Appliance Retailer - June 2015 by The Intermedia Group

June 2015

RETAILER

APPLIANCE BROWNGOODS WHITEGOODS SMALL APPLIANCES COMPUTERS & COMMUNICATIONS

First Look at Neil Perry Kitchen by Omega Global Trends from 2015 IFA Press Conference How to Tackle Omnichannel Challenges Welcome to new Gold Coast Powerhouse L&M Gold Star Good Design Award Winners Revealed Can Pebble Compete with Apple in Smart Watches? Complete Guide To Benchtop Cooking

✱ contents

VOLUME 21, ISSUE 5

APPLIANCE

June 2015

RETAILER

Cover

Story BROWNGOODS WHITEGOODS SMALL APPLIANCES COMPUTERS & COMMUNICATIONS

04 Editorial

18 Good Design Awards Winners

06 News

22 DR: Panasonic’s AV Play

08 Global Trends from IFA

24 Interview: Pebble CFO Marin Tchakarov

12 GfK Data Reveals Strongest Categories

26 New Gadgets

14 Omnichannel in Focus

29 Benchtop Cooking Feature

16 Retailer Profile: L&M Gold Star

42 New Appliances

Nespresso Breville CitiZ Chrome Sleek and stylish, the Nespresso Breville CitiZ Chrome range (BEC600MC and BEC600C) delivers a touch of sophistication and designer flair to any kitchen design. With its highly polished mirror finish, the CitiZ Chrome range will fit seamlessly beside other stainless steel benchtop appliances. The smart CitiZ range meets the needs of discerning Nespresso consumers, featuring two programmed cup sizes, fast heat up time of 30 seconds, with auto power off mode and removable 1-litre water tank. The CitiZ&milk machine includes an integrated Aeroccino 3 milk frother, allowing users to prepare milk for all coffee styles with ease, from piccolo lattes to creamy cappuccino. Designed with inbuilt convenience, the Nespresso Breville CitiZ&milk and CitiZ Solo include a foldable cup holder and a 10-capsule container for mess-free collection of used, recyclable capsules.

APPLIANCE RETAILER JUNE 15

✱ company index Acer 27 Advanced Audio Australia 26 AEG 15 Apple 13, 14, 15, 24 , 26 ASKO 16, 19, 42 Beats by Dre 26 Beurer 42 Bissell 18 Blackmagic 20 Blaupunkt 8 Bosch 9 Braun 19, 42 Braven 26 Breville 6, 18, 32, 40 De’Longhi 12, 31, 42 D-Link 28 Dyson 18, 19 Electrolux 16, 20, 42 Emilia Glem 20 Eurolinx 42 Euromaid 38 Everdure 6 FiftyThree 21 Fitbit 12, 13 FitZone Solutions 42 GAF Control 7, 36, 40 Gaggenau 20 GfK 4, 9, 12, 13 Gibson Innovations 10 GoGear 10 Google 28 Groupe SEB 36, 38

Haier 9 Heller 7, 40 Home Appliances 38 HTC 8 ILVE 42 Indesit 8, 9 Intel 8 Jawbone 13 Jura 19 Kambrook 6, 34, 36 Kenwood 32 KitchenAid 8 KitchenPro 7 Leibherr 16 Lenovo 21 LG Electronics 27, 43 MacGear 26 Maxim Housewares 7 MEC 7 Miele 9, 11, 18, 42 Messe Berlin 7 Mitsubishi Electric Australia 7, 13 Mophie 27 Nespresso 7, 18 Nest 8 Netflix 4, 10 Netsuite 14, 15 Omega 6 Onkyo 10 Panasonic 22, 34 Pebble 24 Philips 6, 19, 42

Pro Appliances 42 Pye 7 Ryobi 21 Samsung 6, 8, 9, 11, 13 Sengled 28 Sennheiser 8 Sharp 38 Shriro 6 Simpson 43 Smeg 12, 16 Sony 27, 28 Spotify 28 Sunair 7 Sunbeam 29, 30, 31, 32, 34 Swann Communications 21` TCL Electronics 27 TEAC 10 Tefal 36, 38 Thermomix 11, 19 Tiffany 7 T-Mobile 8 TNS Distribution 27 TomTom 26 Uniden 26 Vodafone 8 V-Zug 16 Whirlpool 9 Wilson Elements 20 WOOX Innovation 10 Yamaha 21 Zip 20 ZTE 8

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✱ editorial

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Editorial Director James Wells james@intermedia.com.au Editor Patrick Avenell patrick@intermedia.com.au Journalist Tess Bennett General Manager – Sales Rod Riley rod@intermedia.com.au Graphic Design Alyssa Coundouris Production Manager Jacqui Cooper jacqui@intermedia.com.au Production Assistant Carly Saillard csaillard@intermedia.com.au Head of Circulation Chris Blacklock Subscriptions Ph: 1800 651 422

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GfK says ASP is OK as TV is not DOA at IFA

he recent IFA 2015 Global Press Conference in Malta, assembled the world’s journalists to hear the predictions from the industry’s best soothsayers. The best presentation was from GfK’s global director of consumer electronics, Jurgen Boyny. Boyny provided retailers with a clear roadmap out of the wilderness of declining pricepoints and slowing sales led in Australia by economic uncertainty and patchy consumer confidence. Boyny’s points are fairly clear – if you are going to participate in the TV category, then be an expert in selling the top end features of the category. Why? Because while the TV market is forecast to decline in units (flatline really), there is a significant increase in value from 105.4 billion Euros to 116.3 billion Euros in 2015 alone with an Average Selling Price (ASP) of 471 Euros ($A665). While value will drop off slightly to 114.4 billion Euros in 2016, the ASP will only decline to 465 Euros, which is 10 per cent higher than the 424 Euros recorded in 2014. So how can you get a piece of this 10 per cent increase in value from the TV category that many have described as a bit of a dead duck? Boyny claims that the share of the Smart TV market will grow from just over a quarter of all TV sales in 2013 to just under a half by 2016. Over the same time period, the over 50-inch market will grow from 12 per cent of all TVs sold in 2013 to 21 per cent by 2016 and 4k will grow from 0 per cent in 2013 to 17 per cent in 2016. Also 3.9 million Curved TV units will ship in 2015 while OLED will ship just 400,000 units. Alarmingly, Boyny claims that when consumers were interviewed about their brand new Smart TV purchase, two thirds of them were unaware of the features in the product that they had just purchased. They were completely oblivious to the fact that there were additional Video-on-Demand (VOD) options and access to the internet. Instead, two thirds of consumers said they just “wanted a new TV”. Scary stuff.

“All of the advantages of having a TV connected to the world wide web needs to be explained to the consumer,” Boyny claims. “The innovation and growth is occurring within the market now as the units are stable. Whoever is running the shop, this is an advantage that consumers can now have access to content from around the world, regardless of where it is created. Retailers should be engaged and sell this for a higher price, but this is just not happening at the moment. Put simply, being Smart is an innovation to the consumer.” Boyny argues that the Smart TV segment is using the internet to drive the content to the consumer and teaching them to invest in the VOD market, demonstrated by the introduction of Stan and Presto which are taking on the Netflix juggernaut. An interesting side discussion is the use of ‘second screening’ in the home, with two thirds of people using another device at the same time as they are sitting in front of their TV. The number of people using tablets as a second screen has doubled in the last 12 months, while the majority of people ‘second-screen’ with a smartphone or a laptop/notebook. For a long time these products were perceived as a danger to the long term sales of TV – but now they could be regarded as potential add-on accessories. The preferred add-on accessory of the moment for new TV purchases is the sound bar – with sales increasing from 6.7 million units globally in 2013 to 10.9 million units last year. The market is expected to grow a further 18 per cent in 2015. So there is light at the end of the TV tunnel, but the onus is on retailers to improve their training and product knowledge to be able to communicate these benefits to consumers.

James Wells Patrick Avenell is on leave.

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new

CHROME

✱ news Neil Perry Kitchen by Omega to launch in September

Renowned chef and restaurateur Neil Perry not only puts his name to this range, but was actively involved in the design and specification of the products.

Breville settles into new HQ After 18 years at Botany, the Breville, Kambrook and Philips (personal and garment care) teams have unpacked their moving boxes and settled into their new home at 170-180 Bourke Road, Alexandria. The move to Alexandria is the final phase of the relocation, which started in February 2014 when new warehouse facilities were relocated to Minto.

First announced in November 2013, Neil Perry Kitchen by Omega is preparing to officially launch in September 2015. The time between the initial reveal and a firm launch date for the new high end kitchen appliances, which includes built-in ovens, gas and induction cooktops, rangehoods, and a wine cooler, was spent making sure the new product features passed Australian product safety standards. “We had very high expectations for these products and were not ready

The modern two storey corporate premises have been fully fitted out with a showroom for each of the three brands, a model shop, as well as a dedicated engineering room and test kitchens for Kambrook and the three Breville categories: food preparation, cooking, beverage and toast. “The Botany site was full of nostalgia, however we had completely outgrown it. Moving to Alexandria has allowed the business to group teams for more effective communication and

to compromise on quality, power nor features. Australian legislation is very strict and demanding in regards of new products approval, especially when the product itself is so innovative and is designed with never seen before features,” said Karine Tobin Omega brand manager. Neil Perry Kitchen is part of part of the Shriro stable and will be positioned up-market from its existing brands Omega, Blanco and Everdure. The end result is a kitchen range with “revolutionary” features and specifications making it

suitable for professionals and home chefs alike. In the oven range includes innovation comes in the form of fully variable individual element control, a patented innovation allowing total control over the radiant heat within the oven cavity. Across the range there is a focus on the building the most high-powered appliances on the domestic market with ovens, wok burners and gas cooktops all packing a punch. The range will find a home at a limited number of cooking specialist outlets around Australia.

The kitchen and dining area in Breville’s HQ in Alexandria.

work flow, as well as provide space for growth,” says Breville Australia’s general manager Mark O’Kelly. “The interior design of the new office is a contrast of new and old. Visitors will

be impressed by the huge jaffle maker feature wall, a modern communal kitchen/ dining area and stunning courtyard, while elements of Breville’s history are still on display in the showroom.”

Recalled Samsung top loaders still a risk The 2013 recall of six Samsung top loaders was back in the spotlight in May after NSW Fire and Rescue took to social media to report that it had responded to the 18th house fire since March 2014 caused by a faulty Samsung washing machine. A manufacturing fault means moisture can penetrate electrical connectors in these washers and they can burst into flames. According to Samsung, there have been 6

The damage to a recalled Samsung washer after a fire broke out at a home in Corlette, NSW.

