Jessops updated (UK interest only)

[Tim Pindar]

I had a good experience in Jessops today.

I wanted to have a hands-on look at the Canon 17-40L lens I've been interested in buying. To my surprise, my local (large) Jessops in central Birmingham has had a complete makeover. The interior is totally redesigned and much more customer-friendly for looking at the gear, and the staff approach you immediately you enter and give you a great experience.

It seems to be using the Apple Store as a model. This may be coincidence but there is a new store a couple of streets away - "Blacks by Currys/PCWorld" which is a concept store and has had a similar makeover and is similarly transformed.

Anyway, the store didn't have the lens in stock to show me, but the guy phoned around and is getting one in for me to try out and will text when it has arrived. Furthermore I was offered a price match to their own internet price without even asking - £90 less than in-store price and only about £5 more than Amazon's price.

For the sake of £5 I am very happy to support a high street retailer rather than buying online.

All in all I was very impressed and would recommend people to give Jessops a try, both for browsing product and buying, if they have had this makeover.

Apologies to those here who own or run camera shops, but I thought this was worth sharing with the UK community on here.

 

[Hamish Gill]

its good you had a positive experience ... its about time i heard someone saying something positive about jessops!
the one in worcester is ok ... There are a few people (including Lee who is a member here) who its possible to get good advice from ... but the amount of times we get people in the shop asking about stuff saying they have just been to jessops and been bewildered at the lack of knowledge!
but then for all i know people might go up there and say the same about sight2sound (only coz im not there every day mind )

The thing that stings ... and what makes me hate these big chains is that they have the power to reduce the price to their net price ... they can do it as they basically survive because of they hugely successful web sites ...

what this means to the independent stores as that they also have to lower their prices to the web price on site like jessops ...
this means that percentages mark-ups on cameras for independents with less buying power can actually get down to 0%!

on one occasion when this was at its worst (the industry seems to be a little better geared up to maintaining a little bit of mark-up now ... for how long is anyones guess) when i was working at the shop we could buy the nikon d40 from jessops for 0.01p less than we could from nikon uk them selves ... ... this was around the time that jessops had to close 80 of thier stores ... this happend through price matching the internet!

the value of service has been reduced to zero ... ok you might get the kit cheaper... but gone are the days that you can get consistent reliable advice from high street shops ... this is because shops cant afford the training/quality staff ... this is because they priced them selves out of having that sort of staff ... wich is of course adds to people just going online!

its a mess... the high street has a limited life span for this sort of thing ... and its thanks to these big brands and the internet

relish the good advice whilst you can still get it ... its days are sadly very very numbered....

my advice support the independents ... and were possible be willing to pay a slight premium over internet prices ... its for your own good!!


as for the store layout ... whats wrong with having a counter?

 

[john clarke]

Here in Weymouth there used to be a Jessops (closed down now). I have to say that the staff in the shop just couldn't give a t*ss if you were served or not and had little apparent interest in the products they were selling. How different to the one in Yeovil where upon entering a memeber of staff will ask how they can be of assistance, etc. I always try and keep my custom for local business' rather than buy out of town or on the internet.

 

[Tim Pindar]

I should have mentioned that there were A LOT of staff around, mainly of the young tech-savvy variety you'd see in the Apple Store. They wait by the door and offer to help you out as soon as you arrive. The young chap I spoke to, whilst clearly not yet proficient in the usage of their system to order in stock for me, knew all about the lens and the alternatives I might consider. That is the same as I found in the Black/Currys store.

Hamish, I hear your plea and acknowledge it. Hopefully you don't mind my posting but I thought it an interesting enough development to pass it on, and anyway it gives you a great reason to advertise the independents!

I agree that if all specialist trade moves online, we will all suffer. However if Jessops make a go of this model and give the best of both worlds, then your only problem is their economies of scale. That is a universal problem suffered in most areas of retail eg local food stores vs supermarkets. Presumably independent stores have to find a model where the service they provide has so much value they can still attract trade and avoid just being a demo room for an internet purchase. In the hifi world, for instance, the USP would be a listening room and home demo facilities. What is it for photography stores?

 

[Pete Askew]

It does raise a few interesting issues doesn't it Tim. I recall the Jessops in Reading being pretty good back 20-odd years ago or so but the one in Basingstoke was terrible. Modelling oneself on the Apple Store experience might work. Of course the big advantage Apple has is one main brand and a loyal customer base. I get the impression that half the people there are brand groupies rather than customers but of course it doesn't matter if they buy in-store or on the internet / reseller as, on the whole, the profit goes the same route. I have actually never been in an Apple Store in the UK (we have a business account with Apple) but I have been to the one in Philadelphia. I have to say that, apart from being very helpful, knowledgeable and friendly, if he'd have said awesome one more time I'd have 'decked' him!! God knows what the stores on the West Coast must be like (any comment Chris?)!!

