Dick Smith's Bad Habits

Dick Smith, Broadway.  I know the consumer electronics business has always had an element of 'pile it high and watch it fly'.  But I was disappointed to see that, having refurbished their Broadway store, Dick Smith have fallen back on bad habits.  The clean lines of this new store design are diluted by the TV in the prime promotional spot at the front of the store being display on a cardboard box - it just degrades the quality of the product and the offering. It draws one's eye away from the back of the store - which is an important aspect of attracting a shopper further into the store.  And it's not even level.  The Techxperts are obviously just 'tech xperts' not 'retailing xperts'.

WIRED FOR SALES

Dick Smith store, George St Sydney - very impressive sanctuary for the man - I especially liked the clean cut lines in the layout, the express area (for photo printing and CD burning) and the way supporting signage in store provided 'navigation' and 'reassurance'. Even guys need those from time to time :)

JB HI FI REPLACES DICK SMITH

Moore Park, JB Hi-Fi to take place of Dick Smith store, recently vacated.  Perhaps a metaphor for the change in the market ?  Dick Smith has never been strong on content, while JB has.  JB's deals have been recession-relevant, Dick Smith's never quite compelling enough.  It will be interesting to see how JB goes in this location.  I think they will do way better than Dick Smith.

SHARP DICK SMITH

Dick Smith, Broadway, a few weeks after re-opening in new format.  The store looks very sharp.  I especially like the use of the brand iconography in the front, and the fact that neither the yellow nor the black has been overdone.  The decision to remove the Dick Smith face from the brand identity was a courageous one, given he is still one of Australia's most respected figures as measured in a recent poll, but I think it was the correct one.  The light tone for the flooring is also excellent - will be interesting to see how it stands up to wear and tear.

TIDY DICK SMITH

store in new format and identity, in Westfield Chatswood.  Good use of space in a difficult store envelope.

MINI MAC

New mini Apple dept DSE Moore Park

PAINT IT BLACK

I am an habitual shopper of consumer electronics stores, one of the few retail domains which is male-friendly.  The Dick Smith electronics chain has always been on my repertoire list, but most of the smaller stores have tended to disappoint in terms of range, presentation and service,  and I have generally preferred the larger format Powerhouse stores.  In fact, the Broadway store featured in this mini-review looked more like a toy-store at Christmas, and a badly run one at that.

The new image campaign, including TV ads, has simplified the brand hierarchy - Powerhouse is gone, and the brand has returned to its heritage as Dick Smith - a place for 'tech experts'.  

As mentioned in a previous post - see below - the use of black in the logo is spot-on - male and 'techy', rather than the very corporate blue for Powerhouse, and straightforward and simple, rather than the use of many visual elements in the old logo. In the smaller stores, the yellow tended to dominate and distracted from the black.  Black is a difficult colour to use in a balanced manner outside a fashion environment, so the treatment for the re-launch was very interesting.

The video clip below shows that an excellent balance has been achieved in the new-look store in Broadway.  The clutter of the previous store has gone, and it looks like the range has been simplified and been presented with clear planogram-driven merchandising disciplines.

The layout is simple and easy to follow, despite the tight space in the (expensive rental mall) store.  The service area is well lit and easy to navigate, and the small items prone to stock loss are close by for easy observation.  

I liked the use of yellow accents with the web-site url on the black 'dump bins' - great reinforcement with a dash of colour. While some parts of the store are still a little dowdy - some product simply does not lend itself to display on grey/charcoal fixtures - the overall impact is positive, and a huge improvement.

It could just have been 'opening week syndrome' but staff were helpful and friendly too. Worth a visit.