of digital music means you don’t have to store huge collections of physical media. The growing trend of online subscription services such as Spotify and Netflix also mean the customer has immediate access to such a wide variety of content. Another advantage of network devices is that they can be linked together, so connecting your TV to your audio system, for example, has never been easier.”

WIRE-FREE WAYS TO TRAVEL IN TIME & SPACE

Craig Cunningham, Panasonic’s Craig Cunningham agrees: “Network TV product manager, visual POSITIONING FOR products can be challenging for the retailer marketing, adds: “Network PROFIT to demonstrate in-store. There are many devices, such as Home networks bring features to explain, often within little time, Panasonic’s AX802, new opportunities “The biggest and to fully demonstrate the benefits, have Freetime built in, for retailers, advantages are no wires, retailers need a high broadband speed which means users but also some to make the demonstration seamless.” get the advantages challenges, being able to connect a Stuart Tickle adds, “A challenge for of roll-back TV (for “A lot of retailers variety of devices, remote retailers will be the ability to meet the the past seven days), have problems access, and improved expectations of consumers, and being and access to all the demonstrating content access and able to work with different equipment and major on-demand network troubleshoot any problems.” services including BBC products due to sharing.”

“The benefits of the connected home iPlayer and ITV Player. poor broadband are vast, but consumers are not yet fully speeds and/or have Using the Panasonic TV educated about the technology available,” old equipment (such as Remote 2 App and connecting says Dawn Stockell. “The initial challenge routers),” notes Terry Reed, to the Panasonic Cloud, users can is clearly communicating the proposition; stream live TV shows or movies on “and a lot of consumers still find it hard how it will fit into their lifestyle and how their tablet or smartphone from almost to understand Wi-Fi – so good quality they will use it; consumers will need anywhere.” equipment and helpline support are a guidance from purchase through setup Stuart Tickle, managing director of AWE, must! Retailers need to be connected and stages, and ease of use.” says: “The main advantage is that the active on social media.” devices are all connected, and can often be accessed and controlled in a number of different ways, via other network Home cinema amplifiers interfaces, such as tablets and smart phones, as well as dedicated products like Soundbars & soundbases universal remote control (URC) Stuart Tickle touch panels and remote controls.”

Terry Reed, director of Linsar, adds: The venue may have changed for this year’s What Hi-Fi Awards but the end result for “The biggest advantages are no wires, Yamaha Music once again ended on a high note! The premier sound company picked being able to connect a variety of devices, up two awards across two different categories for a third year running. Yamaha’s remote access, and improved content entry level AV Receiver won Best Home Cinema Amp up to £350 with the RX-V377. access and sharing.” Dawn Stockell, head The brand new YSP-2500 Digital Sound Projector also walked away with the award for Best Soundbar at £600 and above. The YSP-2500 follows in the footsteps of the of brand marketing at LG Electronics UK, iconic YSP-2200 which won both Best Soundbar and Product of the Year awards. says “network devices offer consumers flexibility around their household routines, and some household tasks can be done remotely. With people living increasingly busy lives, this is a real benefit to consumers.”

Best home cinema amplifier up to £350 Yamaha RX-V377

Best soundbar £600+ Yamaha YSP-2500

YAMAHA TRIUMPHS AT WHAT HI-FI AWARDS

NOVEMBER 2014 GET CONNECTED

29

Custom Install

MUSIC STREAMING MADE SIMPLE The Simple Audio Roomplayer+ is a high resolution music streamer with a high-end design that produces authentic soulwarming sound. Audio performance sets the Roomplayer+ apart, as does its ability to provide easy access to locally stored music with unique multi-library, multi-user and multi-room features.

Apps for computers and tablets display all available tracks and, when it’s time for something new, browse through integrated music streaming services and online radio stations. It doesn’t stop here, because family and friends have their own music collections too, so anyone in the home can set up a profile, sync music, create playlists and store favourites. Listen to music in one room or throughout the home; simply connect additional Roomplayers for the ultimate multi-room experience.

Choose the Roomplayer+ to stream music from a HiFi system or connect speakers to the Roomplayer+ with Amp.