APPLIANCE RETAILER JUNE 15

180 “incidents” nationwide since the recall was issued. The incidents include over-heating, smoking or catching fire. Since the recall was initiated, Samsung can confirm that 60,765 affected models have been serviced or replaced. That leaves 83,686 washing machines that are yet to be serviced or replaced of the 144,451 that were recalled. “We are concerned to hear about reported incidents across NSW. These

cases are currently being investigated,” Samsung said in a statement. “Samsung initiated a voluntary recall on six models of top loader washing machines in April 2013. This recall is an ongoing process and we continue to work closely with the NSW Department of Fair Trading and our retail partners to notify impacted customers and arrange rework services, exchanges and refunds.”

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news ✱ Ofﬁceworks sells Harris Technology to Ledware

A key design feature of the temporary Boutiques will be the Grand Crus Wall, featuring Nespresso’s range of 23 Grands Crus.

Nespresso Boutiques Pop Up in Sydney Nespresso is opening three new pop up boutiques in Sydney which will sell select machines and the full range of Nespresso Grand Crus coffee capsules. Located in Westfield Miranda, Sydney Airport’s T2 Domestic Terminal and Castle Towers in Castle Hill, the temporary boutiques are designed to improve accessibility for club

members and trial potential permanent locations. The three sites have been selected by Nespresso based on how many club members live in that area, the presence of other premium retailers, and customer traffic in the centres. “The pop up boutiques will increase the accessibility of our

coffee experience for club members who live in these areas or who are travelling via the airport,” said Loïc Réthoré, general manager, Australia & Oceania. Club members will be able to recycle capsules at the pop up stores, and complimentary coffee tastings will be on offer to create demand for Nespresso products.

Winning Group makes Appliances Online changes The Winning Group has purchased Electro Seconds, an independent family-run factory outlet business in Parramatta, which will come under that company’s Appliances Online umbrella. This move comes after Appliances Online opened a clearance outlet in Auburn in Sydney’s western suburbs in September 2014. “The business has extensive experience within the clearance and seconds market, and the team’s expertise will be a huge asset for Appliances Online’s Clearance Outlet store,” said Winning Group CEO John Winning.

New Appliances Online CEO James Fleet

All staff will stay on under the deal and Electro Seconds co-founder and sales purchasing and marketing manager, Behrouz ‘Baz’ Bolurieh, who has worked in the appliance industry for more

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than seven years, will head up Appliances Online’s clearance operations. In other Winning Group news, James Fleet has been appointed CEO of Appliances Online. Fleet was formerly the chief marketing officer of the online retailer, having first joined the company in 2009. Meanwhile, the Winning Group is recruiting for a new CEO for Winning Appliances, following David Crane’s resignation in April. Crane, who joined Winning Appliances in 2012, has decided to return home to the USA to be closer to his family.

Officeworks is selling Harris Technology to Ledware, part of Anyware Corporation Pty Ltd. Harris Technology, a reseller of high end technology solutions to small and medium business customers has been operated exclusively by Officeworks since 2005. Last month Officeworks also launched its Australia-wide parcel delivery service, using its store network and existing postage product range. The service, known as Mailman, lets customers post parcels from the drop-off points inside Officeworks’ stores.

Mitsubishi Electric appoints Jeremy Needham as new MD After 27 years with the company Jeremy Needham will be promoted to managing director of Mitsubishi Electric Australia. Needham replaces the current managing director of two years, Takeshi Shihonmatsu, who will be taking on a new role in Tokyo.

GAF Control to merge with Maxim Housewares GAF Control is set to merge with fellow Victorianbased distributor Maxim Housewares. As part of the deal, GAF owner Stuart Foley, who founded the business in 1959, is retiring and Maxim owner David Court will head the combined business. The combined business will distribute Heller, Tiffany, Pye, Sunair, Maxim, Kitchenpro and MEC appliances.

The Good Guys customer service rewarded The Good Guys has added yet another customer service award to its bulging trophy cabinet, winning the 2015 Reader’s Digest Quality Service Award for Electrical Appliance stores. It’s the retailer’s fourth customer service award since the start of 2014. APPLIANCE RETAILER JUNE 15

✱ feature IFA 2015 Global Press Conference (from left to right): Dr. Christian Göke, CEO Messe Berlin, Jens Heithecker, IFA Executive Director, Juergen Boyny, Global Director Consumer Electronics, GfK Retail and Technology, Dr. Reinhard Zinkann, Chairman ZVEI Managing Director and Co-Proprietor Miele & Cie. KG), Hans-Joachim Kamp, Chairman of the Supervisory Board, gfu, Melinda Crane, moderator.

IFA shows the way

The ninth annual IFA Global Press Conference held in Malta last month provided journalists from around the world with a snapshot of the industry as well as a preview of the show to be held in Berlin in September. Dr Christian Göke – CEO of Messe Berlin Göke explained that the industry has changed over the past 35 years, driven largely by dramatic decreases in prices of technology products. In 1980, he said, a new TV cost an average month’s wage in Germany, whereas today it is, roughly, only a week’s wage. Selfevidently this is good for consumers but Göke said it has been a challenge for manufacturers, and he rattled off a list of once famous household brands, Toshiba and Metz among them, that have been unable to adapt. “We try to absorb this continuous change and we try to integrate this continuous change into the IFA show,” Göke said, before revealing some actual details. “A third of the show will be the TV and Home Entertainment category. The biggest growing section will be components, followed by Media and Communications.” 8

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Göke was very pleased to reveal that, for the first time, Whirlpool will be bringing its complete brand portfolio, including Indesit, KitchenAid and Blaupunkt, while a dedicated connectivity area will host Vodafone, T-Mobile, HTC and ZTE, among others. Samsung will retain its prominent CityCube stand. Across the show, almost 50,000 international trade visitors are expected, while visiting media representatives is expected to exceed the 2,600 that flew in to Berlin in 2014. Importantly for attracting international visitors, IFA will run concurrently with presentations by analysts groups GfK and IHS, as well as the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and zeitgeist-capturing gabfest TEDx Berlin. Somewhat unusually, Göke chose not to reveal any keynote speakers for the show, simply saying that they will match the 2014 standard, which included executives from Samsung, Intel, Nest

and Sennheiser. He did outline what the organisers see as the hot-button issues for the conference. “Ultra HD screens with even more impressive colours and spectacular contrast, home cinema sound in three dimensions, innovative software platforms for intelligent interconnection, sensors for fitness and health, confectionery or fashion from the 3D printer, music from wireless networks: these are the latest consumer electronic trends.”

Dr Christian Göke

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feature ✱ Haier delivers whitegoods innovations

Jürgen Boyny

Jürgen Boyny, Global Director of Consumer Electronics, GfK Retail and Technology Boyny provided an overview of the global technology industry and provided some predictions as to where the market is heading. “Connectivity is the theme for all the technologies we have at IFA. The show started as a consumer electronics show, now it is consumer electronics, telecommunications, domestic appliances and information technology. They are put together under one big theme: connectivity. Boyny predicts a 1.5 per cent increase in the industry to 790 billion euro. “Conditions could be better, we have military conflicts that are disrupting the development of consumer electronics,” citing Russia, Ukraine, Syria and Africa. “The growth is being driven by the smartphone, which is connecting the dots between all these technologies.” Region by region, Boyny predicted 2015 growth in the Middle East and Africa, emerging Asia and North America, steadiness in Latin America and a plateauing in Europe and developed Asia. In major appliances, Boyny says there will be continuous growth in major domestic appliances, growing 3 per cent to 145 billion euro, while small domestic appliances will be “strongly positive”, growing by 4 per cent year on year. There is expected to be global growth in major appliances, save for Europe, which should ease slightly. Breaking it down by category, increases in volume sales will more than make up for price declines through 2015, compared to the year prior. Smartphones will grow 8 per cent, LCD TVs will grow 2.3 per cent and tablets will improve by 1 per cent. Notebook and desktop PCs will slide 6 and 5 per cent respectively and digital still cameras will collapse, losing 15 per cent of its value compared to 2014. WWW.APPLIANCERETAILER.COM.AU

Chinese whitegoods manufacturer Haier has used the 2015 IFA Global Press Conference to showcase new innovations in its washing machine and refrigeration ranges. Haier markets itself as the world’s number one appliance brand, fuelled mainly by its enormous Chinese business, but it is also growing strongly in western markets, where it has ambitious stated targets. Yannick Fierling, the new CEO of Haier Europe, said Haier aims at cracking into the Top 5 appliance brands in Europe, a market traditionally dominated by local brands like Miele, Bosch and the Whirlpool-owned Indesit brands. Fierling said Haier has grown by 60 per cent since 2010 in Europe and will continue to surge on the back of new releases. Fierling used his power briefing to unveil three new appliances: two frontload washers and a refrigerator, as well as providing a sneak peak at new technology that will be rolled out in the near future. On display was Haier’s new dual drum washer, which recently won a Leading Edge design award from iF. Fierling said this tall, futuristic looking laundry appliance enabled users to run two loads concurrently and it is controlled via a new touchscreen user interface that can be replicated on smartphones and tablets for remote operation. “Wash faster, save time and spend more time with your family,” was how Fierling said this washer would be promoted. Also revealed was the Intelius 2.0 washing machine, which has a super-large 12-kilogram capacity, Smart Drive motor for silent and precise operation and a 36-centimetre wide drum opening for ease of access. Fierling claimed this will be the largest drum opening on the market when it is released. The outer rim of the door has LED lighting that indicates the progress of the cycle for instinctive and visual user convenience. This model also utilises Haier’s new touchscreen interface.

In refrigeration, Haier revealed a new French Door Fridge with three totally separate cooling systems, enabling users to configure its three compartments to their needs. The top two-thirds of the appliance, accessed through the French Doors, is a refrigerator, while the bottom left compartment is a freezer and the bottom right cavity is a hybrid, with a temperature range of between -20° and 5° Celsius. The ability to choose whether a cavity is a freezer or fridge is an interesting new technology in refrigerators, one seen earlier this year in Samsung’s Kayra range. Haier also offered a preview of a new refrigerator range it is expected to unveil fully at the IFA show in September. “The first cooling appliance without a motor or compressor for zero vibration, temperature variation and reduced sound,” is how Fierling described these new refrigerators. Outside of appliances, Haier showcased new smartwatches, though these are not expected to be released in Australia, where the company focuses on home appliances.

