Jessops launches new in-store photo concept
Jessops has launched a next generation of photography stores featuring a new in-store photo concept.
The radically redesigned stores will continue to offer cameras and specialist kit for the avid photographer, but will also look to broaden their appeal to attract smart phone savvy photographers and shoppers who want to get creative with their photos.
At an in-store event in Bromley, Jessops chief executive Neil Old told Retail Bulletin: “The next generation photography stores are proof that Jessops is ahead of the curve and is keeping relevant in the era of the smart phone.
“We have invested significantly in this concept which will appeal to millennials and families as well as our core customers. We are putting back the magic into photography and printing photos.
“There is a clear gap on the high street for a fun, interactive and creative retail experience with photos; an experience that lets you create your dream photo item in store there and then. This will allow us to tap deeper into the gifting market which is worth approximately £250 million each year.”
The new-look stores aim to inspire consumers to get creative with their photos and to offer a relaxing and colourful environment where they can choose from a range of photo gift ideas that can be printed and personalised, many within a matter of minutes.
There is also a crafting zone where shoppers can work on a project with the help of in store ‘photosmiths’ who will offer expert advice.
The first tranche of next generation stores have opened in Torquay, Nottingham, Bromley and Bristol and will be followed by Bury St Edmunds, Leeds, Basingstoke, Glasgow, Gateshead, Meadowhall and Birmingham in the coming months. The company has also introduced the new look to its Sainsbury’s concessions in Didcot, Cheltenham and Oldbury.
Old added: “Jessops has seen a huge rise in the number of photos that are being taken by customers both on cameras and on phones that are at risk of being lost in the virtual universe.
“With over one trillion pictures being taken each year, the demand for printing is at an all-time high. For Jessops, our photo revolution is about encouraging customers to set their photos free by taking their images off their phones, memory cards or even social timelines and sharing them with friends and family through gifting or creating something beautiful and different for their homes.”