UNDERSTANDING THE FUTURE

‘An excellent sounding system’ – What Hi-fi? Sound and Vision ‘Outstanding – amongst the best’ – Hi-Fi World ‘Rich and engaging sound’ – Hi-Fi Choice

Terry Reed says that “more and more on the conditions and challenges of the devices will connect, and the development internet of things, as well as getting Another challenge is predicting of apps to control all those devices from better acquainted with specific products how the home networks of the one screen will be of real benefit to available. Handling today’s needs while future will develop – and helping consumers. Many houses are now being preparing for tomorrow’s is often a matter consumers prepare for them. built with home networking in mind.” of being armed with options for making Desirée Webster, marketing the best connections in any situation.” communications manager at NuVo Technologies, says “today’s DELIVERING CUSTOMER consumers want convenience and RETAILERS’ PRIORITIES EXPECTATIONS comfort. We all want to feel safe Phillip Pini, residential business Nick Phillips believes that “as the volume Desiree Webster and secure, nowhere more so than development manager at Crestron, warns of connected devices grows, retailers in our homes. The future of home that “consumers will expect content must understand the underlying IP networking will be defined by to be delivered quickly and without network technology and be aware of the how we continue to bring together the interruption so networks must be able to importance of the role of networks in the devices that simplify life and protect and meet these expectations. Future proofing future connected home. The best thing a entertain us, and find ways for them to these networks is important so that they retailer can do now is to help customers work faster and more reliably.” don’t become obsolete once new home get robust network foundation that is Nick Phillips believes “current technologies are introduced.” futureproof, scalable and interoperable Dawn Stockell notes how high street with whatever new device is connected consumer grade networking products to it.” Stuart Tickle adds that “regular aren’t keeping up because they were retailers can have the upper hand over designed and built for simple training and keeping abreast of new online retailers: “As the capability Internet connectivity. Future of smart technology is harder to technologies is imperative for retailers home networks will resemble demonstrate online, the retail looking to stay ahead. AWE offers a regular training commercial network equipment shop floor environment becomes range of free training at its brand new and keeping abreast in performance and reliability. a critical asset for being able to facility in Epsom.” For Terry Reed it’s of new technologies They must be able to handle interact with appliances, with about “education and understanding the a great deal more traffic than floor sales staff playing a vital consumer¹s needs; showing them what is imperative for they currently do. They must be role in understanding customers’ is possible and delivering and integrating retailers looking to scalable to handle the multitude habits and physically showing the right product for them.” stay ahead.” them how they can interact with Kris Hogg: chairman of home of future new devices - some not technology trade association CEDIA even envisioned yet - that will be appliances from their handset and, how this can be beneficial in various Region 1, and managing director at connected to it.” He also thinks they Konnectiv, concludes: “It’s really simple. will need to be secure, intelligent, robust situations for the customer.” and resistant to interference from other The message from Don’t sell cheap, ineffective networks. many in the industry networking equipment.

“The number of network-ready is that retailers can do Find out what your clients products is increasing and it will continue a lot to ensure their want to watch, listen to to do so,” notes Stuart Tickle. “’The customers’ needs are and control, and more internet of things’ offers both an exciting met for today (and the importantly, where in the and a concerning future! For now, a future), as the internet home they need this. Then well-trained retailer can offer proven of things expands. “A lot plan it properly. If you are in and robust networked products. Lighting can still be accomplished doubt and need some advice, control systems such as Philips’ Dynalite with basic preparation then turn to your local already use their own network to control and forethought” says CEDIA certified installation and communicate, and can also interface Desirée Webster. “Part of company who will be able to Phillip Pini with URC control systems.” that is educating yourself help further.”

30

GET CONNECTED NOVEMBER 2014

George Cole

“There are two main players trying to set standards for the IoT: the AllSeen Alliance and the Open Interconnect Consortium (OIC).”

GEORGE COLE G E T S

C O N N E C T E D

STANDARDS WAR FOR THE INTERNET OF THINGS

C

onsumers hate standards wars.

Retailers hate standards wars. So why do so many industries insist on creating them? The latest is happening in the world of the Internet of Things (IoT). Basically, the IoT is about billions of devices (from TVs to fridges, and thermostats to wearable devices) being connected to the internet and communicating with each other.

