ConsumerIT - For Europe's High Volume PC Retailers, Distributors & Builders

Halfords CEO David Wild finds inspiration in Oscar winner The Artist, saying “the UK retail sector is experiencing a transformation as far reaching as the move from silent film to sound” when speaking on the future of retail at a Javelin Conference.

“[R]etailers must learn to adapt to a permanent new reality,” Wild continues-- the new reality in this case being the current era of online shopping, where customers use the internet to not only purchase goods, but also to compare prices within brick and mortar stores.

Social media also gets use, as people comment and ask for recommendations on future purchases.

Wild says the retail industry has to find out why and how customers interact with stores-- creating a "seamless multichannel experience" in the process. Apparently 87% of online Halfords customers pick up orders in store, where the retailer offers further advice and fitting services.

“Retailing has always been about understanding the customer so we need to adapt fast to the way they are now shopping," Wild concludes.

Go Retailing's "Talkies" Moment

Following the March 1st opening of a new flagship retail location in Amsterdam (at the Hirsch building, Leidseplein), Apple plans to open more European stores-- in London, Turin, and Stockholm.

The latest London Apple store will be in Harrods, and should open sometime around mid-March (between 12-19 March, according to 9to5Mac.com)-- possibly in conjunction with the rumoured iPad 3 UK launch date.

Meanwhile Italian website Macity reports a future Turin Apple Store (in Via Roma) will be "the most important" Apple retail location in the country, on par with the biggest stores in Paris and London. Set to open on September 2012, the Turin location should cover two floors with an area of 1000 square metres (possibly including warehouse and back of store).

According to Macity Apple was trying to open a Milan store at the Galleria-- but lost the auction for the space to Prada.

And finally Apple is looking for Swedish retail staff, with a job listing bearing a number of leadership roles and pompous titles (such as "Expert" and "Genius"). No word is available on the Swedish Apple Store's location (although one can assume Stockholm), but earlier last year the company was rumoured to be planning a store in Norrmalmstorg, Stockholm... in a location now taken over by a Japanese shoe maker.

Go Amsterdam Apple Store

Go Apple Store in London's Harrods (9to5Mac.com)

Go Apple Store Torino (Macity.net)

Go Swedish Apple Job Listing

Sometimes friends really come in handy... Western Digital and Toshiba are trading favours, with WD giving Toshiba the equipment and IP required to make and sell consumer-grade 3.5" HDDs.

In return, Toshiba is giving WD all assets from Toshiba Storage Device (TSDT), including a 2.5" HDD manufacturing facility. TSDT is currently closed down following the 2011 Thailand flood disaster.

Why are the 2 companies going such a barter? Simple-- WD needs to offload part of its 3.5" HDD business in order to satisfy EU conditions before finalising its Hitachi GST (the Hitachi HDD business) purchase.

On the other hand, Toshiba wants to push further in both CE and PC markets with an expanded product portfolio.

With the WD-Hitachi GST purchase complete and Seagate owning the Seagate HDD business, the HDD industry will soon be left a duopoly... unless Toshiba manages to take up the slack.

Go WD Reaches Agreement with Toshiba

Roccat Studios wants to turn mouse-using into a competition with the Savu-- an optical mid-size gaming mouse tracking button clicks and mouse drags with an online achievements system.

It has a sensor with either 400, 800, 1600 or 4000dpi power, and Roccat's "Easy-Shift" system allows user to assign multiple functions to the mouse buttons and scroll wheel. The rear lighting bar is also customisable, using 16.8M different colours.

An ergonomic right-hand thumb rest keeps hands comfortable, as does a soft-touch surface.

Meanwhile the Roccat Achievements Display (or RAD) tracks actions such as mouse movements and scrolling, awarding console-style achievements and trophies (which users can show off on social networks) when one reaches certain usage tresholds.

The Savu will be available from May, and should also be on display at CeBIT next month.

Go Roccat Studios