In order for shoppers to get the most out of their retail experiences, stores are becoming increasingly more inventive, coming up with interactive spaces where customers can try out products before making purchases.
Expert Electrical is one retailer that has recognised this need and created a more immersive space. The company celebrated 50 years of business in 2017 and, in recent months, have upgraded many of their stores - 67 nationwide - to allow customers more interaction with the Apple products on sale.
We spoke to marketing manager Ruth Rooke, from Expert Electrical, about the upgrades to the stores and how their customers are reacting to the changes.
Tell us about Expert Electrical?
Expert Electrical is Ireland’s largest electrical retailer with 67 stores nationwide and is made up of independent retailers who are actively engaged with their local communities. We deal with market-leading brands and offer our customers the best value for money available.
How important is it to offer the best products to your customers?
It’s very important to us to offer our customers the most up-to-date technology products. We understand the importance of technology in people’s lives and the investment that customers make when purchasing these items, so we endeavour to offer them a selection of the most up-to-date products at competitive prices. We also understand how important it is for our staff to be trained in the new technology, and provide regular product and sales training.
Why is it important to have Apple in your range?
Expert has offered Apple products to their customers for a number of years now. Apple is a dynamic company who constantly strive to produce cutting-edge technology to consumers. As we strive to provide our customers with premium technology, it was important that we had Apple products as part of our technology offering.
You spent a lot of money upgrading your stores in order to highlight the Apple products available. What can the customer expect?
The customer can expect to see a selection of the most up-to-date and popular Apple products in our stores. Customers can interact with all of the products on display which allows them to get a feel for how the products work, before making a purchase. Also, staff take part in regular training on new Apple products and technology, so they can demonstrate the products to our customers and answer any questions they may have.
Are they available in all of your stores?
Apple products are available in selected Expert stores around the country but customers can also purchase from our website, expert.ie, and have the products delivered directly to their home/workplace.
What has the customer reaction been like so far, to the new Apple displays?
The reaction to the upgraded Apple displays in our stores has been really positive and we’ve seen real growth in the sales of Apple products. We will continue to roll out the upgrades to more of our stores over the course of the year.
Brand playgrounds, where customers can get a demonstration of the product are now vital for bricks and mortar stores. Do you agree?
Yes absolutely, we’ve seen over the last number of years how this has grown in importance for our customers, especially when it comes to technology. Customers want the experience of interacting with products prior to making a purchase. Often customers will do their research online via our website, but they also want to be able to come in-store to try out the technology and speak with our trained staff before making a purchase.
Do you offer click and collect?
Yes we offer a free 'Click & Collect' option to our customers. We've offered this service for a number of years as it gives customers the convenience of being able to pick up their product at a time that suits them. They can order their desired product on our website and select which one of our 67 nationwide stores they want to collect it from. Once the item is ready for collection the customer will be notified by our customer service team.
What are your top 3 Apple products?
Our top 3 are; iPhones, Airpods, and the Apple Watch 4
Why are they so popular?
Apple products are popular for a number of reasons. Apple constantly strives to produce cutting-edge technology that’s easy for the customer to use. All of its products have a premium finish and use the same iOS operating system. Customers buy the brand for its sleek design and quality and then continue to purchase Apple products due to compatibility across all of their different devices. On top of this, they offer great customer service and in-store experiences.