Signature Q4 2008

Bluetooth Technology @ Retail | By Len Lewis | Q4 ’08 SellingPoints To move merchandise, you and your customers need a thorough understanding of products, and that information needs to be accessible to people who lack in-depth technical knowledge. Through Web and salesﬂoor strategies, the Bluetooth SIG is working to increase awareness of Bluetooth technology among retailers and consumers. To paraphrase an old saying, the most important thing in retail is location, location, location. That being the case, the Bluetooth SIG is boosting awareness of Bluetooth technology at two key “locations”: on the Web, where retailers can access an information-rich, educational microsite; and on the brick-and-mortar sales ﬂoor, where retailers can make use of customizable endcap displays. “It started at the September 2007 RetailVision event where the Retail Committee, supported by companies like Motorola, Newton Peripherals, Broadcom and Nokia, presented ideas on how Bluetooth enabled products could beneﬁt from stronger online support and better in-store displays,” says Sean Meckley, committee chairman and marketing program manager for the Bluetooth SIG. Following an enthusiastic response from retailers, the committee decided to focus on two retail initiatives. First is a microsite (available at the Bluetooth.com home page and at bluetooth.com/btmicro) containing consumer-oriented educational information for online merchants. “Right now, some retail sites have a bit of information on what Bluetooth technology is about and a few related products. But it’s still quite sketchy,” he notes. The microsite is designed to help retailers supplement their Web sites, and the Bluetooth SIG is working directly with multiple retailers to develop these online resources. The site is broken down into ﬁve distinct sections: an explanation of Bluetooth technology, a list of Experience Icons and their meanings, “On the Go” for users of mobile devices, and “In the Home” and “For Business” for users interested in these applications. These sections help bridge consumers’ knowledge gaps by enhancing retailers’ product marketing efforts and offering information about all aspects of the technology in an informative and entertaining way. “The microsite is provided free to all major online retailers and is designed to be wrapped in whatever sort of branding they might need. It looks like something speciﬁc to that retailer’s Web site,” Meckley explains. “We think there are signiﬁcant beneﬁts for retailers and participating manufacturers.” Redeﬁning Traditional Retail On the brick-and-mortar side, the Bluetooth SIG and the retail committee have developed a freestanding, customizable endcap that incorporates a video screen 16 | SIGnature | Bluetooth.org http://www.bluetooth.com/btmicro http://www.Bluetooth.org

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