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✱ feature Boyny directly addressed one of the biggest trends expected to be explored at IFA: wearables. He predicts 72 million units to be sold in 2015, up from 31 million in 2014. Then, in 2016, an avalanche: 114 million units are expected to cross the world’s counters. Most of these sales will be in smartwatches and health trackers, followed by wearable cameras, headsets and smart glasses. Soundbars and action cams are predicted to boom but the writing is on the wall for in-car GPS systems and e-readers, both of which are on longterm downward trends. In TVs, growth is predicted in panels that are 50-inch and up, those with 4K Ultra HD and ones that include Smart TV connectivity. In emerging technologies, 2015 should see 3.9 million curved TVs and 400,000 OLED TVs sold. Boyny noted that TV innovation is revolving around bigger and bigger screen sizes, improved picture quality from 4K and OLED panels, the emergence of Curved and ultraslim form factors, significantly improved audio reproduction and the strengthening of the various Smart TV platforms. In 2014, 43 per cent of TVs sold in developed western markets had Smart functionality, 12 per cent were 50-inch and above and 3 per cent were 4K Ultra HD. (Incidentally, 26 per cent were 3D TVs, up from 2 per cent in 2010, though this feature is seen more as a novelty than a trigger to purchase.)

Despite this growth in innovation uptake, Boyny says there has been “no significant growth in unit-based TV demand”. With uptake remaining flat, seemingly locked into a replacement cycle, is might be worrisome for the industry to read that “price is, ongoing, under pressure, driven by a continuous and ongoing concentration on retail level”. The challenge therefore seems to be wringing as much cash out of every TV purchase. If the number of unit sales is flat — sources say around 1.5 million units are sold each year in Australia — then you’ve got to be convincing in promoting the latest and greatest models. At the recently gala launch of Samsung’s 2015 TV range, an insider told me that: “The trade loves new technology. Give them new technology and they will be happy to support you.” Roughly one in five TVs sold in Australia is a Samsung, and its value share is more than 20 per cent, so the company clearly knows something about merchandising premium models.

Paul Gray – principal analyst – display, IHS Paul Gray is a lead analyst specialising in TV and display shipments and sales for IHS, formerly known as DisplaySearch. He believes that the 4K TV market will be driven by the take-up of streaming services like Netflix, which are the only platforms delivering Ultra HD content to the masses.

He provided some fascinating insights into what the focus should be when exhibiting TVs in a retail environment. He said that despite the significant prima facie advantage of Ultra HD over Full HD — the four times the number of pixels, in layman’s terms — “resolution has no ‘wow’ effect”, and that side-byside comparison of 4K to 2K has not an impact comparable to previous example of Full HD vs Standard SD.

Paul Gray

Where there is a noticeable difference, however, is in frame rate. Gray said that “120Hz native content provides much better quality than 60Hz” and that it provides a “big difference with sports events”. Even more noticeable is a high dynamic range — the greater the luminance presented to the prospective customer, the more pleasurable the TV will appeal — but only to a point. “There is a perceived video quality and viewing comfort increase with peak luminance,” Gray said, “but some viewers report

WOOX Innovation re-brands to Gibson Innovations WOOX Innovations, the company manufacturing Philips-branded audio equipment, has re-branded to Gibson Innovations during the 2015 IFA Press Conference. Gibson Innovations is owned by American music industry leader Gibson, which is famous for a range of instrument brands, as well as ownership or licensing of technology brands including TEAC, GoGear, Trainer, Onkyo and Philips’s dedicated high-end audio brand Philips Fidelio. Gibson Innovations will be marketing Philips speakers, home cinema and video, headphones and home communications, among other products.

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Wiebo Vaarjes

Wiebo Vaarjes is the CEO of Gibson Innovations outlined Gibson Innovations’ multibrand strategy. In Philips Fidelio, the focus will be on best-in-class sound, iconic designs and ease of use. The new NC1

noise cancelling headphones is the paragon of this brand: great headfeel, superior sound and surprisingly good reduction in ambient noise for on-ear headphones. GoGear will be Philips value brand of colourful and accessible headphones and audio products, targeted at everyday users. For the active types, Trainer is a sports audio brand with modern styling and tough features for protection from the weather. This brand will be promoted by World’s Fastest Man Usain Bolt, who has jumped ship from Soul to join the Trainer family.

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feature ✱ visual discomfort at high luminance,” which he classifies as 3,000 candelas per square metre (cd/m²). A typically desktop LCD display will be 200 to 300 cd/m² while a top-of-the-line new 4K model will be 420 to 460 cd/ m², according to a source at a leading manufacturer. Gray also noted that deep colour reproduction is a good conversation starter, provided you have the right content. Manufacturers have certainly been investing in the colour gamut, with bespoke features like Samsung’s SUHD nano-crystal technology, LG’s ColourPrime and Sony’s TRILUMINOS Display (its caps), though it must also help if ‘real’ content is being broadcast in store, rather than the mind-numbing B-Roll of canoeing, flowers unfurling and volleyball that you see across the screens at launches and conferences. To get an idea of how this plays out in the real world, Appliance Retailer called up a JB Hi-Fi store in Brisbane and spoke to Nathan, who works in the TV department. He said that the arrangement of the TVs in-store is often at the discretion of whoever is merchandising them at the time, though there is a broad strategy to be followed. “We focus on size and price range, not brand,” he said. “The pricing will sometimes mean that Full HD and 4K TVs will be side-by-side. I notice the difference, especially if one has a better reproduction engine, say a Sony TV compared to a Chinese brand TV.” Somewhat contradicting Gray’s research, Nathan said that, “Consumers seem to notice it as well”. At the other end of the retail spectrum — big store in big city vs small store in the boondocks — Mark is a salesman for Leading Appliances Alexandra, population 2,656, in rural Victoria. He said the strategy in this outlet is based on size, not substance. “We’re a small store so we set our TV display up so you can see them from the front door, and they are placed in a corner at the back,” he said. “Our strategy is based on sizing, so we will have the Samsung 42-inch next to the TEAC 42-inch — we don’t base our strategy around clarity.” As an aside, Mark added that he didn’t think Curved panels would be particularly successful in regional areas in the short to medium term. WWW.APPLIANCERETAILER.COM.AU

Q&A: Miele’s Dr Reinhard Zinkann Miele co-owner and co-managing director Dr Reinhard Zinkann attended the 2015 IFA Global Press Conference. Miele is expected to unveil new appliances at IFA proper in Berlin in September.

What’s the verdict on the Generation 6000 range?

Excellent! Excellent! Excellent! We’re extremely happy! The new M Touch (user interface on highend models) – everybody loves it due to the fact that it is so easy to understand. Everybody knows smartphones so the swiping in the programs is understood without reading the instruction manual. Also very well perceived is our design, which is a completely timeless design and is very stylish. The Italian kitchen manufacturers love it.

Australia is often seen as being 5-to-10 years behind European trends — what can we expect Down Under?

In Europe, the most important topics are ecology (water and electricity consumption), usability and the connected home. These are the major trends. I believe all of them will improve because we have not come to the border where nothing more is possible. I believe that the connected home trend — where we were way ahead of everybody else because we talked about that more than 10 years ago — I believe that will come to Australia. The topic we have at this point of time in Europe is that we do not have one standard of industry. There is not one standard for each and every appliance. I believe that will come.

Is Miele happy to work with other major appliance manufacturers? It’s not a question of whether I like it or not: it will come and it is necessary. What consumers want is to control their heating, air conditioning, alarm system, lights —whatever you name — and, of course, their appliances. They want an all-in-one solution and for that we

Dr Reinhard Zinkann

need a standard and I’m very positive that the time will come where we will see one standard.

We’ve seen incredible growth in Thermomix-style appliances in Australia recently — is Miele looking at that category?

You should never say no – everything is possible – and the Thermomix is a great product but everybody who has tried to copy it has not reached that standard. It’s a class of its own and we do not compete with them but you should never say ‘no’. If we have the right idea at some point in time then it is possible but, in the end, small appliances is not our core competency. Coffee machines is something that is absolutely trending and if we have a built-in machine it is logic that we have a freestanding one as well because there are people that need the space filled by a built-in coffee machine for a steamer, so they would prefer to have a freestanding one.

What can we expect from Miele at IFA?

Unfortunately I can’t reveal any secrets! We have a few products that we will be covering and you will be surprised.

Should your rivals be nervous?

Self-confidently, ‘yes’, but we don’t get nervous when our competitors launch something because competition is necessary. We need it because it drives us forward. I like competition because it gives us new ideas.

APPLIANCE RETAILER JUNE 15

✱ market trends

Aspirational Purchases Telecommunications — including smartphones and wearables — major and small appliances all experienced double-digit value growth year-on-year in the ﬁrst quarter of 2015. By Tess Bennett

fK’s latest Temax report points to a strong start to 2015 in comparison to 12 months earlier, with interest rate cuts and a friendlier federal budget pushing consumer confidence higher heading into the mid-year. Small domestic appliances are up 13 per cent in value terms with hand-stick vacuum cleaners and blenders still the heroes of the market. Premium small appliances also played a starring role in growing the value of the smalls segment. Coffee machines were back in growth for the first time in more than two years, driven by the manual machine segment and high-end products. Within the breakfast appliance sector, toasters and kettles performed well, with value growth being driven by the shift from plastic to higher-priced finishes. Recent Mother’s Day product launches demonstrate that a number of small appliance suppliers have been investing in this trend. For example, De’Longhi has

pumped value into what was once just a replacement market for toasters and kettles, driving ASPs above $100. “The market is changing and we are changing it,” said category manager Helen Finlayson. “It’s now about design and capitalising on customers who are ready to update the look of their kitchen with a stylish new breakfast set.” There was also strong growth across the board in major domestic appliances, which was up 11 per cent, driven by growth in premium segments. Within the largest category, refrigeration, the shift from traditional top-mount and side-by-side segments to the higher-priced bottom-mount and French door segments, were a key driver behind the strong value growth. In washing machines, consumers traded-up to higher-priced frontloading and high-capacity machines. As a result, both refrigerators and washing machines experienced double-digit value growth,

Smeg is the newest entrant in the premium small appliance segment, recently launching 2- and 4- slice toasters (RRP from $179), kettles (RRP$199) and a kitchen mixer (RRP $799) in a range of colours. 12

APPLIANCE RETAILER JUNE 15

and similar trends were visible across the full range of whitegoods products, GfK reported. Catering to high-end buyers with premium kitchen appliances is seen as a major growth area for the industry, with several leading retailers opening new showrooms, acquiring businesses to facilitate expansion into new territories or deliberately realigning their marketing strategy to attract the cashedup, renovating consumer. GfK puts the strong overall performance throughout the quarter down to a number of factors, for example the comparatively weak performance of the major appliance sector in the first quarter of 2014 and interest rate cuts. Of the RBA’s decision to cuts rates GfK stated: “While this suggests a weakening underlying economy, the cuts sparked a rebound in consumer sentiment.”

