By Matthew Henry and Martin Vedris
SYDNEY: Canon Australia’s new category management team has rolled out its first major reseller and consumer initiative, installing 200 interactive Pixma Power Walls to retail outlets throughout Australia.
The Pixma Power Walls feature an interactive touchscreen providing consumers with information about Canon’s Pixma printer range and walking them through a process to find the right printer for them.
According to Canon, support from floor staff, consumers are also able to print a high quality photo, document, or an image directly onto CD to test the print quality first hand.
Canon Australia senior category manager – consumer imaging products, Darren Ryan, said the retail initiative is one of the largest projects to be rolled out by a printing vendor in Australia and shows the company’s intention to support its retailers.
“Canon’s category management approach enables us to better cater to consumer needs in partnership with our retailers,” said Ryan.
“By effectively stimulating the desires of consumers to purchase in the category, we expect to drive increased units sales and higher dollar models while encouraging repeat purchases, creating a win-win situation for both the reseller and the consumer.”
Canon said the Pixma Power Walls represent just one initiative the company is implementing in the channel alongside Pixma Product Selectors — a merchandising system which guides consumers to the right group of printers to suit their needs and helps them make an informed choice.
The Pixma Power Walls are currently being rolled out to stores. The Harvey Norman Moore Park Supacenta received its yesterday and it had already made an impact.
“The face of it is quite smart and customers who walk past it touch it and play with it,” said Harvey Norman Moore Park Supacenta’s computer department 2IC, Glen Whichello.
“I think it’s great, no other competitors to Canon are doing that and it does make the product stand out and look better than the rest. It definitely is a good incentive and hopefully it improves sales.”
Canon advised that retailers will receive informal training and background information from the Canon Sales Teams following the installations of the PIXMA Power Walls. This is to ensure retailers are equipped to guide consumers through the process of choosing a suitable printer. Canon stated that they are confident that the simple to use PIXMA Power Walls have been designed so that consumers can easily navigate the system.