If you think the IoT is the latest technology fashion or fad, think again, because IoT products and services are coming thick and fast. Take home heating, for example. Companies such as Tado, Nest and Hive (owned by British Gas) are selling home heating systems

that can “learn” our home heating patterns, enabling them, for instance, to know when we’re leaving or returning home, and automatically adjust the thermostat. They can be controlled by an app on a smartphone or tablet and each system typically sells for less than £200, making these mainstream products.

But if the IoT is to really take off; agreed standards need to be developed, so that different devices from different brands, using different operating systems, can communicate with each other. One of the reasons why 3DTV failed to deliver its promise was the lack of standardisation, which meant that 3D glasses from one TV brand

DO WE REALLY NEED ANOTHER TELEVISION PLATFORM? If

Freeview and Freesat aren’t enough, you can always opt for Sky or Virgin Media, or YouView, either as a free service, or as a subscription package from BT and Talk Talk.

Now, mobile operator EE is offering EE TV. Its set-top box has some fancy features, like the ability to record four HD TV channels simultaneously, and stream four different channels (live, recorded or on-demand) to four separate devices around the home, such as a television, tablet or smartphone. But EE’s multi-view option is not available on its 4G mobile platform, although EE says it’s “in talks” about this.

EE TV is free to the company’s broadband subscribers, although mobile subscribers will have to pay at least £9.95 a month. But apart from its multiview option, EE TV is bringing little new to the table. It simply offers 70 Freeview channels and some ondemand services like BBC iPlayer (but not ITV Player or 4OD) – there is no exclusive content, such as BT TV’s Premier League football. Unless EE radically ups its TV offering, I can’t see this new format making many waves. georgecole@gcmagazine.co.uk

wouldn’t work with another (several manufacturers did get together later on, and agree on a standard, but it was too late).

There are two main players trying to set standards for the IoT: the AllSeen Alliance and the Open Interconnect Consortium (OIC). The AllSeen Alliance has around 60 members including Sony, LG, Panasonic, Sharp, Electrolux and Microsoft. OIC members include Samsung, Intel and Dell. Common sense suggests that the two parties need to get together, pool resources and create a common front for the industry.

But don’t hold your breath about this happening soon..

George Cole pinpoints hotspots in the world of consumer electronics

HIGH-RESOLUTION AUDIO – WILL CONSUMERS WANT IT?

E

ach new TV and video format has offered better picture quality than the previous one. In video, we’ve had VHS, DVD and Blu-ray. Television has moved from standard definition to High Definition, and is now edging towards Ultra High Definition. The audio market followed a similar pattern, with LP records being replaced by CDs with higher audio specifications. The audio industry thought this trend would continue, and so it introduced Super Audio CD and DVD-Audio. But both remained niche formats, while iPods and MP3 players offering lower sound quality were snapped up in their millions. Most people now happily listen to compressed music on their computers, portable digital players, docking stations or smartphones, so is there a market for High-Resolution audio?

Sony certainly thinks so, and the company is leading the push for better audio. The CD format offers 44.1kHz/16bit audio, while High-Resolution Audio is a 96kHz/24-bit format. Sony has taken a twin-track approach when it comes to promoting High-Res audio, with Sony Music offering many thousands of High-Res audio tracks, and the hardware division launching audio players, Walkman products and smartphones that support High-Res audio. It remains to be seen if many other companies will join Sony, and, more importantly, whether significant numbers of consumers will take up High-Res audio.

NOVEMBER 2014 GET CONNECTED

31

Guest Column – In-store Wi-Fi

Retailers need to embrace

in-store Wi-Fi

and use their intelligence For many retailers, providing personal service is one of the most important aspects of their business.

Traditionally, this means building a relationship with customers as soon as they walk through the door. Dan Thornton, Head of Solution Development, Hughes Europe, examines in-store Wi-Fi as a potent means of customer engagement

W

hile they may be justifiably proud of how visitors are welcomed in their stores, retailers must also consider how technology is changing the concept of personal service. A wave of change is going to overwhelm the retail sector as a generation that grew up with smart devices becomes the biggest group of spenders. Rightly or wrongly, this young demographic is less interested than their predecessors in conversations about the weather that develop into sales pitches.

