Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Sony saddles up with Toys "R" Us!?


I really, really don't know how to deal with this item. My first instinct was to lead off with something snide like "This just in from the Department of Grasping at Straws" but that seemed too harsh. Then I thought about headlining with "struggling manufacturer partners with struggling retailer" but that wasn't exactly a positive spin either. So here goes:

TWICE: Toys 'R' Us Opens Sony Shop

Toys “R” Us has opened an in-store Sony shop within its flagship location in Manhattan’s Times Square.
The dedicated 550-square-foot
Sony space, the retailer's first, showcases an assortment of products that include Cyber-shot digital still cameras, Handycam camcorders, Walkman portable MP3 and CD players, Vaio notebooks, the mylo personal communicator, the Sony Reader, accessories and other personal audio products.
The area is staffed by specially-trained sales associates who can “help customers make informed decisions about which items are best suited for their lifestyles,” the toy chain said, and shoppers will be encouraged to use the devices to get hands-on experience before purchasing.


Lots of manufacturers have "experience stores" that allow consumers undiluted exposure to the brand message. Apple, Bose, Pioneer, and of course Sony all operate retail outlets that if nothing else, do a fantastic job of communicating the message. Bose, for example looks at their retail efforts 100% as a marketing expense in support of their dealer network, rather than in competition with them.


Other manufacturers have experimented with partnering with traditional retailers, creating "store within a store" concepts with less success. Samsung tried to launch "Samsung experience" kiosks in the Bay, only to flounder in the becalmed seas of HBC's corporate entropy. More recently, Office Depot launced the Samsung kiosks, and I'm genuinely embarrassed on their behalf for how forlorn and decrepit the locations I have seen look.


And that's the problem with the "store within a store" branding exercise: You're placing control of your brand's message in the hands of hourly wage staff who may or may not give a shit. Regardless of what the PR people say, I have to supress a snigger at their line about "specially-trained sales associates who can “help customers make informed decisions about which items are best suited for their lifestyles.”" I have never seen a front-line staffer at Toys "R" Us who looked old enough to drive, nor have I ever seen one display more than a glimmering of enthusiasm to serve customers. My interactions with senior store management has always been pleasant and professional, but again, they're practically children themselves. It's good to experiment and try new things, but I just don't see this playing out well for Sony.

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1 comment:

Anonymous said...

if they're "practically" children, what do you call some of the sales staff at big-box retail chains that claim the same sort of "special training"? Even department stores have young and inexperienced staff in their CE departments.

And for the record, we must be visiting different Toys R Us locations, because any one I step into has many middle-aged workers!