Retailers Embrace Showrooming

Mobile shopping seen as an opportunity to engage customers

December 12, 2012 By Bob Ankosko

The tide is changing on the once-fearedpractice of showrooming, where customers check out products in the store and whip out their smartphones to search for a better deal. A growing number of retailers are adopting the philosophy of engaging smartphone-wielding mobile shoppers in an effort to win them over and, ultimately, boost sales.

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Hubert Joly, CEO of Best Buy, which has lost more sales to Amazon than any other electronics retailer, even went so far as to proclaim in a recent Wall Street Journal article: “We love showrooming.”

What gives?

Consumer electronics retailers are finding that engaging mobile shoppers in their stores is a perfect opportunity to showcase the strengths of brick-and-mortar, the most compelling of which are instantgratification—being able to walk out with a coveted tablet instead of buying online and waiting for it to be shipped—and the ability to experience products firsthand. Another advantage is ease of return if a product is damaged, defective or just turns out to be a poor fit. No need to go through the hassles of shipping a product back.

Engaging showroomers is also a way to promote the store’s own website as a shopping destination offering free shipping or same-day in-store pickup, as well as an opportunity to let a crack sales staff shine by demonstrating products, explaining features, answering questions on the fly, and matching online pricing.

Match that Price
“We like customers being able to compare prices and to be confident they are getting the best price,” said Jeff Pearson, senior vice president of marketing for the regional chain, hhgregg. “With our sales force, we can use this to our advantage.” The chain has a Price Match Guarantee that applies to local stores and a list of major e-tailers, including Amazon.

Michael Perlman, president of Florida-based BrandsMart USA, sees a positive in showrooming. “It can actually help you, and here’s the reason: In the old days, the customer would come in, you’d work with them and they’d say, ‘Well, let me go drive around and check other stores.’ They don’t have to anymore. They can do it from their phones right there. We actually approach customers and let them shop the competition in our store and, then, if we have to make a deal or meet the price, we do it. We have commissioned salespeople and as long as they deal with customers one on one, I’m not really concerned about it.”

Continue Reading:  http://www.dealerscope.com/article/mobile-shopping-seen-opportunity-engage-customers/2

Sears Adds Baseball's DePodesta to Board

I would usually just post part of the article then forward you on but man, what Sears said was great and I thought yall might not read the whole article. So, look at the link for more info folks.
Good stuff. Sears is pretty darn smart!!!! , but you can still call me for your service needs ;) - ArchAngel

Sears Adds Baseball's DePodesta to Board
December 14, 2012 By Stephen Silver
You hear a lot about businesses seeking to implement the lessons of "Moneyball," Michael Lewis' 2003 bestseller about baseball's Oakland A's. Now, one company in the retail industry is taking it a step further.
Sears announced this week that Paul DePodesta , a key lieutenant of A's general manager Billy Beane and a key figure in "Moneyball," has been elected to its board of directors. DePodesta, a Harvard graduate and former general manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers, is currently vice president of player development and amateur scouting for the New York Mets.
With Oakland, DePodesta helped pioneer an analytics-based approach to roster construction that has since been emulated throughout baseball. In last year's "Moneyball" movie, Jonah Hill played a character based on him.
"As Sears Holdings continues the work of transforming and strengthening our company, we look forward to his leadership and contributions," Sears Holdings Chairman Edward S. Lampert said in a statement. "Mr. DePodesta's ability to scrutinize data and use it to assess talent and drive execution makes him ideally suited to join our board."
http://www.dealerscope.com/article/sears-adds-baseballs-depodesta-board/1?b=2009

Smart home market needs a master plan to succeed

The smart home idea started back in the 1960s and is still a work in progress
12/17/2012 10:33:00 AMBy: Max Spindle

We have a client that is a fanatic – in a good way – about recycling, reducing his firm's impact on the environment, reducing their carbon footprint, having facilities that are kind to the world.
They sell power back to the grid; and the garbage truck visits the plant so seldom, the driver has to call for directions.

