The year of AV?
Betta Home Living Lismore store owner, Brad Gosling and his team have been preparing the store for the Christmas rush.
“We have already put decorations up and our window displays are set to involve consumers in the Christmas vibe. It’s always difficult to forecast sales, but if the momentum continues, I expect a good Christmas.
“Last year, the Ninja blenders were a favourite and I believe small appliances will be a popular gift or one to buy for hosting Christmas lunches and dinners. Portable audio, such as Bluetooth speakers, also tend to sell well, particularly among the younger generation.”
Over at Taree Leading Appliances, store owner, Peter Bolte expects growth in unit sales of 50 inch and above televisions ahead of the silly season.
“We have concentrated our stock holding and efforts with the Chinese brands TCL, Hisense and Chang Hong to offer our customers the exceptional value for money which these brands represent. We have also made a moderate foray into the remote control toys and kit offering with our inclusion of Jaycar into the business and sales of these products increase daily.
“An interesting, albeit niche market, is the demand for turntables and music systems with turntables attached to them. This market seems to have been abandoned by the major retailers and we are holding large stock of product from Jaycar and Lennox to meet demand,” he explained.
“There is no doubt that cooking and lifestyle programs have invigorated the SDA category. We have invested heavily in food preparation products and are carrying product with higher ASP’s. Mixer and food processors are always great Christmas gift products for us,” he added.
Betta Home Living Parkes store owner, Ian Westcott predicts JBL and Ultimate Ears (UE) portable speakers to be best-sellers this Christmas.
“Consumers are also spending more on coffee machines, particularly manual models as they try and replicate the café experience at home, so the coffee category might also be another good performer for us,” he noted.
Hans Vanderstadt from Melbourne’s Camberwell Electrics is feeling confident in the lead up to the all-important Christmas period.
“I am expecting sales to be up on last year with an improvement in consumer confidence and an overall upbeat vibe. Shoppers tend to purchase gifts priced between $100 and $400 and my bet is that audio will be the best selling category as consumers purchase headphones and portable speakers for their loved ones,” he said.