Smartphone Sales Soar The telecommunications sector experienced a huge 25 per cent value sales growth in the first quarter, driven by the smartphones and wearables segments, according to GfK. For smartphones, changes in the exchange rate, coupled with new handset launches, saw an average price rise of 15 per cent compared with the same quarter last year. Sales volumes also increased during the period, helping the prepaid sector return to growth. In wearables, wider ranges, increased distribution and marketing activity drove strong demand, with the overall value of the category increasing almost four-fold on the same quarter last year. Health and fitness trackers, such as Fitbit and Jawbone, are the largest subsection in wearable category, accounting for nine out of every 10 wearable devices sold. Smart and GPS watches makeup the remainder of sales. WWW.APPLIANCERETAILER.COM.AU

market trends ✱ Health and fitness trackers, like the Fitbit Charge HR (RRP $199), account for nine out of every 10 wearable devices sold.

Ultra HD or 4K as it is also known, like Samsung’s Series 9 JS9500 SUHD TV accounts for more than one quarter of the TV market’s value.

GfK predicts that the strong growth in the telecommunications sector is likely to continue, that coupled with a federal budget that will strongly support the more traditional categories, points to a relatively positive outlook for the remainder of 2015. Meanwhile, the TV market experienced its first value sales growth since quarter one 2010, meaning that for the first time in five years the value this quarter was higher than the corresponding quarter. The growth was attributed to the popularity of super-large screen TVs and the expanding Ultra HD segment, which now accounts for more than one quarter of the market’s value. Also helping the TV category’s positive year-on-year value growth is the fact that the comparative period — quarter one 2014 — was one of weak demand following the completion of the digital switch over.

Budget Boost

Higher-priced bottom-mount and French door models are driving growth in refrigeration, for example Mitsubishi Electric’s new WX743Fridge (RRP $4,620).

WWW.APPLIANCERETAILER.COM.AU

‘We couldn’t have written the budget better ourselves’ was the headline from retailers the day after the federal budget was handed down. As part of the new $5.5 billion small business package , businesses with an annual turnover of less than $2 million are now able to claim an unlimited number of tax deductions for items bought up to the value of $20,000. This measure does not cover stock purchases, but businesses can claim for items such

as computers and other appliances. Any item up to the value of $20,000, which is used for running a business, will now be 100 per cent tax deductible. There is also no limit on the number of items a business can buy. Small businesses will also have their tax rate lowered to 28.5 per cent from 30 per cent immediately. Electronics stores stand to benefit from the budget with microwaves, coffee machines, bar fridges, computers, televisions and stereos all 100 per cent tax deductible, so long as they are essential to running a business. The ATO has warned it will be on the lookout for any rorting, so no upgrading the family TV. “Businesses need to ensure that they only claim a deduction to the extent to which the asset is used in an income earning activity,” said ATO deputy commissioner Steve Vesperman. Many of the budget measures which effect retailers and small business were welcomed by the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) and the National Retail Association (NRA). NRA chief executive Trevor Evans predicted the instant write-off of business purchases up to $20,000 would spur an instant jump in spending, which would flow quickly through the retail sector and the wider economy. “This budget hits almost all the right notes in terms of boosting consumer and business confidence. This was always going to be the critical test of the Abbott Government’s second budget,” he said. Both retail groups also welcomed the so-called ‘Netflix Tax’ which will impose the GST on digital products such as music and movies sold into Australia from overseas, but they also want to see it further extended to cover physical goods. “While this tax is certainly a positive step, we must now ensure GST collection is extended to low value parcels. It should be just as easy to collect GST from Amazon as it is to collect GST from Netflix and Apple, meaning there is little excuse for the Federal and State Government’s not to move on collecting all GST on products under $1000 from overseas,” said ARA executive director Russell Zimmerman. The first surveys released after the budget from ANZ/Roy Morgan and the Westpac-Melbourne Institute showed the budget had a positive influence on consumer confidence levels. APPLIANCE RETAILER JUNE 15

✱ netsuite

Omnichannel a major pain point for retailers Can software help ease the strain?

ot so long ago a customer’s journey would begin when they got off the couch, drove to your store and purchased something from your inventory. Price wasn’t so much of an issue because they didn’t have an awful lot of choice. Today shoppers carry around a worldwide database of products and their prices in their pockets. Transparent inventory and pricing makes it an incredibly challenging world for retailers to operate in. Couple this with pure play online retailers entering the market and traditional businesses are starting to feel the squeeze from all directions. Talk of bricks and mortar retail being killed off by digital storefronts proved premature and inaccurate. Consumers were never going to give away the chance to pick up a product, try it out and buy it on the spot. Nevertheless the way we shop has evolved with digital elements firmly engrained in the shopping journey.

By Tess Bennett

This modern shopping experience is known as omnichannel retail. It means delivering a seamless customer experience across all channels and stems from the fact that customers don’t see channels; they just see one overarching brand. Although it seems straightforward that doesn’t make it easy to execute, and execute well. “The world of omnichannel really is an acute pain point for retailers,” says Andy Lloyd, general manager of commerce products at NetSuite. “Increasingly retailers are realising that they need to go deeper and deeper into their technology and their systems to run the business if they truly want to present a unified experience to their customers.” Lloyd explained that this is because customers are shopping in ways that retail business systems never even anticipated. “They never had any expectation somebody would research a product online and then show up in store,” he said.

Apple’s retail stores are often held up as the pinnacle of modern retail experience, although not every company has the margins or the product demand to transform into an imitation of Apple. However a few key elements of Apple’s service model can be replicated to deliver a true omnichannel experience. “We saw the omnichannel world coming,” said Zach Nelson CEO of NetSuite. “We knew it wasn’t just going to be about the website. All of us had gone to an Apple store and we saw the magic of Apple.” Underpinning the whole Apple experience is that it recognises you based on Apple ID across different channels — a purchase in store ends with a receipt being emailed to you at home. “We all buy from Apple because it’s easy. If you can combine an in-store experience with an online experience they [consumers] are going to buy more from your brand,” he said.

Left: SuiteCommerce InStore POS display show sales associates a complete picture of the customer. Below: SuiteCommerce InStore POS provides inventory information in real time.

APPLIANCE RETAILER JUNE 15

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netsuite ✱

Omnichannel Essentials Have a 360 degree view of every customer Bring together transaction information and behavioural information to paint a clear picture of your customers. Data from purchases and returns as well as email clicks and opens empower retailers to engage with customers more deeply, understand how the customer has interacted with you and what the value of that customer is. Flexible delivery and return options Buy anywhere, get anywhere and return anywhere; customers want to be able to define delivery on their terms. Similarly returns should be accepted at any store even if the product was bought online. The advantage of this is having returned a product in-store the customer will likely go looking for a replacement. Which leads us to… Uniﬁed and visible inventory Utilise every piece of your global inventory! Traditionally viewed as a backend capability, a system that allows you to capitalise on inventory levels and availability should also be visible to the consumer. Not only does this increase sales, it helps build trust with your customers. For example if something is out of stock after it has been purchased online, customers will feel deceived. Similarly if something isn’t in your distribution centre but it is in in your local store, that’s a sale you’ve missed out on.

Now NetSuite, a provider of cloud-based financials/ERP and omnichannel commerce software suites believe they’ve come up with cloud-based software to give all retailers that ‘Apple store experience’ by combining the online store and POS system. Or as Nelson says ‘we’ve spent a billion dollars developing it so you don’t have to.’ WWW.APPLIANCERETAILER.COM.AU

“Effectively what we have built is a system that enables all of our retailers to deliver an Apple-like experience,” Nelson said. NetSuite’s software solution is called SuiteCommerce InStore; it’s is designed to empower the sales associate by providing them with access to real time inventory and customer information to engage shoppers more effectively. For example if someone walks into your store after browsing products online, the sales associate can open up their customer profile to see a visual timeline of all purchases, returns, exchanges, store visits and service requests regardless of channel, with the ability to drill into any transaction. The system also has full POS capabilities for conducting sales transactions, secure payments and printing customer receipts. Built-in reporting provides a real-time view into store statistics, cash management and inventory. Floor staff can lookup items from the sales floor, determine product quantity on hand and locate out-of-stock items or suggest alternative items in order to ‘save the sale’ on the showroom floor.

Placing all this information into the sales associates’ hands via a tablet gives them an advantage over showrooming shoppers, but a mobile POS system isn’t a magic bullet. Giving all staff an iPad mini won’t necessarily turn them into a superstar employee, says Steve Rowen a retail industry analyst from RSR Research. “Mobile technologies in-store, as sexy as they may be, they are still technologies just like the technologies we’ve had for years. They require maintenance, they require updates and most importantly they require training,” he said. “If you are going to throw technology to people, you also need to throw all the infrastructure that supports that technology as well.” The speed of change in the retail industry shows no sign of slowing down any time soon and there’s pressure to adapt. Still there’s also no substitution for the retail basics like customer service and well trained staff. Updating business systems and putting the customer experience at the centre of you operations will lead to incremental changes that add up over time. APPLIANCE RETAILER JUNE 15

✱ retail profile

Introducing L&M Gold Star Two Gold Coast electrical appliance specialists have combined forces after a history which stretches back to the days of shillings and pence.

ate last year L&M Electrics, first opened in 1963, and Gold Star Electrics, which started trading five years later, came together to form L&M Goldstar, the largest independent store on the Gold Coast. The new venture was officially launched last month by Federal Member for McPherson and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry Ms Karen Andrews. Guests were treated to cooking demonstrations from some of the industry’s best chefs including the popular Smeg Chef in Residence Jan Woods and wine tasting from some of the latest wine refrigerators manufacturers from Europe. L&M was opened by Neil Petch as an independent retailer, specialising in electronics, including very early model television sets and cabinets, as well as home appliances. Petch later sold out to Gold Coast Tourism head honcho Peter Hughes, and the business then passed to Hughes’ daughter Trina Hockley. In the late 1990s, Hockley took L&M to the Retravision Group, which was a true powerhouse at the time and was still enjoying its halcyon days. In the early 2000s, Hockley became the youngest boardmember in Retravision’s history, though she became dissatisfied with the co-operative and returned to being an independent. A short time later, Guy Houghton convinced Hockley

APPLIANCE RETAILER JUNE 15

Above: Trina Hockley and her sister Joy promoting a new store at Pacific Fair Shopping Centre and a flashback to the 1960s. Left: Hon Karen Andrews MP, L&M Gold Star owner Trina Hockley, Michael Sing and Janelle Manders at the showroom opening on the Gold Coast.

to take L&M Electrics to the Betta group, and she and her sister Joy opened a second outlet at the once-glamorous Pacific Fair shopping centre. When that lease expired, Hockley decided not to renew and to instead refocus the business on commercial-only sales, based out of L&M’s original Mermaid Beach property. The Gold Star Electrics business was founded and operated John and Clare Starkey. Its focus has always been on retail residential consumer electronics and appliances, so while the Starkeys and Hockley have often dealt with the same suppliers and similar products, competition between the two has mostly been muted. The plan now for L&M Gold Star is to cater to high-end customers of premium kitchen appliances. Hockley said she was very proud to be embarking on the next chapter of her career and looked forward to working with some of the best brands in this

space. The retailer remains a member of the Betta group but it will not carry prominent Betta branding, Hockley said, referring to the venture as a ‘Betta Buying Associate’. “Our proud Gold Coast history is important to our team,” she said. “The success and longevity of the two family businesses comes down to two factors, quality and service. We stock the best quality brands including European leading appliances from Smeg, Electrolux, AEG, V-Zug, ASKO, Liebherr and Bertazzoni and our staff are trained to exceed our customer expectations and deliver the best possible outcomes. “The new L&M Gold Star business means we have greater economies of scale which ultimately delivers more opportunity for our staff and our customers.” The new entity boasts five divisions and employs 15 permanent staff which services customers on the Gold Coast, Brisbane and Sunshine Coast from the showroom and warehouse at Mermaid Beach. WWW.APPLIANCERETAILER.COM.AU

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✱ good design Best in Category: Dyson’s new humidifier AM10 uses ultraviolet cleansing technology to remove 99.9 per cent of bacteria in water and uses air multiplier technology for even distribution of clean, hydrated air. It also doubles as a fan in summer.

