Wishing to stop the downward spiral of prices of consumer electronics products and gain the support of its independent retail partners, Philips has just announced a radical change to its market strategy for the sector.

Amica, Polish DA manufacturer has announced details of its distribution network for the UK. Portway Domestic Appliances will offer its freestanding and built-in products to the independent channels. Amica's full range of products will also be available from Inman & Co.

The annual Independent Marketing Awards have been relaunched this year with a new title - INDEPENDENT BUSINESS AWARDS. This reflects the change of focus of the Awards bringing them up to date with the industry today which has changed since 1993 when the Awards were launched. This has also allowed IER to introduce new awards categories which recognise retail business excellence as well as achievements in marketing and manufacturing.

Loewe has opened its first Galerie shop in the UK, following the success of the format in the company's home country of Germany.

AMDEA has updated the Time to Change website www.t2c.org.uk, and its calculator now reflects current (August 2008) energy prices. The new pages dedicated to fridge and washing machine features provide illustrative guides explaining how each function maximises the machine's eco-efficiency.

ATAG UK,  the premium built-in brand, has promoted Graham Gleave to the position of national sales manager.  Graham will continue to drive ATAG's unique trading strategy that is specifically aligned to the kitchen specialist sector.

There are tough times ahead of us, no doubt, and the recent BRC announcement only confirms this. Robin Millwood, CIH Chairman, most aptly, described the current trading conditions as those of "the perfect storm" since so many outside influences, which we have no control over, affect the electrical business at present.

Philips has secured an exclusive partnership with hit musical Chicago - the first of its kind - with a West End show as a result of which Philips has become the official epilator of Chicago the musical. The deal is designed to build brand awareness around the Philips epilator range creating innovative marketing and sales initiatives. The partnership will last until September 2009 and until then Philips' logo and strapline will be included on all advertising materials for the musical. 

Speaking at the CIH 2008 Suppliers Luncheon in London, Robin Millwood, CIH chairman, compared the current trading conditions to that of "the perfect storm": "It is no understatement that 2008 has been a very difficult year and I have never known so many outside influences affecting our business over which we have no control of." However, he also confirmed that not all news were bad: "We have already been advised by most companies well in advance of large price rises in the New Year and I hope that this will be across all channels so that the playing field is even."

Euronics has just launched the Finlux brand - its exclusive brand of LCD TVs which will only be available to the consumer through Euronics agents.

BISSELL, the market leader in deep cleaning, has just launched a new product category in floorcare which addresses time versus performance considerations.

Home-tek has expanded its Ainsley Harriott range with the addition of an energy-saving kettle.

The new Loewe Art SL TV is the manufacturer's slimmest panel yet.

The Intelligent Control System (ICS) found on De Dietrich's cooking and dishwashing products is now featured on its new freestanding washing machine.

AV stand manufacturer OmniMount is boosting its green credentials with the introduction of its eco-conscious OmniLite series.

AV and hi-fi manufacturer Onkyo has entered the high-definition disc player market with the launch of its first Blu-ray deck.

Hot on the heels of its successful EVOKE Flow radio, PURE has introduced the AVANTI Flow audio system which includes an integrated iPod dock.

The Philips 42PFL9803H is the company's first LCD TV to feature an intelligent LED backlight system.

Polish appliances brand Amica has unveiled its new Elegance range of cooling products boasting an A+ energy efficiency rating.

The current recession puts more pressures on all retailers and adds the fear of the unknown to the already difficult trading conditions. In 2009, independents will have to use all the help they can get to maintain their trading position and convince the customers of their professionalism and ongoing knowledgeable support.

Ambilight

Benefit

Ambilight has to be seen to be believed.   The 9-series  features Philips award winning Ambilight - a unique backlight that projects light onto the wall to complement the colours of on-screen images. Ambilight creates a more relaxed viewing experience, improves perceived picture detail, contrast and colour and will completely immerse the viewer in the on-screen action.   

Within AMDEA we are constantly thinking of new approaches which will help our members sell their products. Our Commercial Committee meets regularly to consider a wide range of issues related to this. At its recent meeting it discussed the impact of legislation such as the Waste Electrical Directive and the proposed revision of the EU Energy Label.

The beginning of the year is a good time for reflection on the developments of the past twelve months and the lessons which can be learnt from recent experiences and challenges.

