Sony to Christen In-Store Boutique at Abt Electronics on Nov. 17
Sony to Christen In-Store Boutique at Abt Electronics on Nov. 17
Glenview, IL (PRWEB) November 14, 2006
Sony executives will be on hand at Glenview-based Abt Electronics on Nov. 17 to christen a 1,700-square-foot in-store boutique that is Sony’s largest and most elaborate store-within-a-store project to date. Sony and Abt will simultaneously unveil the Sony PlayStation 3, the long-awaited next generation of the popular gaming console.
Carved out of Abt’s 65,000-square-foot showroom, the boutique displays virtually all Sony consumer electronics products side by side to demonstrate how they work together, spotlight the Sony brand, and provide a one-stop Sony shopping experience.
Roughly one-fifth of the space in the Sony shop is occupied by a home theater installation featuring the company’s top-of-the-line 60″ XBR2 rear projection TV, six-piece Platinum DVD and surround sound system, and bench-style seating.
Shoppers can also grab a guitar-shaped controller to play RedOctane’s Guitar Hero music video game for the PlayStation on a 46″ Sony flat panel LCD TV suspended from the ceiling, hop on a dance pad to stomp out the rhythm with Konami’s Dance Dance Revolution in front of a 32″ Sony screen, try out the Sony VGX-XL2 Digital Living System for organizing and playing up to 200 CDs and/or DVDs, and more.
Products on display range from Sony televisions, DVD/VHS players, speakers, digital still cameras, digital photo printers and camcorders to gaming consoles, computers and boomboxes. Aggregating the products in one place enables customers to see how a Sony digital camera works with a Sony Vaio PC, print pictures taken with demo cameras on the spot, and otherwise get a firsthand look at how the products interact.
“We have a number of store-within-a-store operations around the country, but this is the largest in both size and product assortment,” said Jay Vandenbree, President, Sony Consumer Sales Company. “Products that work together are displayed together, and everything is placed in an entertainment-style environment. This gives consumers a perspective they can’t get in traditional category-by-category merchandising. They can experience the value of different product combinations and apply it to their needs.”
The boutique is Abt’s fourth store-within-a-store, joining similar setups dedicated to Apple, Bang & Olufsen, and SubZero/Wolf products. It is staffed exclusively by Abt’s Sony specialists, all of whom have undergone the same training as Sony’s own personnel to ensure a full understanding of the products and their synergies.
“We designed our showroom for experience-based shopping, from the fountain in our atrium and our 75,000-gallon aquarium to our fully equipped custom kitchens. Our Sony shop fits right in with that strategy,” said Bob Abt, CEO, Abt Electronics, the largest single appliance and consumer electronics store in the U.S. “At the same time, it caters to our many customers who come in specifically asking for Sony products. This is a simple and enjoyable way to shop.”
All products except Sony computers and gaming systems also remain on display separately on the main Abt floor.
The Sony boutique is a smaller version of the free-standing SonyStyle retail stores and was designed with the assistance of the SonyStyle team. The project is the culmination of a 35-year partnership between Sony and Abt.
About ABT Electronics
Abt Electronics & Appliance, a national leader in consumer electronics and appliance sales, can be found online at http://www.abtelectronics.com or in the Chicagoland area at 1200 N. Milwaukee Ave, Glenview Illinois, 60025.
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