Best in Category: Miele’s first robot vacuum, Scout RXI, is distinguished by its Smart Navigation System and the triple cleaning system —sweep, brush and vacuum.

And the winners are… Good Design Award: Bissell Bolt Ion Series is a 2-in-1 lightweight cordless stick vacuum which uses Edge Reach technology to thoroughly clean all the way to the corners.

Best in Category: With its tactile touch interface, the new Lattissima Touch from Nespresso is equipped with six coffee recipes with built-in milk frother to deliver perfect hot milk every time.

Good Design Awards: Breville picked up three gongs at the awards for its convenient Citrus Press (BCP900), Kinetic Twist (BBL405) and Quick Touch Crisp.

APPLIANCE RETAILER JUNE 15

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good design ✱ Good Design Award: The German designed Braun Carestyle 5 Steam Station has the world’s first Exoal 3D BackGlide soleplate, with rounded and bevelled edges to glide the iron over zippers, seams and buttons.

Good Design Award: Philips Aqua Trio Pro is the result of nine years’ development. Ideal for hard floors it effectively and thoroughly removes dirt, sticky stains and liquids, and floors dry up to 50 per cent faster compared to wet cleaning with a traditional mop and bucket.

Good Design Awards: Swiss coffee aficionados Jura won two Good Design Awards for the F9 and the Impressa A9 One touch. As well as classics like ristretto, espresso and cappuccino, the F9 makes the Australian Flat White. The Impressa A9 can make two new specialty coffees: the latte macchiato and cappuccino doppio.

Good Design Award: By refining and channelling airflow, the Dyson Hot + Cool AM09 is a fan heater that can quickly switch between personal or full room heating in winter or cooling in the summer.

large number of products were presented with a Good Design Award at a Gala event held in Sydney last month, recognised for their superior product design. The competition was so fierce in both the Domestic Appliances and Consumer Electronics categories that multiple products were awarded the overall Best in Category prize. Organisers say they try to avoid having multiple winners in each category; however the judges were adamant they were all eligible for the accolade. In Domestic Appliances , Dyson’s AM10 Humidifier, Nespresso’s Lattissima Touch and Miele’s Scout RX1 were all awarded the title of Best in Category. Blackmagic’s Studio Camera and the Ryobi 18V Hybrid Shop Light topped the Consumer Electronics category. “This year’s standard surpassed all others, particularly in the Domestic Appliances and Consumer Electronics categories. To me, this is a clear indicator that brands in this sector value professional design as a key competitive advantage in what is a tough market where consumers have ample choice,” said Dr Brandon Gien, CEO of Good Design Australia. “Competing on cost alone is a short-term business strategy. Consumers want quality design and are prepared to pay a bit more for a product that not only looks good but it works well and lasts longer – a well-designed product does this and more. “Good design results in better products and services, more competitive and sustainable businesses and ultimately a better Australia – this was the key message coming out of the Awards this year.”

Good Design Award: With a unique Style and Protector concentrator, the Philips Pro Hairdryer delivers professional drying performance with 25 per cent less damage due to overheating.

Good Design Award: ASKO Duo Fusion is a 90 centimetre cooktop which combines two energy sources; induction and gas. The two cooking methods are combined by one piece of 6 millimetre glass.

Good Design Award: Performing 12 functions with one knife and bowl, Thermomix can stir, mix, blend, chop, cook, steam, weigh, grind, knead, whisk, simmer and emulsify.

WWW.APPLIANCERETAILER.COM.AU

APPLIANCE RETAILER JUNE 15

✱ good design Good Design Award: Electrolux Inspiration IOI Pyrolux Built-in Duo Oven features pyrolytic cleaning that replaces harmful chemicals and saves time.

Good Design Award: The “world’s most advanced drinking water appliance” the Zip HydroTap has two new design styles, the Zip HydroTap Arc and Zip HyrdoTap Cube.

Good Design Award: Gaggenau delivers efficient air ventilation for an integrated living space with its Table Ventilation the AL 400. It disappears completely into the benchtop when not in use. Good Design Award: Glem Matrix 90 Bi Energy Cooker is a freestanding cooker with five gas hobs and a 116 litre oven that is capable of operating using gas or electricity – Bi Energy.

Good Design Award: Electrolux Maxisense “Halo” Induction Cooktop features halo lighting around the edges of the cooktop for a striking look, whether your cooktop is in use or not.

Good Design Award: Universal Cooker Knob Kit from Wilson Elements is designed to keep cooking appliances operational for longer. 20

APPLIANCE RETAILER JUNE 15

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good design ✱ Best in Category: The foldable Ryobi 18V Hybrid Shop Light features the latest LED technology and is compatible with all ONE+ batteries.

Best in Category: Past category winner Blackmagic is back on top this year taking out Best in Category for its Studio Camera, the world’s smallest broadcast camera with the world’s largest viewfinder for a price tag just under $2,000.

Good Design Award: The Lenovo YogaPro is a convertible laptop. Thanks to the hinge design similar to a watch band, the screen can open from 0 to 360 degrees smoothly.

Good Design Award: Pencil by FiftyThree is a BlueTooth stylus modelled after the beloved carpenter’s pencil. It is available in three finishes, black Graphite, sustainable Walnut and Gold, made from brushed aluminium.

Good Design Award: SwannOne is a DIY home security ecosystem that consists of Hub, safety cameras and a range of wireless sensors all integrated across a web based portal and mobile platform app.

Good Design Award: Blackmagic’s second win in the awards was for its URSA high-end digital camera, designed for professional cinematographers.

Good Design Award: Yamaha LSX-70 Portable Lighting/Audio System sets the mood with wireless music streaming and lighting control via a simple app for iOS and Android devices. WWW.APPLIANCERETAILER.COM.AU

APPLIANCE RETAILER JUNE 15

DIGITAL RETAILER

PANASONIC BRINGS ‘BEYOND SMART’ TO 2015 AV RANGE TV, AUDIO, YOUR SMARTPHONE AND TABLET — PANASONIC’S NEW HOME ENTERTAINMENT PRODUCTS KEEP THEM ALL CONNECTED.

anasonic has launched its 2015 Home Entertainment range consisting of 40 new products including 23 new TV models across eight new series. The products are the result of 12 months back-and-forth with the factory in Japan to develop products especially for the Australian market. Like the other big TV releases so far this year, Ultra HD (or 4k as it is also known) is the dominating feature across the Panasonic’s Viera LED LCD TV range. Over 60 per cent of the TV range this year is UHD, including the flagship CX800 Series and the HD CX740, CX700 and CX640 Series. There is also a line-up of Full HD TVs, the CS650A, CS610A and C400A Series for the market uninterested in all those extra pixels. “At the heart of our 4K TVs, Panasonic’s Quad-Core processor supports both a refined 4K picture and powerful smart TV processing for a fast, smooth user experience. Users can enjoy high-quality, detailed images whether they are from web streams, broadcasts, Blu-ray or 4K feeds,” said Maetham Roomi senior product manager, Home Entertainment Panasonic.

Panasonic Smart Viera Ultra HD TV (CX640 Series RRP $3,999).

APPLIANCE RETAILER JUNE 15

The new Viera models have features to address our changing TV consumption habits, including the rise of video streaming services and the ability to be able to watch content on demand. Panasonic has partnered with Mozilla Firefox to build a new ‘Beyond Smart’ OS interface and, all 2015 Panasonic Viera models, except the C400 series, will have a Netflix button on the remote. “Panasonic has introduced the Firefox operating system across our 4K range to provide a graphically rich, intuitive interface that makes it quick and easy for you to track your favourite content when you want it,” Roomi said. Another clever feature is TV Anytime which lets you stream live TV shows or movies on your tablet or smartphone wherever you are in the world, or view recorded content from a connected USB hard drive via your TV’s tuner. That means you can

watch Australian sporting matches on your tablet if you are anywhere in the world. New Panasonic Soundbars, Wireless speakers, Micro systems, Mini systems and Blu-ray Recorders also are a great way to encourage consumers to wirelessly connect their whole home entertainment system. The new Soundbars SC-ALL70T (available September RRP TBC), SCHTB690 (RRP $599) and SC-HTB485 (RRP $499) are accompanied by a wireless, down-firing subwoofer. They also double as Bluetooth speakers that can be paired with your phone or tablet. The flagship SC-ALL70T soundbar can connect to other speakers from the Panasonic Allconnected audio system (aka Panasonic’s multiroom speaker network). AllPlay SC-ALL2 and SC-ALL5CD are new additions to the AllPlay system. The SC-ALL5CD is the first multi-room speaker with CD, radio and Bluetooth

The ALL70T soundbar comes with wireless down firing subwoofer and connects to the SCALL2 speaker to create a wireless Multiroom sound system.

streaming functionality, catering for consumers with a CD collection. Far from making them obsolete, Panasonic views the rise of streaming services as a factor driving interest in recording products because consumers’ viewing habits are becoming more active and less passive. Panasonic’s new Blu-ray Recorder and Player Range incorporates features such as TV Anytime, Remote Recording, Multi-room TV Streaming, Triple and Twin HD Tuners, Miracast, Series Recording and Keyword Recording. Other capabilities include Netflix and HbbTV out of the box. WWW.APPLIANCERETAILER.COM.AU

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DIGITAL RETAILER

A MATTER OF TIMING PEBBLE PREPARES TO TACKLE AUSTRALIAN MARKET. BY TESS BENNETT

Unlike Pebble smartwatches, the Apple Watch only works in conjunction with your iPhone and has a touch screen. As well as touching and tapping the screen, the Digital Crown can scroll, zoom and navigate without obstructing the Retina display.

ebble — the US-based company which takes credit for creating the modern smartwatch category — is actively looking to grow its retail footprint in Australia and expand beyond its current exclusive distribution agreement with Dick Smith. “We are very actively exploring a number of other retail outlets in Australia beyond where we currently are,” Pebble CFO Marin Tchakarov told Appliance Retailer. Dick Smith secured the exclusive retail rights to the Pebble Steel smartwatch when it launched in Australia in 2014. This year the company has new products, big competition and a mass market to tap into. “We think it is an amazing marketplace for us to grow. We love the culture, we love the opportunity and we just need to pull the freight as quickly as we can,” Tchakarov said. Tchakarov said Pebble is currently in conversations with many different retail outlets and the brand is incredibly excited to grow its Australian presence. Australians’ active lifestyles and outdoorsy culture is “an amazing fit” for Pebble he said. Pebble’s founders began working on wearable computers in 2009 and in 2012 the young company entered The new Pebble Time has a colour e-paper display with up to 7 days battery life, a built-in water resistant microphone and runs a new time-centric operating system designed to give you immediate access to the most important information you need throughout your day.