Instead, these new-generation shoppers will log on to in-store Wi-Fi for up-to-date product information and offers. Surveys show they are more prepared than previous generations to trade some of their personal details in exchange for a good deal.

Equipped with in-store WiFi, retailers can find out more about these customers and their preferences than they ever will from a hurried conversation next to a display rack.

MISPLACED CONCERNS

Despite the compelling evidence that it boosts revenues from customers and increases the efficiency of store operations, fear is making many retailers reluctant to embrace instore Wi-Fi. In some cases, retailers are concerned about the potential level of work that would be required to turn the customer information from Wi-Fi into something that is of use. Likewise, with the rise in the number of consumers using 32

GET CONNECTED NOVEMBER 2014

their smartphones as a tool to check prices (otherwise known as ‘showrooming’) others are concerned that shoppers will use the free Wi-Fi to compare prices and products and then leave to make a purchase elsewhere.

Moreover, some retailers will worry that if they use the technology for transmission of business data as well as interaction with customers, they will make themselves vulnerable to security breaches. Similarly, concerns about the security and ownership of data stored in the cloud have also given rise to anxiety about what happens to the business intelligence derived from in-store Wi-Fi.

GETTING CLOSE TO THE CUSTOMER

Invariably, viewing in-store Wi-Fi as a challenge will limit its business value, especially if retailers underestimate the scope and sophistication of modern technology.

As a starting point, it’s worth looking at the opportunities it could bring, not least in terms of targeted sales and marketing. Customers who remain logged on to in-store Wi-Fi are ready to receive targeted offers via their smartphones. They are less likely to leave if they think there is a chance of being offered a good deal from a smart retailer.

Here the challenge of how to use customer intelligence may not be as difficult as the retailer first thought: Once customers have been persuaded to log on through Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn

or their email, a business has access to their social media profiles – their age, background and preferences.

Customers only have to log on once, and when they return they will be automatically connected if their device is switched on.

Today the analytics that are readily available with in-store Wi-Fi have moved beyond merely supplying crude demographic information about customers.

They can now be adjusted to a high level of granularity. Wi-Fi now has in-built flexibility to tailor the level of detail on customer behaviour and sentiment to an individual business’s needs.

Store owners can learn about shoppers’ likes and dislikes, their favourite price comparison sites and their purchasing habits. Store managers, on the other hand, can see which customers are visiting at which times of day, how long they stay for, and by using in-store triangulation (through having two or more Wi-Fi devices installed) they can find out where particular groups of customers are spending most of their time in an outlet with a large floor area.

This enables managers to be far more scientific about how they arrange products and deliver offers in different parts of the store, particularly if they are using digital signage carrying tailored content.

Instead of ‘showrooming’ (i.e. using the retailer’s Wi-Fi to shop around), the steady accumulation of data amounts to a gold mine of

business intelligence that allows the smart retailer to match their offers far more closely to their customers’ preferences. This means that consumers will be more likely to use it to grab a bargain in-store or share a great purchase with their friends via social media.

Wi-Fi is also a valuable asset to in-store staff with the ability to have all information at their fingertips using handheld smart devices. This enables them to quickly and easily answer customers’ questions about products, check stock availability, up-sell related items, order products and sell them. Moreover, it also keeps the buyer in front of the seller, improving the likelihood of achieving a sale.

WI-FI FLEXIBILITY AND SECURITY

It is important to recognise, too, how the flexibility of Wi-Fi technology can transform store operations, including stock-taking and monitoring, as well as the remote supervision of in-store appliances such as freezers or alarm systems.

The full exploitation of Wi-Fi within larger stores has also yet to be achieved. A store with concessions could easily provide Wi-Fi to its partners, allowing them to monitor stock and transmit other data on the same Wi-Fi system as their hosts without any compromise on confidentiality or security – all of which is made even more straightforward if it is backed by a comprehensive managed service.