That's a very good point you make about USP and added value there Tim. The Hi-Fi model is a good example but it is difficult to see how it could be transferred to cameras. I guess most people do their research on-line these days and might go into a store to 'feel' the potential purchase. Like you all though, I really value the personal attention and considered selling of a good store and am prepared to pay the premium (actually that's true for mail order as well and I buy virtually all of my imaging gear from Commercial Cameras, Robert White, Teamwork and Bondoni Systems - a couple of these also have shops but I rarely go in and trust their advice over the phone). Unfortunately many are not and I guess Hamish sees this on the front line (look, play, ask questions and then go and buy it from Warehouse Express). Maybe running small courses and demo sessions (Robert White do these but I've never been to one) might be an idea or maybe staff as models for the potential customer (I'm sure a Leopard-skin posing pouch is tax deductible Hamish ).

It might be interesting to run a mini-survey on the site to see how we all buy. Maybe we could list the last 3 things and where we bought them and why. What do you think?

 

[Hamish Gill]

I don't mind at all Tim it's an interesting convo ... Will cone bak to this later though as I'm still working

 

[Tim Pindar]

Unfortunately, where technology stuff is concerned most specialist purchasers are also internet savvy in terms of research - users of this site for instance!

For photography I think one USP might be a well advertised service providing demo stock of popular or higher end cameras and lenses that can be demo'd offsite (for a credit card swipe) and returned after say 2 days. I'm sure many independents offer this on a casual basis if they think appropriate but why not put it out there as part of the service? You can even have a rule that anyone who borrows say 3 items within a certain period (6 months?) without buying from the store can't borrow any more for another 6 months except by special permission of the manager, to avoid the internet purchasers abusing the service.

Alternatively a demo room with manequin models, foliage, still life etc and a PC to view the results on.

Just some ideas. The point is to make it a compelling reason to shop there rather than online (or Jessops!). Probably no new ideas there but just my 2c worth.

 

[Tim Pindar]

Information and pictures of the new Jessops in Brum - turns out its their largest store in the country!

http://www.dalziel-pow.com/work/jessops/

http://www.dalziel-pow.com/news/jessops_birmingham_launch_of_our_new_store_format/

 

[Tim Pindar]

http://www.retail-focus.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=265:jessops-enhances-in-store-experience&catid=37:latest-news&Itemid=67

Jessops enhances in-store experience
Written by Gemma Emslie
Wednesday, 01 December 2010 09:21

Design consultancy Dalziel & Pow has been working with photographic retailer Jessops, building on the recent redesign of its format to further enhance the customer experience through in-store communications and key design elements. The aim, explains a spokesperson for the consultancy, is to create an environment where customers and staff can share the Jessops experience, encouraging interaction and ultimately sales.

Dalziel & Pow has redesigned the corporate identity, removing the message 'Advice for Life' and replacing it with the more direct and relevant 'The Photographic Experts'. 'We have enhanced the customer journey through a redesign to all of the in-store departments and services,' says the spokesperson. 'The store is now segmented into key areas – ‘Select’, for range presentation; ‘Create’, for print services etc.; ‘Studio’, for technical equipment and in-store photography; and ‘Service’ for ordering, online and payment. The impact of these areas has been maximised by representing brands, enhancing the range presentation and demystifying the digital print services, through 2D and 3D design.'

The concept is currently being rolled out to new and existing sites.

Don't you just love designspeak?

 

[Darren Bradley]

I've been to Jessops a few times (I work for a British company and used to travel there fairly regularly), but I can't say my experiences there have been positive- fairly unremarkable, to be honest. I think my 5 year old daughter knows more about camera equipment than any of the sales staff I met there did. And they were completely uninterested in speaking to me. It's nice to hear they've changed, but I will generally prefer a small, independent shop as I'm usually more assured to find someone behind the counter who knows and cares about photography.

I am as guilty as the next person when it comes to ordering kit online vs. in my local retailers. But I always give them a chance to at least get close on price, first. I am willing to pay a premium for local retailers - within reason. For smaller items, I always buy local. For the more expensive stuff, about half the time I have done so.

 

[Pete Askew]

I really can't imagine that they will shift enough photographic equipment to pay for that. The margins are so small and, although it augments their online presence, they still have to compete with the likes of Warehouse Express (with the lower overhead that online only gives).

 

[Hamish Gill]

Your ideas are good Tim ... I think I might suggest them at the shop!
I offer everyone I sell a camera to training, and often talk through how to use cameras with customers ... I have the odd person who comes back to me or help including a couple of customers who I would now concider friends who often ring/text me for advice ...
I concider that part of the service of being a member of staff at an independent shop, but also just being part of a human being interested in helping other human beings ...
It was one of my reasons for wanting to set up a forum ... So I could send customers here ...
I care about the shop, but I also just want to help people ... That is an attitude more ingrained into independent shop staff

I would actualy promote the shop I work or a lot more on here ... But unfortunately I feel people would concider me to have a motive ... The reality is, I voluntarily gave up my commission from the shop when I left, so I gain nothing from selling stuff from there ... But I doubt cynical people would believe that ...
It was also motive for trying to get the forum in pixel (the trade mag) I'd love to have lots of members who are staff of independent stores to help support the industry ... But I'm not sure I'll be able to realise that dream without causing upset between different shops ... It's a tough one really ... To much competition and to much motive could make for a dodgy forum atmos??