APPLIANCE RETAILER JUNE 15

Marin Tchakarov - Pebble chief financial officer

the public’s collective conscious when its first Kickstarter campaign raised $10.3 million through crowd funding for its first generation product. Fast forward to December 2014 and Pebble has shipped its one millionth smartwatch. The company returned to Kickstarter to fund its newest products the Pebble Time and Pebble Time Steel. For those earlybirds that got their orders in via Kickstarter the new products are expected to ship between May and August 2015. Beyond Kickstarter, Pebble is now looking at much bigger unit volumes as the market expands beyond early adopters. “I think we are at the inflection point of venturing into what we call mass market,” Tchakarov said. “We are gearing up for that. It is going to be a very different game for the rest of 2015 and into 2016 in terms of unit volumes and adoption.” Part of the reason for that growth is increased interest in the category fuelled by the arrival of the Apple Watch on the scene. “Apple, as everybody knows, is joining the party but we are actually looking

forward to them joining the party. They are bringing awareness and interest in this space. It’s validating the market. It’s growing the pie with tremendous pace.” One of the key differences between Pebble and its competition is philosophical. Pebble’s watches work with any type of smartphone. “We are not interested in imprisoning people behind the tall walls of operating systems from which they cannot escape,” Tchakarov said. Pebble’s engineers and designers have been working on developing a product with more functionality than just pushing smartphone notifications to your wrist. Using a built-in level of artificial intelligence, Pebble have built a gadget which pieces data together from different apps and delivers a small, contextually relevant piece of information, with the aim of organising our daily lives more seamlessly and efficiently. For example, imagine an operating system which had access to your calendar, GPS and the time. If you had a meeting due to start in one hour and your GPS location was still 30 kilometres away, your smartwatch could alert you that you need to get a move on, and provide the best route to avoid traffic congestion at that time of day. Smartwatches are not about to replace smartphones, but deliver contextually relevant information discreetly and in real time. “We believe that it is all about making your life better and easier by connecting you faster and more seamlessly… We are giving you time back and we are a watch company,” Tchakarov said. WWW.APPLIANCERETAILER.COM.AU

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NEW GADGETS

001

Uniden UH35 series Available in triple or quad packs, Uniden’s UH35 series UHF two-way handheld radios are ultra-compact, shock resistant and temperature tested radios are perfect for hiking, camping, skiing and cycling or just hanging out in the urban jungle. RRP from $99.95 Uniden 1300 366 895

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Braven Lux The Lux connects with any Bluetooth device, can pair with another Braven 7-Series or Lux speaker for left and right audio and features a built-in noisecancelling speakerphone and mic to take calls. RRP $179 MacGear 02 9435 0387

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Beats By Dre Solo2 Wireless “We’re taking one of the most popular headphones in the world and adding wireless Bluetooth functionality to it,” said Beats President Luke Wood. “The Solo2 is already a world-class headphone much lauded for its acoustics, and now it joins our growing family of successful wireless products.” RRP $399 Apple 133 622

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KEF Reference 5 Embodying passion and perfection, the KEF Reference 5 is a tall three-way floor standing loudspeaker that aligns four powerful, extremely linear 165mm (6.5 inch) bass drivers. For the connoisseur. RRP $28,999 (per pair) Advance Audio Australia 02 9561 0799

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TomTom Go 6100 The newest sat nav from TomTom features a fully interactive screen to pinch, zoom and swipe – as well as a rich user interface, simplified user interaction, 3D Maps2 and a Click & Go mount. Drivers can also choose between 5- or 6-inch screen size. RRP $399 TomTom 1300 135 604

APPLIANCE RETAILER JUNE 15

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WWW.APPLIANCERETAILER.COM.AU

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Acer Aspire R 14 Playbook Acer’s unique 360-degree, dual-torque hinge design enables for easy conversion between four different modes — notebook, display, tent and pad. RRP $1,499 Acer 1300 366 567

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TCL 55-inch Curved 4K UHD TV (U55H8800CDS) Features of TCL’s Curved Ultra HD TV range include a Wide Colour Enhancer Plus technology, 3D capabilities, Harman Kardon speakers and Smart functionality via the Android operating system. Also available in 65-inch (RRP $3,299). RRP $2,199 TCL Electronics 03 8541 4666

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Sony Cyber-shot WX500 The pocket-sized Cyber-shot DSC-WX500 is targeted at travellers and selfie-lovers with a 180-degree tilt LCD screen, 30x optical zoom, fast intelligent auto focus and Full HD video. RRP $478 Sony 1300 720 071

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Mophie Juice Pack These protective battery cases for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus provide users with up to 17 more hours of talk time, up to 12 more hours of web browsing, up to 13 more hours of video playback, and up to 60 more hours of music playback. RRP from $129 Mophie 07 5522 1619

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LG G4 Available in a range of ‘ceramic’ and ‘genuine leather’ colours, LG’s new flagship smartphone, the G4, has a 5.5-inch Quad HD display (2,560 x 1,440), 16MP and 8MP cameras, and 32GB of storage, expandable via microSD. LG Electronics 1300 542 273

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WWW.APPLIANCERETAILER.COM.AU

APPLIANCE RETAILER JUNE 15

DIGITAL RETAILER

WI-FI FOR THE WAREHOUSE? The DAP-3662 Wireless AC1200 Concurrent Dual Band Outdoor Access Point with PoE is now available in Australia for RRP $729 through D-Link’s network of channel partners, resellers, distributors and online retailers.

A new product release from D-Link is designed to overcome the challenging conditions surrounding establishing a reliable internet connection in outdoor and industrial environments. A reliable internet connection is essential for businesses focused on providing real time data on inventory, order status and stock location. Designed with weather-resistant features and an IP67rated housing, the DAP-3662 creates efficient outdoor wireless hot spot networks for high-demand business applications. Some of the suggested locations include manufacturing plants, industrial automation facilities, and convention halls.

SONY TEAMS UP WITH GOOGLE CAST AND SPOTIFY

Sony SRS-X99 wireless speaker (RRP $899) supports Bluetooth and NFC one-touch for wireless listening even without a Wi-Fi network.

Sony has announced an extensive line-up of new home audio products including sound bars, wireless speakers, and audio/video receivers. The new range will support Spotify Connect and Google Cast which both allow you to connect streaming services running on your phone to your home speaker system. Google Cast allows users to control music directly from music streaming apps like Deezer, Rdio, Pandora and Google Play Music, while Spotify Connect lets subscribers of the popular music streaming service to use their own devices to easily listen to music on their home stereo systems.

MORE PLAYERS TO ENTER SMART HOME CATEGORY

Sengled Pulse is an LED lightbulb with integrated JBL speaker to enable wireless delivery of sound throughout the home. A starter kit with master bulb and one satellite bulb is RRP $349.

APPLIANCE RETAILER JUNE 15

Since its Australian office opened in January 2014, TNS distribution has been ramping up its operations, signing up more and more vendors and retail outlets. This year the company is focused on launching a number launch of smarthome products. “Smart home products that extend connectivity and expand entertainment options are a great fit for these mature markets,” said Kieran Adams, TNS sales director for ANZ. The first of these products is a range of Sengledbranded internet-connected lighting products which will start shipping in June 2015. “We’re pleased to have the opportunity to work with a future-focused company like TNS to bring Sengled’s smart lighting products to consumers in Australia and New Zealand,” said Johnson Shen CEO of Sengled. “TNS has a strong team in place to handle growing demand, and we look forward to working with them to expand market share.” WWW.APPLIANCERETAILER.COM.AU

RETAILER

APPLIANCE

l a i c e p S Feature

BROWNGOODS WHITEGOODS SMALL APPLIANCES COMPUTERS & COMMUNICATIONS

2015

Benchtop Cooking Feature

✱ benchtop cooking It may look like just a plain old rice cooker or compact oven, but on closer inspection the meals made in these benchtop cooking appliances may surprise you! By Tess Bennett

Shape Shifters I

n the cooler months sales of benchtop cooking appliances heat up, offering versatile and user-friendly functions to create the ultimate in comfort food. They may not perform the 11+ functions like their thermo-cooking cousins (think Thermomix), but benchtop cooking appliances offer plenty of versatility as well as dedicated models that can perform one job perfectly everytime — for a lot less money than $2,000. “It may seem like the benchtop cooking market is becoming more complicated with all the new multi-function cooking options,” says Katie Berra, Sunbeam product manager – cooking. “Instead of thinking of each cooking subcategory as separate, think of the cooking market as a whole,” she recommends. “Rigid segregation can lead to consumers missing out on products which may be more suited. For example a pressure cooker cooks great rice but if pigeon holed only as a pressure cooker you may lose trade up opportunities. Be aware of all the functions of your bench top appliances to be informed and help consumers make the best choice.”

benchtop cooking ✱

Sunbeam Ellise Stainless Steel Pot & Steamer (SP6000) • Functions to boil, brown, sauté, simmer and steam • 6 litre stainless steel cooking pot • 5 litre stainless steel steamer tray • 1 year replacement guarantee RRP $179 Sunbeam 1300 881 861