2009 isn't going to be easy, but I am confident that the enormous investment Alphason has made during the past 12 months puts us in an excellent position to face the difficult times ahead and be able to provide even more support to our loyal customer base.

There's no doubt that 2009 and beyond will be extremely tough, however Armour is in a particularly strong position to weather the storm ahead and to help our customers do likewise.

Leisure, one of the UK's oldest range cooker brands, recently launched the Range 90 cooker which combines vintage style with modern technology a stunning new 90cm model.  The uniquely styled Range 90 combines a genuine vintage feel and quality finish evocative of many classic range style cookers.  Available in cream and black, this cooker is not just perfect for the traditional kitchen, it also works well in a more contemporary environment. 

Support and training for our independent customers has been the main focus in 2008 and therefore BBG have invested more time and money into this than ever before.  In the current economic climate we are passionate that retailers should maximise every opportunity available and believe that our merchandising solutions coupled with informative training will always have a positive effect.

Dyson's year has been driven by new inventions. We introduced the Dyson Ball machines in March. Because they sit on a ball they can turn on a point, making them easier to manoeuvre than fixed wheeled machines. The DC24 upright has proved particularly popular thanks to its light weight, small size and powerful performance, while the DC25 machine is for bigger homes.

Last Christmas we predicted market demand for iPod accessories would remain strong.  Intempo has capitalised on this trend with the launch of its Go Pack which brings together all your essential iPod accessories in one value pack.  2009 will see the launch of our new accessories brand to meet, what we believe, will be a continuing trend in this area.

Maytag UK has had a rewarding year with the launch of new genuine American laundry, energy efficient refrigeration and contemporary range cooking.

The small appliance sector continues to be highly competitive. Thanks to our investment in product innovation, consumer research and design our market share remains strong. We have seen particular success this year with Intellisteam, a revolutionary new steamer which cleverly pre-programmes everything so that a whole meal will finish cooking at precisely the same time. Our Advanced Finish Iron has also been hugely successful as it features an intelligent soleplate ensuring consumers get an exceptionally smart finish. Both products have recently been awarded the prestigious Which? Best Buy confirming our commitment to innovation and excellence.

2008 was an eventful year for GDHA, ending on an extremely positive note with the announcement that we had been named White Goods Supplier of the Year at the prestigious Combined Independent Holdings Awards ceremony.  This was a fantastic achievement and one which demonstrates the strength of our brands Stoves, Belling, New World and Lec, and our commitment to the independent sector.

We operate in an environment that's dramatically different to this time last year, and this will require us to adopt very different approaches in 2009. At Philips we are clear that our New Year's Resolution is to drive value creation - for Philips, for our retailers and our consumers.

In these difficult times, PURE encourages dealers to focus on growth areas of the market, and fortunately there are a number of those within the digital radio sector.

2008 was an incredibly significant year for Samsung Home Appliances thanks to our transition from a brand traditionally known in the white goods field for American-style refrigerators, to a leading manufacturer in the home appliances market. Introducing new products into core categories such as washing machines and two-door refrigeration has given us a solid foundation to build upon. Our first ever above-the-line campaign for a home appliance product - the G-series refrigerator - communicated our strength in the cooling sector and positioned Samsung as an innovator in this division. Improvements to our service network mean we can now offer a dedicated after sales service to our growing customer base.

Even In the current economic climate, there are still a number of brave independent retailers taking the plunge and redesigning their retail environment.

Diss is a small Norfolk market town where Taylor Electrical has traded on the high street since 1942. The store sells brown and white goods as well as a wide selection of small kitchen appliances. The core of its customer base are middle aged and older people for whom service and installation (done by Taylor's installation team) are key considerations. Taylor Electrical also has a rental base which is getting smaller every year.

The Euronics Retail Strategy was launched to help the Group members trade successfully in the very competitive retail environment and to enhance their professional status in the eyes of their customers.

In the last few days of November, whilst the Chancellor in his pre-Budget report was still clinging to the notion of a short and shallow recession, the news from the retail trade was especially grim.  Two major chains Woolworths and MFI, a distributor Bridisco (better known as BDC) and the internet electrical specialist Outkey Distribution (trading as 247 Electrical) all fell into administration.  John Lewis department stores reported its eleventh successive weekly year-on-year decline in sales and DSG International - owner of Currys and PC World - posted massive half-year losses.  Other high profile retailers queued up to report deteriorating positions, many describing conditions as the worst ever experienced.