Image Center adds flash to photo dept - Kmart's Image Center - Kmart Power Merchandising

Discount Store News, Feb 21, 1994

The Image Center at Kmart has become the cornerstone of the chain's approach to the photo and camera department. The idea, according to Kmart, is to emphasize services and accessories in order to build total sales in the category.

This approach was first introduced at Kmart's Auburn Hills, Mich., prototype store in early 1993 and has been rolled out to about 25 of its locations, with more slated for new stores.

"The imaging center gives Kmart a better credibility factor. Consumers feel more comfortable dropping off film with a retailer that has devoted so much space to the category," said Bob Garrity, vp, national accounts, Fuji Photo Film USA Inc.

Garrity is right on target. Just over one-fifty of consumers who shopped at a remodeled Kmart rated the department a "nine" on a scale of 1 to 9, with 9 indicating that Kmart is a "great place to shop" for that product and "one" indicating they'd "never" shop there for that product. By contrast, less than one out of 10 shoppers of non-remodeled Kmart stores that are four years or older rate the camera and film department a "9", according to a survey conducted by Chicago-based Leo J. Shapiro & Associates.

Manufacturers, too, have felt the effects of the remodeling. "Our sales are basically flat at the older Kmarts, while our sales are significantly better in the remodeled stores and even better in the stores with Image Centers," said Garrity.

For those stores which don't include the Image Center, Kmart has created an "open touch" department where consumers can hold cameras, secured by wire cables, to get a feel for the them and for other accessories on display. At stores with Image Centers, more expensive cameras are put under glass, with an associate there to answer questions. This approach is more like a camera store, and gives a consumer a more secure feeling about shopping at Kmart.

Film is still an important part of the department, however, and Kmart has been creating a distinct brand presence for its own private label Focal brand. The film is merchandised in gravity bins as well as on a pegboard alongside Kodak, Fuji, and Polaroid. In accessories, the Focal name is on camera cases, camcorder cases and single-use cameras.

Some of the items being given more space in Kmart's photo and camera department are pagers, which were tested at a few locations but have now found a permanent home, and a larger selection of binoculars.