Benchtop Cooking Snap Shots • Versatility is the name of the game when it comes to benchtop cooking, with slow cooking Compact Ovens, Rice Cookers that steam fish and Microwaves with grills all entering the market. • Benchtop appliances with baking functions are becoming popular, meaning cakes and cupcakes can be prepared in all manner of multicooking machines. • All this variety means retailers should think of the benchtop cooking market as a whole, rather than separate subcategories. Berra also provided a rundown of how the category is performing so far this year. “Despite a slow winter 2014, recent summer sales in key categories have started to reverse the decline in the cooking category. Strong growth from fryers (air and deep), multicookers and

sandwich presses have kick-started the trend, with rice cookers and slow cookers remaining consistent performers. “Slow Cookers are a consistent winter staple. Slow Cookers sales eased in recent years, however they are again in growth and we anticipate there will be strong interest this winter season as people look for easy to make, delicious meals for the family.” Berra also singled out ‘smart’ functions as a trend we will see more of in benchtop cooking over time. “As well as making appliances easier to use and increasing functionality, connectivity will see apps, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth being used more in everyday cooking. This is already a trend seen in whitegoods and we are starting to see signs it will translate further into benchtop cooking as well,” she said. Sunbeam’s newest benchtop cooking products include the Ellise Stainless Steel Pot & Steamer (SP6000, RRP $179) and DimpleTech Frypan (FP6910, RRP $129). At the other end of the price spectrum is Sunbeam’s colourful new

GoLunch Food Warmer (HP300, RRP $49.95) which gently warms leftovers, pre-prepared meals or soups to 75 degrees Celsius in 2 hours, an ideal add-on sale for winter. De’Longhi is bringing to market products which can create a range of healthy dishes, from entrée through to mains and desserts, using low oil frying. “As the category evolves we see more and more consumers’ demanding healthy cooking options and this has been confirmed in the strong growth in the low oil cooking segment,” said category manager Helen Finlayson. “This is a worldwide trend as consumers look to their appliances to help them maintain a healthy lifestyle.” Tapping into this trend, De’Longhi has developed a range of MultiFryers which are a healthier frying alternative. For example they use just only on tablespoon of oil to cook 1 kilogram of potato chips. The range consists of two models, the MultiFry Classic (FH1163, RRP $349) and MultiFry Extra Chef (FH1394, RRP $449). The unique Surround Heating System uses the upper and lower heating element combined with the fan to surround the food, guaranteeing even heat distribution. The ability to remove the mixing paddle allows cakes, pizzas and pastries to be cooked in the appliance as well. “As we go to market we have developed a strong relationship within the digital space, particularly with the blogger community, they have tried and tested and developed some of their own recipes. These ladies are influencers and word of mouth is a mighty strong advertising tool,” Finlayson says. Looking forward, De’Longhi is predicting more growth in the low oil fryer category. “2016 will be the year of the MultiFry Cooker as our Italian R&D team work towards including even more product innovation, delivering products that will incorporate many more cooking functions making this a musthave product on any kitchen benchtop.”

✱ benchtop cooking

De’Longhi MultiFry Extra Chef (FH1394) • 7 Cooking programs • Surround heating system with non-stick and anti-scratch ceramic coated bowl • Digital control panel and automatic mixing process • Viewing window and removal lid, paddle and bowl RRP $449 De’Longhi 1800 126 659

Sales tips with the experts… To help consumers connect to the products, translate cooking functions into everyday meal solutions. For example instead of selling a slow cooker that can sear and slow cook – sell the idea of one pan cooking where consumers can brown beef then add stock and veg for a no mess winter stew.

… with Katie Berra from Sunbeam

APPLIANCE RETAILER JUNE 15

Kenwood KCook Multi-Cooker • Two 1.5L stainless steel bowls with side handles to serve four people • Easy to use push button digital interface with three recipe pre-sets • Three temperature settings for reheat, simmer and boil • Timer button, start, stop and cancel buttons RRP $699 Kenwood 1800 126 659

Breville Fast Slow Pro (BPR700BSS) • Family-sized 6 litre pressure & slow cooker in one • Intuitive LCD menu with most popular pressure/slow cooked foods • Designed with safety in mind including hands-free steam release & sideopening lid RRP $349 Breville 1300 139 798

The Kenwood kCook (RRP $699) is a multicooker that’s an affordable option for busy families who want to know what ingredients have gone into the meal, with sacrificing convenience. “We’ve developed the Kenwood kCook to give busy people who are passionate about feeding their families wholesome food a more efficient and convenient way of doing it. The Kenwood kCook is designed to be your trusted sous chef by doing the jobs in the kitchen that

take the most time,” says Filiz Bensan, marketing category manager at Kenwood. The kCook includes a slow-cooker function, various temperature settings for simmering, reheating and boiling, and three recipe pre-sets. Chopping, stirring and steaming are also taken care of without having to change the bowl. In-pack accessories and attachments include a chopping blade, stirring blade and steaming basket that can be used to prepare meals such as fish, chicken and vegetables whilst maintaining flavour and nutrients. Kenwood is supporting the launch of the kCook with a series of recipes specifically for the kCook available through a free app. Over at Breville and consumer insights gathered during product development continue to identify that consumers are seeking appliances that deliver smarter, faster results, says Sharon Lenzner, senior category manager — cooking. “The more tasks home cooks can perform using only one product, the better.” The desire for versatility, speed and convenience has been driving interest in pressure cookers Lenzner says. “This category has grown by 21 per cent in the last twelve months (GfK MAT March 2015), led by the best-selling Breville Fast Slow Cooker (BPR200), which has 33 per cent share.” WWW.APPLIANCERETAILER.COM.AU

✱ benchtop cooking

Panasonic SR DE183 WST Rice Cooker • Uses sensor to adjust temperature and cooking time • Cooks up to 20 cups of rice evenly • Also makes soup, stew, broth, cakes and porridge • Intelligent keep warm function for reheating RRP $169 Panasonic 132 600

Breville is now launching the next generation in the product family Fast Slow Pro (BPR700BSS, RRP $349), a fully automatic pressure and slow cooker, which adjusts time, temperature and pressure between fast and slow cooking without intervention from the user. Dual sensors at the top and base monitor ingredients for more accurate pressure and temperature control. It can pressure cook, slow cook, steam, reduce, sauté or sear with the press of a button. Another versatile bench warmer from Breville is the new Smart Oven Pro (BOV845BSS/CRN, RRP $349) which now comes with a slow cook feature. “This is the first compact oven with Element IQ, the technology that controls heating elements to suit whatever is being cooked. Simply select the cooking program and adjust manually to preferred taste and finish. “This smart appliance will deliver the right power at just the right time to each of the five elements. The 22 litre Smart Oven Pro also suggests the use of convection mode and makes adjustments for fresh or frozen ingredients,” Lenzner said. Breville’s marketing activities will include a series of Food Thinkers videos which will be part of the domestic Qantas and Jetstar inflight entertainment programming throughout the year. 34

APPLIANCE RETAILER JUNE 15

Sunbeam DimpleTech Frypan (FP6910) • DimpleTech cooking surface for superior heat performance • Teflon Platinum Premium non-stick coating • Heat reflector plate to concentrate heat back onto the cooking surface • Dishwasher safe and 1 year replacement guarantee RRP $129 Sunbeam 1300 881 861

Kambrook STEAMini two tier BPA-free food steamer (KFS200BLK) • Compact design and nesting baskets for easy storage • Two BPA-free steam baskets with two litre and three litre capacities • Includes multi-purpose rice bowl ideal for making soups, sauces and puddings RRP $39.95 Kambrook 1300 139 798

Nancy Humphreys Kambrook senior category manager says consumers want their appliances to be able to make dishes from all over the globe. “Resources like the internet and popular reality cooking programs have fuelled a hunger for unique and multicultural foods made from scratch. With an increasingly adventurous palate, consumers seek products capable of creating a variety of dishes with convenience, ease and speed without pre-made sauces or stock from the supermarket aisles.”

Kambrook benchtop cooking offering includes the STEAMini (KFS200BLK, RRP $39.95), a two tier BPA-free food steamer that is equipped to steam savoury dishes as well as create light and airy puddings in a compact design. The Kambrook Pressure Express digital multi cooker (KPR820BSS, RRP $129) has been updated to combines multiple appliances into the one unit, with the ability to sauté, slow and pressure cook. Philips also has a multicooking marvel on offer this season. The Allin-one Cooker (RRP $219) uses an WWW.APPLIANCERETAILER.COM.AU

More than just a fryer. MultiFry is an innovative cooking appliance combining a low oil fryer and multi-cooker to prepare hundreds of recipes. The exclusive Surround Heating System allows food to be cooked evenly, while the automatic mixing paddle can be used for recipes such as stews, risottos and sauces or removed for cakes, pies, pizza or quiche. For more information visit delonghi.com.au or contact 1800 126 659. FH1394

FH1163

MultiFry Extra Chef FH1394 shown in image.

AUTOMATIC MIXING PADDLE Cook with or without for a greater variety of recipes.

MINIMUM OIL FRY Uses just 14ml of oil to cook 1kg of fresh potatoes.

GRILL, FRY, ROAST AND BAKE

SURROUND HEATING SYSTEM Surrounds food with heat to cook evenly.

Hundreds of recipes to choose from

Discover all the recipes with our free recipe app or visit our website multifry.delonghi.com

✱ benchtop cooking

Philips All-in-One Cooker • Intelligent cooking system to slow cook, pressure cook or multi cook • An auto pressure release device • Easy clean inner lid and a non-stick, anti-scratch, 100% dishwasher safe Aluminium alloy inner pot • Two year warranty RRP $219 Philips 1300 363 391

intelligent cooking system to slow cook, pressure cook and multi cook all in the one machine. Risotto, roasts, yoghurt and cakes can all be cooked in the machine, which the company says is made for the Australian market. Tefal, distributed by Groupe SEB, built on its existing AirFryer range this year, launching the ActiFry Express XL (RRP $499). “So much more than just chips!” is the cry from the marketers, who have chosen to emphasise the versatile function of the benchtop appliance, which can cook a variety of healthy dishes including risottos, stir fries and curries. The ActiFry Express XL requires no preheating time or shaking, stirring or mixing during cooking and consumers can set and forget thanks to an automatic stirring paddle and digital timer that stops automatically. The feature-packed cooking products continue at Panasonic. “We’re seeing growth in compact, smaller kitchen appliances, particularly those with a number of intelligent functions to suit any lifestyle,” says Belinda Toner, product marketing manager, White Goods and Small Appliances. “Kitchens are increasingly becoming a focal point with the focus on healthy living and popularity of cooking programs fuelling the trend. “It’s important to offer kitchen products at a range of price points, while 36

APPLIANCE RETAILER JUNE 15

Maxim Slow Cooker (NSC-350SS) • Cooks for up to 12 hours on lowest setting • Removable ceramic bowl with tempered glass lid can be used for serving at the table • 3.5 litre capacity • Cooker dismantles for easy cleaning RRP $39.95 GAF Control 1300 659 489

Kambrook Pressure Express digital multi cooker (KPR820BSS) • Digital control panel features pre-set cooking functions and times • Sauté, slow and pressure cooking functionality + keep warm • Audible chimes indicating when the lid has locked securely RRP $129 Kambrook 1300 139 798

Sales tips with the experts… While many consumers may already have a variety of bench top cooking appliances, it is worth discussing with consumers the latest products and features. Now is the perfect time to discuss with consumers the benefits of upgrading to an appliance that offers multiple functions without sacrificing on kitchen bench real estate. Find out how many people are in the household, who tends to cook and what their cooking styles are. Is there a particular lifestyle to stick to or are there fussy diners in the household? Do the consumers’ existing bench top appliances still serve their intended purpose?