Does he have what the industry constantly pitches, The Smart Home, Home of the Future?
Probably not.
This fantastic ideal environment emerged back in the ‘60s...

Read more of this fantastic article here:   http://www.itbusiness.ca/it/client/en/home/News.asp?id=69578

Newest Trend for Laundry Rooms - The Multipurpose Room! by Asko Appliances

Remodeling your home? Before you get too far ahead, let’s talk about where you are planning on hiding your dirty laundry.

1. Where is your dishwasher located? Kitchen.
2. Ok, where are your dirty dishes? Kitchen. Ok, that makes sense.
3. Where are your washer and dryer currently located? Laundry room.
4. Ok, where are your dirty clothes? Bedroom.


5. Hmmm, so you have to walk all the way across the house with your dirty clothes to wash them? Umm, yeah. That doesn’t make sense.



A growing trend in laundry is to have your washer and dryer in rooms other than just a laundry room. Why waste a space devoted entirely to laundry, when your washer and dryer could go anywhere in your home? Isn’t it odd how often times laundry rooms will be on the opposite side of the house from your bedroom, so you lug your dirty clothes across the house?

Thanks to ASKO’s Quattro™ suspension and condenser dryer, your washer and dryer can go anywhere! The Quattro™ suspension system allows us to isolate the drum from the cabinet, therefore reducing noise and vibrations. ASKO also offers condenser dryers, which don’t require venting so they can be installed in closets, bathrooms, wrapping rooms, sewing rooms, really anywhere! It’s the perfect laundry pair for someone remodeling their home!

Check out all these great multipurpose laundry room examples! For more ideas, check out our Beautiful Laundry Rooms pinboard on Pinterest.
Continue Reading: http://blog.askousa.com/2012/10/15/the-newest-trend-for-laundry-rooms-the-multipurpose-room/#

Angie's List: Are Your Appliances Ready For The Holidays?

Are you hosting any parties this holiday season? Have you thought about whether your appliances are up for it? In this week's Angie's List report, Jim Donovan has a look at ways to prevent your appliances from failing on you, so you don't end up stuck with a big repair bill.
The holiday season your appliances will likely get a workout, but are they in good shape?
"When it comes to appliances, homeowners oftentimes take them for granted. We don't take proper care of them, and then we end up disappointed
...
Read Full Article click link below...
Source: CBS Philly
http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2012/12/11/angies-list-are-your-appliances-ready-for-the-holidays-2/

FACEBOOK FREEBIES!

We have a new promotion going on at ArchAngel Appliance!  It's called FACEBOOK FREEBIES!!!!


All you have to do is LIKE our page on Facebook here:  http://www.facebook.com/ArchAngelApplianceRepair


and every week we will be posting FREEBIES you can enjoy when using our service!
All that is needed is to have us either do a Service Call, Repair, or Installation.... or one of our other Handyman Services to receive the FREEBIE.


So LIKE our page, MENTION the Freebie when scheduling your appointment and ENJOY!!!!


From the folks at ArchAngel!

WHOLESALE APPLIANCE PARTS

We have had a few people contact us to purchase appliance parts.  We do not sell to individuals or businesses.  We only offer our parts only to our repair and installation customers.  We have decided to pass on some savings to our customers and only make money via labor.  In these economic times its important for us all to dig deep and be there for others.  This is our means of doing so.  Thank you kindly
ArchAngel Appliance Repair Management



dryer, washer, washing machine, stove, vent, hood, ice maker, icemaker, garbage disposal, garbage disposer, dishwasher, top load, front load, stovetop, glass top, cooktop, cook top, stove top, wine cooler, refrigerator, freezer, standing freezer, garage door opener, handyman, handy man,  snow shoveling, house keeping, janitor, residential commercial cleaner cleaning, and more.