By Matthew Henry
SYDNEY: Samsung last night invited 100 retailers and buyers from stores around the country to ‘meet the gadgets’ in the first leg of the company’s upcoming national Digital AV product roadshow.
Key proprietors and buyers from retail groups including Harvey Norman, Narta, The Good Guys, Myer, Dick Smith Powerhouse and Wow Sight & Sound were flown in for the Sydney showcase, which saw Samsung launch nine digital still cameras, its first HD camcorder and a new digital SLR range.
Floor staff from Sydney-based stores were also invited for the evening, which featured an series of product demonstrations by actors, in the theme of Meet the Gadgets, presenting a typical family in the digital age.
According to Samsung AV product manager, Rod Rodrigues, the purpose of the scripted showcase was not just entertainment, but to show sales staff the suitability of the new products to certain consumers.
In addition to its latest digital imaging lineup, Samsung displayed its mp3 range, now entirely based on flash memory.
These product categories combined fall under Samsung’s Digital AV group – an increasing focus for the Korean brand locally, which now claims the number two spot in mp3 and over 10 per cent market share in the DSC categroy.
“The key takeout for retailers last night was that we now have a dedicated team in place for this gadget business,” Rodrigues told Current.com.au today.
“We’ve made an investment in our retail marketing team and our dedicated sales force, which we are calling the ‘gadget guys’.”
Samsung already has ‘gadget guys’ in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne.
The roadshow will tour the nation in May as part of a larger presentation, which will also showcase Samsung’s new audiovisual products.