Although some retailers still have concerns about security, the use of a reputable network solutions provider will ensure that rogue devices seeking to intercept data are detected by the Wi-Fi equipment. As for the customer data, its ownership remains with the retailer and it cannot be sold on or shared with any other third party, even if stored in the cloud, giving the retailer complete control and confidence that external organisations or individuals will not misuse it.

Rather than overlooking in-store Wi-Fi, the message needs to get through to retailers that this rich source of intelligence can easily pay for itself within six months. The data it provides and the flexibility it brings make it a near-indispensable technology for any store operator facing up to shoppers’ expectations – now and in the future.

For more information, please visit www.hugheseurope.com

From The Bench

Energy saving The home truths on energy-saving and selling efficient equipment: Alan Bennett tells all

W

ith the clocks back and winter setting in, our power consumption increases; energy is now a very precious resource, and events in Ukraine have increased awareness of energy costs.

Germany comes first in the world league of power efficiency; the UK is ranked sixth, way ahead of the USA. Most energy wastage comes from the generation of unwanted heat, which also increases wear and impairs reliability.

GOBBLING IT UP

The most power-hungry devices are those which generate heat: kettles, ovens, fires, immersion heaters, toasters, washing machines etc. Then come appliances which have electric motors: washing machines again, motors, pumps, fridges, freezers.

TVs, video gear, set-top boxes and audio gear consume relatively little, and phone chargers and the like less still. It’s been calculated that the average UK household wastes about £300 worth of energy per year, of which £50 or more is down to standby operation and charger-idling. Through the night, consumption is typically 20–30W. Two types of energymonitoring gadgets are available at £20–£100: whole-house, some with wireless display panel; and individual, generally plug-through type.

Long-established and highly efficient mains power convertors and LED screen backlighting are big contributors to TV efficiency, along with low standby consumption (less than 1W) and features like energy-saving switching, auto-off/presence sensing and automatic picture dimming. Screen brightness and even sound volume setting are factors in power drain.

While switching off standby mode reduces consumed energy (only marginally with TVs) it’s not good for televisions, tuner boxes and some internet equipment: they need to receive data and updates while unattended. It also takes out the instanton feature of the remote control of course.

Audio and video-recording equipment are quite efficient, the former drawing mains current according to its volume setting, while TV tuners/set-top boxes, games consoles and wireless routers use almost as much energy in standby mode as they do in operation.

IN THE KITCHEN

Kitchen-based energy gobblers, apart from briefly-used small appliances like kettles and toasters, are cookers, washing machines, dishwashers, fridges and freezers. 90% of washing machines’ power draw goes on heating up the water.

Modern lifestyles, improved design and better washing powders have reduced the temperature needed to 30° in many cases, though the electricity consumption of ‘eco’ modes must be balanced against the extra time and mechanical wear involved.

Fridges’ and freezers’ efficiency is enhanced by new compressor-motor types, better/thicker cabinet insulation and improved design. Since 2001 their power consumption has decreased by 40%, and a full one is most efficient. The EU’s energy rating label with its coloured stripes is well known, but the accompanying A-etc. ratings do not, perhaps, make clear the size of the steps they represent: compared with class A, class A+ saves about 20% of energy, A++ 40% and A+++ 60%. Class B types use about 40% more energy than A-rated ones, C types 80% more, D and E twice as much,

90% of washing machines’ power draw goes on heating up the water.“

ENTERTAINMENT EQUIPMENT

TVs come top of the list here, typically drawing 120W for a 42˝ LED/LCD model, down to 20W for a small-screen type.

Power consumption has come down dramatically over the years. The record for power greed is held by long-gone 26˝ CRT/ glass types with valves and 110° beam deflection, some of which sucked up over 350W. Plasma types – now only ongoing from LG – are relatively power-hungry and warm. Modern LED/LCD designs are much better, and OLED very good indeed.

Super-efficient washing machine by Bosch: A+++ model WAQ28461

F and G about three times as much. These figures are for fridges and freezers; TV ratings are similar. Those for washing machines are B 17% more, C 22%, D 60%, E 80%, F and G 100% plus. These are powerful arguments for replacing old appliances.