… with Nancy Humphries from Kambrook

WWW.APPLIANCERETAILER.COM.AU

Take the pressure off pressure cooking

Pressure Express Digital Multi Cooker Designed with multiple saftey features and audible alerts. Because safety doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t happen by accident Lid lock pin, lid lock actuator and rubber gasket ensures the lid is securely locked and sealed Pressure release valve for optimum pressurisation and steam venting High pressure safety valve releases excess pressure Audible chimes and alerts KPR820BSS

For more information visit kambrook.com.au

✱ benchtop cooking

Sharp 750W Compact Grill Microwave (R60A0S) • 1000 watt Grill and 750 watt Microwave • Instant Action Menus for microwave cooking and 4 Auto Cook Menus • Grill Only Cooking Feature, Micro + Grill Cooking Feature • Child Lock and Large LCD Display RRP $229 Sharp 1300 135 530

promoting appliance features that make our lives a little easier and provide the opportunity to prepare some incredible meals for entertaining!” Panasonic’s Rice Cooker (SR DE183 WST, RRP $169) uses a combination of intelligent sensors and fuzzy logic technology, the cooker adjusts temperature and cooking time just as if a person was keeping watch – an important feature for multitaskers. It also makes soup, stew, broth, cakes and porridge. Somewhere between benchtop cooker and microwave, is Panasonic’s Steam Combination Microwave Oven (NN-CS894S, RRP $1,209). It has an innovative new steam function for healthy, tasty food, as well as convection, grill, microwave and defrost features. Sharp also has a range of microwaves that borrow features from benchtop cooking. “Sharp is able to offer multiple cooking techniques such as microwave, grill and steam, together with benefits such as Flatbed and Sensor technologies, to allow consumers to prepare a wide range of healthy meals quickly and conveniently,” said Halim Saliman, senior product manager for Sharp Corporation Australia. “Sharp recognises that today consumers are more discerning than ever so we are continually looking for ways to provide innovative products which not only combine the latest 38

APPLIANCE RETAILER JUNE 15

Tefal ActiFry Express XL • Automatic stirring paddle and digital timer that stop automatically • Aerodynamic air flow and electronic temperature control • Large 1.5kg cooking capacity, feeding up to 6 people • Easy to clean and dishwasher safe RRP $499 Groupe SEB 02 9478 7944

Euromaid Benchtop Cooker (MC130T) • 30 litre capacity oven, 2000 watt grill and two hotplates • Double glazed door and 90 minute timer • Simultaneous use of oven and small hot plate • 2 year warranty RRP $499 Home Appliances 1800 805 300

Sales tips with the experts… Time-poor consumers are looking for feature-packed products that offer convenience and efficiency. Encourage consumers to get hands on with the products and demonstrate the key features that will suit their lifestyle. It’s especially important for consumers to be able to see products up close and test them out. We always recommend having a demo or display model that consumers can try out for themselves. This allows prospective consumers to properly see all the key features and makes them more inclined to make a purchase.”

… with Belinda Toner from Panasonic

WWW.APPLIANCERETAILER.COM.AU

T h E

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ExprEss xL so mUCh morE Than jUsT jUs ChiPs!

ThE hEalThy way to cook and fry

1.5kg largE CaPaCiTy

sET and ForgET ET

No stopping and shaking

Feed up to 6 people

Easy To UsE

TransParEnT lid

Auto stop +1 temperature setting

Easy To ClEan

no PrEhEaT a aT

Dishwasher Safe

...ThE fasTEsT*

Ideas you can’t live without. * Within all the actifry® range when cooking 1 kg fresh 10×10 mm fries

tefal.com.au

✱ benchtop cooking

Breville Smart Oven Pro (BOV845BSS/CRN) • Low and high slow cook settings from 4 to 10 hours • Convection fan for even cooking when baking, roasting and slow cooking • Element IQ controls heating elements to suit different recipes • Available in Stainless Steel and Cranberry RRP $349 Breville 1300 139 798

technology to allow convenient healthy meal preparation, but also provide style that would be welcome in any kitchen. “Stylish products that make life easier and are available at attractive price points will always be in demand.” Euromaid has a long history with the benchtop cooker; it was one of the first products at the launch of the brand over 21 years ago. It proved to be hugely successful back then and has been a staple of the brand ever since. Today, with current products focussed on reliability and an affordable price, Euromaid’s benchtop cookers are ideal for the small family, caravan, granny flat, holiday home, as an extra cooker at home. “Euromaid has always had bench top cookers on range,” says Mathew Vozzo, national business manager – retail. “The model has been developed over the years and today our MC110T is a sophisticated small appliance. “The decision was made to change to stainless steel for the latest model so it can be a modern addition to any space. Featuring a 30 litre capacity oven, as well as hotplates and an impressive 2000 watt grill capacity it has everything and more required in a bench top appliance,” says Vozzo. GAF Control recently merged with Maxim Housewares, adding new brands to its product lineup. GAF Control, which distributes Heller, Tiffany, Pye and Sunair appliances 40

APPLIANCE RETAILER JUNE 15

Heller Oven Grill (OVH26) • 28 litre capacity and 60 minute timer • 1500 watt oven, 1000 watt large hot plate and 600 watt small hot plate • Four stainless steel heating elements • Variable temperature control: 100-250 degrees Celsius RRP $89.95 GAF Control 1300 659 489

will also distribute appliances under the Maxim, Kitchenpro and MEC brands. Within the benchtop cooking category GAF has Tiffany Multifunction frypans, a Heller combined Oven and Grill and Maxim Slow Cookers. Maxim owner David Court will head the combined business as it consolidates

and implements a new growth strategy, and operations will continue to be run out of GAF Control’s facilities in Altona, Melbourne. In the reshuffle GAF owner Stuart Foley, who founded the business in 1959, retired from the electrical business to focus on other business interests. WWW.APPLIANCERETAILER.COM.AU

Hand Dryer Systems JET TOWEL

Jet Towel is the original air jet hand dryer designed and manufactured by Mitsubishi Electric since 1993. The Jet Towel works by producing two jets of air to force water off the hands quickly, eliminating paper waste associated with the use of paper towels. Thoughout the 20 years of development, Mitsubishi Electric refined the design of the hand dryer to optimise speed, energy efficiency and comfort for the user. The Jet Towel is available in 3 colours for more flexibility in colour coordination and installation applications: classy white, chic dark grey or stylish silver-dark grey.

» 2 Airflow Speeds

» Hygienic & Non-Contact Operation

» Quiet Operation

» Modern Design

» Low Power Consumption

» Made in Japan

Phone:1300 280 625

For more information on our products please visit www.mitsubishielectric.com.au

✱ new appliances 1

01 ASKO Pro Series The Pro Series takes inspiration from the professional arena and includes large capacity combination ovens, extralarge fridge- freezers, gas and induction cooktops, and powerful but quiet rangehooods. ASKO Australia 1300 002 756

02 ILVE Combination Steam Oven (ILCS45X, RRP $3,499) With a sleek stainless steel exterior, ILVE’s Combination Steam Oven has 11 oven functions, steam cooking (40-130 degrees), forced-air cooking, as well as the combination of both. Eurolinx 1300 694 583

03 Lumea Precision Plus IPL Hair Removal System (SC2003/11, RRP $899) Philips Lumea IPL hair removal system works wonders to prevent the reappearance of hair on face as well as body. Gentle pulses of light, applied regularly, keep skin silky-smooth every day. Philips 1300 363 391

04 Beurer FC95 (RRP $149) The Beurer FC95 comes with four brush attachments, three speed settings and a circular or oscillating rotation to deliver a gentle and thorough cleansing. FitZone Solutions 02 9451 0333

05 Braun Carestyle5 Steam Station (IS5022WH RRP $299) This steam station is light and easy to handle with a 1.4-litre water tank and uses iCare technology to determine the most effective temperature for your clothes to eliminate the risk of ruining fabric. De’Longhi 1800 126 659

APPLIANCE RETAILER JUNE 15

WWW.APPLIANCERETAILER.COM.AU

new appliances ✱ 06

De’Longhi White Compact Fully Automatic Coffee Machine (ECAM23210W, RRP $1,099) Compatible with beans or preground coffee, this machine houses a patented thermoblock to heat up water for infusing coffee and to create the steam for texturing milk, whilst being both energy and water efficient. De’Longhi 1800 126 659

07 ThermoPro (RRP $1,499) This benchtop powerhouse can do the work of 10 separate appliances: chop, crush, beat, boil, blend, cook, grind, steam, stir and whip. Pro Appliances 1300 764 325

08 Simpson EZI Sensor top load washing machine (SWT1012A, RRP $1,229) Simpson EZI Sensor 10kg high efficient top load washing machine uses an innovative Ultra Wash System to move clothes in multiple directions for a deep clean and gentle wash. Electrolux 1300 365 305

Miele Benchtop Coffee Machine (CM 6300, RRP $1,599) The new CM 6300 Benchtop Coffee Machine lets users save up to up to four personalised beverages with their desired flavour intensity, and customise the grind, ground quantity, percolation temperature and water quantity. Miele Australia 03 9764 7130

WWW.APPLIANCERETAILER.COM.AU

LG 9.5-kilogram SmartWasher (WTG9532VH, RRP $1,499) This washing machine has a 6 Motion Direct Drive motor for precise, quiet operation. The drum moves in a range of unique customised motions so the washing cycle is not just dictated by speed and temperature, but the actual movements of the drum. LG Electronics 1300 54 2273

APPLIANCE RETAILER JUNE 15

WE PROVIDE THE CANVAS, YOU CREATE THE CULINARY MASTERPIECES.

SMEG SMARTSENSE PLUS • THE ONLY ‘COOK-ANYWHERE’ INDUCTION COOKTOPS IN PURE WHITE FEATURING SURFACE SHARE & ACTIVE SURFACE CONTROL TECHNOLOGY

smeg.com.au SMA15725