PIONEER LAUNCHES SPECIALIST DEALER CATEGORY

Stoke Poges, August 2004 - Pioneer GB Limited recently launched a new Value Added Reseller category in their Home Entertainment division.

The category, named Pioneer The Works , was launched after a consultation period where Pioneer spent many hours with specialist retailers in the independent channel discussing their requirements. Their over-riding comments were that they wanted to differentiate themselves via added value – so excellence in service and training – and that marketing was the key to success.

Thus the concept behind Pioneer The Works, is to implement a category of dealers to display, demo and sell core Pioneer products with added benefits, to ensure a long term relationship with the retailers and to add value to the consumer experience.

It was critical for Pioneer The Works dealers to have a strong identity that reflects the brand of Pioneer, be a physical entity and be appealing to consumers.

Pioneer's aim is to launch with between 60-80 dealers, with the possibility of increasing slightly over the next few years.

The objective is to ensure retailers are supported as well as ensuring consumers have a dedicated environment in which to choose products that potentially require more specialist product knowledge. All Pioneer The Works retailers will be highly trained; this is essential as consumer electronics is now becoming more and more complicated especially with the advent of Plasma Televisions, DVD Recorders, home networked digital solutions, complex AV amplification etc.

Pioneer The Works dealers will be responsible for selling a core range of products specific to them as well as the full range of Pioneer Home Entertainment products; plus Pioneer will support this new category with a variety of marketing tools including shop signage, business cards, direct mail pieces, specific promotional offers, incentive trips, advertising and press activity. Pioneer The Works dealers will be promoted to consumers wherever possible.

For further information, please contact

Jenni Jansen
PR Executive
Pioneer GB Ltd, Marketing Services Division
07153 789 746 pr@pgb.pioneer.co.uk

Peter Holt
Divisional Sales Manager
Pioneer GB Ltd, Home Entertainment Division
01753 789789 peter_holt@pgb.pioneer.co.uk