The Real Problem With The Sony Retail Experience

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One of my favorite past times is to visit an electronics store. I love to look at tech items on display, and of course, especially items from Sony. I love to visit companies like Best Buy or Fry’s with zero intention of buying anything, but rather just to wander around aimlessly for a half hour and just get my fix. Recently, I’ve found myself very disappointed as of late with the Sony experience – and I’m not talking about SonyStyle – I’m talking about the Sony experience at other stores where Sony products are sold. I think that the problem I’m about to discuss here is found in many retail stores across the United States, and perhaps the even the world.

Ever walk up to a Sony product at a store and its simply not operating? I have visited major cities in several states in 2009 and have found several Sony cameras, Walkmans, Readers, iPod/iPhone/iPod Touch docks, Vaio computers, Bravia televisions, etc. either off or not working. I’m not saying it is like this for Sony products 100% of the time, but next time you’re at a place where Sony products are sold (not SonyStyle) see if you come across this problem where a Sony device isn’t working. There’s a good chance you will; please leave a comment as to what product it was, and what store you found it at.

I lose motivation for promoting this brand and running this website when I experience this phenomenon. How can people really identify with a Sony product if it isn’t functioning? At an Apple store, you can guarantee that at least 95% of the products there are working perfectly. If a product isn’t working, then I’m pretty sure it is replaced instantly with a functional unit. This ensures that the consumer can test out the device and decide if they wish to purchase it. Every single iPod and Apple computer is at peak performance and ready to be fully manipulated. Obviously the case would be the same at SonyStyle stores, but I think you understand what I’m trying to say here.

Imagine a consumer that is looking at a wall of ten televisions made by five separate brands. What if the Sony TV wasn’t on? Would the consumer still purchase it? Would they use a lesser Sony model that might be working as reference in comparison to the others? These are real-world unbalanced scenarios that fuel problems for Sony and happen every day around the world.

I remember being in a Best Buy a few months ago looking at various MP3 players. Apple, Samsung, Sandisk, Microsoft and Sony all had units on display. There was a NWZ-E438 sitting there, feature-rich and battery life out the ying-yang, and much to my frustration it wouldn’t turn on. I didn’t even bother asking an employee for help, because I didn’t want to deal with the hassle. I can imagine that many other consumers, looking to make an impulse purchase, would do the same thing. And that’s the point I’m really trying to make here; impulse purchases are a driving force of this industry, and demonstration electronics that are functioning will sell better than those that are not working and just sitting there.

It is time for Sony to have a task force of secret shoppers that visit various major retail stores in major US cities and the surrounding suburbs once or twice a month and ensure that each and every Sony product is working perfectly. Or, require retail stores to put a sticker on each demonstration product that says, “If this demonstration product is not working, please call Sony at #.” and have a hotline just for this. Sony, please penalize the retail store that isn’t ensuring that the product is always working by reporting it their corporate headquarters. Sony cannot fully trust retail, and they must put their foot down. I am calling on Sony to do something about this – it is about time that when I walk into an electronics store I get the same experience with a Sony product as I would at an Apple store.

Anything less than perfection with Sony demonstration products is simply inexcusable. I have no doubt that this is a factor that contributes to consumers choosing other products other than a Sony.

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27
May 2009
POSTED BY Christopher MacManus
POSTED IN

Hardware, Opinion

DISCUSSION 13 Comments
  • realSONYGuru

    I agree with you on that SONY is having major problem in controlling how their products are presented, it'salsmot like they DO NOT care.

    I had a talk with one of the general managers today and told him SONY north America is simply F##Ked up!!! the worst in the world. If only they could have ppl from SONY Japan to manage them, SONY would do a lot better in North America! They need to fire EVERYONE who works at SONY USA and SONY Canada NOW, and get ppl who really CARES about SONY to make a REAL chnage.

    I hate SONY USA and SONY Canada, their service and attitude DISGUST me!

  • klayman

    Sigh. It seems that the bureaucratic style of the Company has spread over the world.

  • muzikmaniac

    I totally agree with the comparison to an Apple store. In an Apple store, all of the devices are always ready for hands-on comparisons and the staff is always knowledgeable and attentive without being pushy. Yeah, Sony can definitely learn a thing or two from Apple!

  • Robert G Boulay

    I can so relate to your comments. I also need my fix by wandering in stores where they sell Sony electronics. Case in point: Toronto, Canada. At the downtown flagship Bay Store (comparable to your Macy's, I guess), the Sony nook had two thirds of their shelves either empty or with non-functioning products. It looked so desolate, with that lonely sales guy behind the counter.

    I was so turned off, I immediately scurried to the nearest Sony Style store, where I not only was greeted with a friendly and inquisitive sales person, we even got into a lengthy conversation about when Blu-Ray recorders ever coming to North America.

    Sony Canada really needs to hire travelling marketers if they care about their retail image.

