Seven years ago, Chris and Anne Percival were keeping their small electronics retail operation simple and straightforward. They were an Australian “Apple Center,” meaning they ran a privately-owned store which sold Apple products only, mostly Mac desktops at the time. But as Apple’s product offerings proliferated, the Percivals’ vision for merchandising grew.
“Our Apple customers started asking us for accessories to go with their iPods or computers and we found ourselves putting in more and more products to go with Apple’s hit products,” says Chris. Indeed, the Percivals now carry 1800-2000 SKU’s on any given day, packing not one but two retail stores with offerings.
They haven’t stopped at accessorizing laptops and iPods. The Percivals have opened a wedding and portrait studio in one of their stores and are doing a bustling business in digital imaging products. They were recently at PMA in Las Vegas, Nevada, looking to outfit their stores with goods that will appeal to aspiring Australian photogs.
The Percivals say it’s best to take a cross-category approach to merchandizing, imagining everything that a customer might need at home, in the workplace, in the outback and on vacation, and their store’s brand name, “DigiLife” reflects that. “We see ourselves as a source for the entire digital lifestyle,” says Anne.
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