RUNNING COSTS

The average annual cost of running appliances has been estimated at about £35 for a dishwasher; tumble dryers £33; fridges and freezers £30; washing machines £20; cookers £18; large TVs £18; small TVs £4; HDD receiver/recorders £3; Blu-ray players and set-top boxes £2.

These figures are necessarily drawn with a very broad brush, and I have not been able to corroborate them – quotes vary widely.

Water conservation is also important.

It takes energy and money to gather, purify and distribute water, and increasing numbers of households are now on meters, bringing these things sharply to the user’s attention. Late dishwasher designs can get by on as little as six litres of water.

SMALLER FRY

Small disposable batteries (e.g. zinc and alkaline types) are the most expensive form of energy there is. Chargers are available for them, but Which has proved that they really don’t work. Rechargeable batteries offer a large saving over time.

DAB radios’ power consumption has come down tremendously over the years, borrowing techniques from other portable devices like smartphones and PC tablets.

Phones charge in about two hours, but many people leave them on all night – even so one authority has calculated that the wastage involved is equivalent to the cost of driving a car for one second. On the other hand the Energy Saving Trust tells us that turning down the central heating thermostat by just 1° typically saves £75 a year. Various suppliers offer in-power-line energy-saving gadgets, ranging down to little plug-through modules; some merely reduce the supply voltage, e.g. to 220V. Most reviews and reports indicate that they are not effective, may even increase power consumption and can be unsafe – not good...

NOVEMBER 2014 GET CONNECTED

33

Backchat

What’s your experience of electrical retail?

I don’t do a lot of shopping myself, obviously, but I think the new kitchen in one of my homes was supplied by John Lewis. I didn’t pay for it myself so I have no idea how much these people charge.

Who in the industry would you like to spend time with?

I’ll pose for a photo opportunity with anyone who’s done something clever I can take credit for, but apart from that I don’t want these people bothering me with tedious demands What makes you laugh?

This odd idea that I’m here to serve industry rather than the other way round

What’s your greatest achievement?

Being born to rule…. Is that an achievement?

Favourite quote?

“We’re all in this together”

2-minute

Interview

What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you?

I came out of the Commons restaurant late one night and my driver had got his may offer our industry an early Christmas wires crossed and gone home. There were no taxis, and until one of and other issues that are oppressing our my colleagues spotted me and gave me a lift, I was looking at getting GC surmises what someone in the on a BUS or TUBE TRAIN! Imagine!

What was the greatest turning point in your life?

When someone at prep school told me: “Eton and Oxbridge are already in the itinerary for you. You don’t have to be clever. Just believe you’re born to be in charge, and you will be”

have to

What’s the worst lie you’ve ever told?

I didn’t invent it, but it’s rather good: “We’re all in this together”

How do you think others see you?

You’d have to ask my press and PR team about that

What’s your greatest regret?

Going for that second dozen oysters last night

Is there anything about yourself that you would like to change?

Another trick question! I’m not falling for that one!

How would you describe yourself?

Ah! That’s a trick question! How would you like me to describe myself?

What surprises you?

How quickly people forget You have been offered the opportunity to rule the world for a day. What would be the first change you would make?

I’m quite comfortable as I am, thank you.

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GET CONNECTED NOVEMBER 2014

What’s your favourite holiday destination?

Anywhere to get away from the vulgar masses. Ideally, a free villa loaned by some celebrity

Any hidden talents?

Talents are hard to come by. Can’t afford to hide any of them Any particular fetishes?

What have you heard? It’s all lies!

What would you put into Room 101?

Elections. Why can’t people just accept that they have no choice and let us get on with it without these interruptions?

What’s the best kind of punishment…

Poverty …and who deserves it?

Anyone who hasn’t had the foresight to be born wealthy Where do you see yourself in 5 years’ time?

Politics is a tricky business. I could be in office. I could be in opposition… but one thing is certain: I’ll still be rich What’s your greatest fear?

That one day everyone will wake up and realise what’s being done to them What motto do you live by?

I was born to be in charge Life is……. ….good for some, bad for others.

Mine’s good, and I will keep it that way.

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25/07/2014 15:19