Helio Says Hello to Stores

Los Angeles -- Helio unveiled a 3,000-square-foot flagship store on Santa Monica's 3rd St. Promenade last month, with an announcement that brand stores for New York, Denver, San Diego and Palo Alto are in the works, with still others coming to more major markets in 2007.Helio seeks to offer young, connected consumers a one-stop destination for the full Helio experience. As designed by Gensler & Associates, Los Angeles, the stores will deliver a fresh, clean and simple presentation with more space than typical wireless stores for interactivity, exploration and socializing.Don't expect to spot the same P-O-P materials in Helio stores that are seen in the locations of its other retail partners. "In an effort to optimize our investment in retail store technology, we will focus on employing digital media to promote our products as much as possible, versus traditional P-O-P," says Jackie Foo, senior director of retail stores.Each Helio store will contain four essential elements. They are promotional towers, entertainment pods, a lounge and a Q+A Bar, says Foo. The promotional towers will line stores' entrances and invite new customers to enter and explore. Entertainment pods featuring digital media screens will showcase products and services and let customers experience "the full capacity of Helio," Foo says. These one-stop-shop pods will also be where customers will go through the entire sales process, sampling and purchasing devices and checking out.In the lounge, customers will be able to "kick back, learn something new and feel a sense of community," Foo says. "In the upcoming year, we intend to invite our content partners to conduct demonstrations, local artists to promote their work and product experts to run workshops."The Q+A Bar, outfitted with bar stools, will be the setting for customer questions about Helio. This is also where patrons will be able to avail themselves of "spa treatments" provided by staffers equipped with cleaning tools designed to clean and refresh their devices. There will also be phone book transfers, troubleshooting tips and user education. "People coming into Helio stores can purchase Helio devices, activate service and accessorize -- all in one location," says Rick Heineman, director of media and analyst relations. "Better yet, they can do this from one of our pods and never have to wait in line at a traditional cash register."While the first Helio stores are just now arriving, the brand has been offered in thousands of other retail venues for some time. They include settings where consumers wouldn't expect to find wireless products, as well as others not necessarily linked with wireless but nonetheless key shopping venues for "the Helio community." Helio is currently available nationwide at wireless agents Wireless Toyz, Wireless Giant and Top Up, and in national retailers that include FYE, Fry's Electronics, Tower Records, Wherehouse, Sam Goody, Coconuts, Strawberries and Spec's. The brand is also offered in Madisons, Diavolina, Buckler, Blue in Green and other specialty fashion boutiques in major markets like Los Angeles, New York, Miami, Chicago and Boston, and on select college campuses. In total, Helio was offered in 2,000 retail settings as of the end of August, and expected to be marketed in more than 3,000 locations by year's end.Asked if the stores will carry any exclusive products not offered to shoppers anywhere else, Heineman says, "We haven't announced anything yet, but anything is possible. Stay tuned."

Helio Says Hello to Stores

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