Expanded HMV Technology buying team now in place as 150-store new technology deployment gets underway
Expanded HMV Technology buying team now in place as 150-store new technology deployment gets underway
Following a number of new appointments and organisational changes to the department in recent months, HMV's new-look and expanded technology buying team is now in place, as the specialist entertainment retailer commences the 'fast-forward' roll out of its expanded technology offer to 150 stores across the UK and Ireland.
Ewan Pinder, HMV head of technology who joined in March from Comet, where he had been head of merchandising and store development, now leads a significantly larger team of nine almost double in size of the previous set up, to underline the growing importance of technology products within HMV's overall retail offer both instore and online at hmv.com.
Heading up a newly created category division under Pinder as category manager is Phil Browes, who joined in June, also from Comet, bringing considerable buying experience with him. Reporting into Browes are established HMV buyers: Rob Mason senior category buyer, with responsibility for a range of products, including iPad & iPods, tablets, netbooks and laptops, speakers, Blu-ray and DVD hardware, and network & store products; and category buyer Dean Millward, who is responsible for HMV's fast-developing headphones business, accessories, blank media, leads & cabling, batteries, and novelty gifts.
Working with Mason and Millward as assistant category buyers are Jonny Austin and Ed Lee respectively, both of whom are also new arrivals at HMV. The other department function reporting in to Pinder is supply chain, which is headed by supply chain manager Rebecca Hunt, who has been with HMV's wider supply chain team for more than a year, but previously worked with games retailer GAME. Reporting in to Hunt are merchandise planners, Tilly Bolton and Anne Ravet, both of whom have an HMV background.
Targeting instore tech buying experience
The main priority for this beefed-up technology team is the 'fast-forward' roll-out of a significantly enhanced technology offer to up to 150 stores across the HMV estate from now through to the run-up to Christmas. This strategic initiative for the HMV business follows a successful trial at six stores in the first half of 2011, and will see the trading space and current range of technology products instore substantially extended to as much as 25% of store space in many cases, with wall units and bespoke presentation display tables being used to increase and highlight the merchandise areas dedicated to such premium brands as Acer, Apple, Asus, Beats, Bose, Harmon Kardon, House of Marley, JBL, Samsung, Sennheiser, Skullcandy and TDK.
Using the headline Play It, Touch It, Live It, the launch will be promoted via windows and instore and through HMVs loyalty scheme, purehmv, with targeted communications and offers to its 1.7-million membership, as well as bursts of advertising across all channels including TV, press, outdoor and new/social media at various points during the third and fourth quarters of the company financial year.
Pinder commented: "We now have a really strong buying team in place an excellent blend of experience and commerciality and youthful drive and enthusiasm, which will support our plans to expand HMV's tech offer and our ambition to become the leading specialist retailer of personal technology on the high street. HMV's remit has always been about giving its customers the widest-possible access to music, film and games, however they want to discover and enjoy them, so expanding our range of technology products, through which so many of us increasingly consume our entertainment content these days, is actually a very natural fit for us."
