Day 6 - IFA International

TRADE TALK EK Service

TRADE TALK EK Service Group is a retail community with around 4,100 members and an annual turnover of €2.2bn. This leading multisector association for specialist retail outlets in the living, comfort, family and fashion business segments operates across Europe in Germany, France, Austria, Switzerland and, since 2015, the Netherlands. A regular at IFA, EK Service Group is at this year’s show to launch some bold new retailing innovations, including Electroplus 3.0, a revolutionary concept that ushers the full digitisation of small and major domestic appliance retailing. “Now is the time to take the next step,” said Lutz Burneleit, divisional manager household appliances, EK Service Group, referring to the suite of retailing solutions that is being showcased for the first time at IFA. Among these is a digital POS shop counter known as the Kiosk System that has been designed to increase both turnover and margin. “The problem is that retailers do not have enough space to show all items,” says Burneleit. “With this Kiosk System, it’s possible to sell items you do not have in your shop. We are looking for high quality and good prices, but not the lowest,” he added. A touch-screen that sits on the shop floor and allows sales people to take customers through a range of different models with, for example, different colour combinations that they could not normally hold in physical stock. The Kiosk System opens a new world of retailing. Using software developed by EK Service Group in Bielefeld, Germany, this simple, informative and interactive online retailing module displays detailed product images and information, in addition to delivery and Lutz Burneleit Divisional Manager Household Appliances, EK Service Group Digitising Appliance Retailing Electroplus 3.0 revolutionises the shop floor WITH OUR KIOSK SYSTEM IT’S POSSIBLE TO BRING MORE INFORMATION AND MORE EMOTION TO THE POINT OF SALE payment information. It allows retailers to market a much broader range of SDAs and MDAs from global manufacturers while maintaining face-to-face customer relations. Still in the pilot phase, the Kiosk System will roll out in late January 2017. Another element of Electroplus 3.0 is a new digital signage concept that is being showcased in co-operation with quality SDA brand, Kitchen Aid. In addition to a flexible shelf concept that allows different products to be displayed in varied ways, and a movable promotion table - together known as Brand Shop - the retail module is centred around a large, wall-mounted, high-resolution digital signage screen. The interactive screen allows customers to access an array of content, including short videos about Kitchen Aid products, the history of the brand, and the whole Kitchen Aid product range. “With our Kiosk System it’s possible to bring more information and more emotion to the point of sale,” Burneleit added. “The next step will be to work with other brands on the same platform” THE CRITICAL EYE – AND COMMENTS OF THE MEDIA AT IFA Each day in IFA International, we bring you feedback from media at the show, helping buyers and manufacturers get a better understanding of how they work at IFA. Ljubiša Miodragović Vice-President, EISA Editor-in-Chief, Hi-Files HI-FILES @ IFA Ljubiša Miodragović has been Vice-President at EISA for the past two years and editor-inchief of Hi-Files magazine, the one and only specialised magazine in Serbia about Hi-Fi and Home Theatre. Hi-Files was established in 2004 and has been reporting from IFA since 2007. We asked what for him are the key trends at IFA. I look forward to seeing new smart-watches and wristbands. Companies have started producing some very interesting inear headphones, which are now sweat-proof or waterproof and are extremely light. Also software and apps are now made to encourage users to have a more active and healthy lifestyle. Aside from sport, I like to watch nice movies on a big screen, so I am keen to see some new TV's. What are your key reasons for coming to IFA? IFA is more than a fair, it is a meeting place for people who share the same interests. I have a chance to meet not only new products, but to see some friends and colleagues from across the globe. I like to visit events like ShowStoppers where I can see so many new things in just couple of hours. IFA is quite large fair and has list of exhibitors on 30 pages. I do not know who could resist coming to IFA. What advice would you give to international visitors coming for the first time to IFA? Do not worry about how you are going to see everything at IFA, because you simply cannot. Try to plan in advance because that could help you in seeing the most important stuff. Have fun in the evening, but do not stay too late, you will need all energy that you have on the next day at IFA 10