  • TheFaze

    I would gladly volunteer to be a Sony secret shopper.

  • Diogo

    Here in Portugal, all the shops have the BRAVIAS conected and always playing pictures. One huge problem that I see here is Sony Bluray stands that have the LCD's conected by scart and not by HDMI , with makes the bluray look ridiculous…I have seen this in many shops…

    Unfortunetly here we dont have SonyStyle, but we have some dedicated sony shops that show their products in all their glory :)

  • Miguel

    Best Buy, San Antonio,Texas. Sony DSC-H50 camera. Badly wanted to see this 15X zoom camera in action, but couldn't because the display power supply was inop. Bought one anyway and I love it.

  • http://www.sonyinsider.com Stan M

    I would not really criticize Sony USA and Canada that much, trust me the north American region has a number of devoted and truly enthusiastic employees. It is a totally different culture in Japan and you cannot really impose that kinda rule. Plus a bunch of older board members would not do any good either, Sony needs new young minds that will help recover the corporation.

  • Johnny

    Man I do the same thing you do and yes it is very disappointing to see that most of the stuff is not working. For me, I have a Sony Style store and I can play with all the products as they are always on and in a “useable” state. Sony should have reps go out and make sure that all these electronic stores have their products up and running to sell the consumer. With all the new competition on the block i.e. Vizio, LG etc. they need to have their products working, Sony you are a GREAT electronics company and you do create inovative products but how can anyone know that if it's not working? You cannot sell products these days by your former reputation quality and style that was so 1980-1990, get with the program and get people out there to fix this issue and I bet you that you will see an increase in sales right away. I will volunteer for the position here in Arizona as I see this all over the stores when I cruise through to get my gadget fix.

  • tieffe

    I can confirm a very similar situation in Italy
    most of major retailer have bravia tv's not working or (worse) with very unappropriate settings.
    on the other wall, a huge number of xxx tvs (a korean brand) perfectly working, in correct light and ambient
    to be honest, it surprised me to see this as the normal situation in different large retailers brands.. It's too difficult for me to think it's simply a case.. i'ts to too much regular …
    if you ask info on a xxx tv (korean) everibody is happy to answer.. if you ask about a sony… completely different situation
    I personally think that other brands have a more 'powerful' and 'aggressive' marketing strategy…

  • luvsony

    hello

    i am from india and i will say tht situation is same here too . Those koreans r too aggressive here too and and when i visit a store they first show those things from those korean brands . Here i should make clear tht i am not talking about sony center and i am talking about those multi brand store . Situation is such tht one hv to try hard to find a desired color and model of a sony ericsson phone. no wonder tht sony ericsson is hving such massive losses.
    i will be glad if there is any way out by which i can help to improve situation here .

  • luvsony

    hello

    i am from india and i will say tht situation is same here too . Those koreans r too aggressive here too and and when i visit a store they first show those things from those korean brands . Here i should make clear tht i am not talking about sony center and i am talking about those multi brand store . Situation is such tht one hv to try hard to find a desired color and model of a sony ericsson phone. no wonder tht sony ericsson is hving such massive losses.
    i will be glad if there is any way out by which i can help to improve situation here .

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_DXQRZRK4OQIZO7HBOV7HEVNZJY Taggart

    You’re absolutely right Mr. McManus. It’s almost as if these retailers want their Sony products to fail. At my local Gamestop I remember that for about three months running, the PS3 simply wasn’t turned on, while the XBOX and Wii were always on and ready for consumers to try out. I really do think that there’s this sense that they known PS3 would give some serious competition, and the only way to deal with this is to turn the thing off.
    But, more importantly, reviewers and the gadget journalists simply dismiss and play down Sony products. Everyone is so enamored of Apple, so innovative, beautiful gadgets from Sony are a reminder that Apple products ain’t that great and that their product line is extremely limited. Apple, though, has to be respected for putting all their resources into a few models and employing blitzkrieg marketing–although, of course, they’re helped by a fawning media, which somehow gives the short shrift to awesome products like the PS3, which does everything, from free online gaming to Blu-ray? Why isn’t this on any site’s top gift guide?
    However, I think Sony could improve their retail experience in their sonystyle stores. The salespeople are usually nice, but not always the most informed and I’ve only met one who was actually enthusiastic about product. Also, I don’t think Sony gets behind their product–in fact, in June 2009 when the Walkman X came out, I had to look very hard for the single unit that was displayed at the store, and it was behind a bunch of Readers, as if they diddn’t even want to sell it. The screen–one of the first OLEDs in an MP3, beating Apple– was vivid and sharp and ultra-sensitive to the touch, as I moved seamlessly between Youtube and MP3s, and the granite finish was both unique and classy. I think this could have been a runaway success if Sony put their weight behind it. Of course, the press ignored this product too, and the way it works these days people need the media’s seal of approval before anything gets labeled ‘buy’.
    Point is, Sony needs better media relations and smarter advertising.