Shrewsbury music store at the sharp end of the latest technology
Extra Christmas staff will come on board to cope with a surge in demand following a major refit at a Shrewsbury entertainment store where gadget fans can now get their hands on the latest wireless wizardry.
The technology department at the HMV in the town’s busy Pride Hill Shopping Centre is one of the first in the UK to get a major refit and has quadrupled in size, increasing its demonstration areas from three to 14.
That means the store, which is currently recruiting for Christmas, will be able to take on more temporary staff and is hopeful this could translate into some permanent jobs in the New Year.
It’s down to the increase in customers keen to try out the very latest in cutting edge, personal technology, from the new iPad 2 to the very hottest in headphones, some costing as much as £500.
It has turned the store into high tech heaven and the boost in sales has been remarkable according to the manager of the store, Jim Gibbins.
Jim said: “We have taken on someone specialising in technology and I’m sure there could be more in future.
“There has certainly been a dramatic increase in customer numbers and there’s a real buzz about the place. It has created a very vibrant environment and makes the place feel young and fresh to our customers.
"The first day we were absolutely heaving with people desperate to get their hands on the various gadgets and try them out and on the headphone table there are kids there trying them out from the start of the day to the end.
“It’s certainly outperforming our expectations so far.
"We all know that so many people download their music these days and we are just finding new and exciting ways of catering for people who live a wireless life."
Before making their final selections, customers to HMV can test out the latest docking station speakers by putting their MP3 player directly into the cradles. Or they can listen to the latest tunes through top of the range headphones, including the must have Beats by Dr Dre range from Monster, with the most expensive pair costing almost £500.
Jim said: "We are the only place in the centre of Shrewsburey who doing something like this with this whole interactive, expensive range we have to try out.
"For people who love their gadgets and gizmos, being able to come in and try out a pair of £500 headphones, used in professional studios, and experience for themselves the sort of sound quality they offer, it is very exciting and great to help you make that final purchasing decision.
“There is also the Aviators set by School Candy which is a cracking pair of headphones for £160.
“There is also a Bose speaker for an iPod which costs £349 and the sound is incredible. If you turned the volume up a bit, it would probably be audible across the whole of the Pride Hill centre!"
Jim said that many of the new crowd in the store were from the younger generation who have been brought up on cutting edge technology but he said the bumper new demonstration section was useful to customers of all ages.
He said: "I was helping an elderly couple today look at iPads and being able to demonstrate the product directly to them really helped because it was something they obviously weren’t familiar with but were incredibly interested in learning about."
HMV is due to roll out bigger and better technology departments in all its UK stores and there is no doubt that the improvements at the Pride Hill store have increased customer numbers, which has had a positive knock on effect to the already busy shopping centre.
Nicholas Pitt, Centre Director of the Darwin, Pride Hill and Riverside Shopping Centres, said: "We are a vibrant and thriving shopping centre at the heart of Shrewsbury and we welcome any new addition which continues to encourage this.
"It is great to think that our shoppers can come to our HMV and have this hands on and interactive experience and can try out the very latest gadgets before making what can be an expensive purchase."
HMV spokesman Gennaro Castaldo said the aim of the new technology department was to ensure the music retailer remained at the forefront of how people increasingly want to discover and enjoy their favourite music, film and games via digital content.
He said: "The HMV tech-section, which now comes with free Wi-Fi, is staffed by work colleagues who have a real passion for technology and been specially trained to offer specialist knowledge and support to customers.”
But he also took the chance to reassure fans of more traditional entertainment media, such as CDs and DVDs that there was no need to worry. He said: "The HMV store will continue to stock these in great depth - whether new releases or back catalogue.
“Space for the newly expanded technology has been mainly achieved through more effective merchandising of other formats, such as reduced multiple racking."
