Smart Home, Gaming, Mobile Devices & Audio identified as top growth categories by EMEA consumer tech channel

by Stuart Wilson, Monday 10 December 2018

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DISTREE Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA) has released preliminary findings from its 2018 EMEA Consumer Tech Channel Survey. Smart Home, Gaming & Gaming Accessories, Mobile Devices and Audio (Headphones & Speakers) were identified as the product categories with the most growth potential in EMEA in 2019, according to this year’s survey. Hundreds of distributors, retailers and e-tailers participated in the annual DISTREE EMEA survey.

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Stuart Wilson, Event Director for DISTREE EMEA, commented: “These results highlight the continued growth potential that exists across the EMEA region. Distributors, retailers and e-tailers are keen to add more brands to their portfolio in categories with high growth potential.”

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Next year’s DISTREE EMEA event, which takes place in Monaco from February 19th to 22nd 2019, will provide consumer tech, consumer electronics and IT brands with a powerful regional channel expansion platform, allowing them hold pre-scheduled meetings with senior executives from the region’s top distributors, retailers, e-tailers and marketplaces from 50-plus countries.

The 2018 EMEA Consumer Tech Channel Survey asked respondents to identify the top three categories they believed offered the most growth potential in EMEA consumer channels in 2019. The results were as follows:

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• 55% of respondents identified Smart Home as a Top 3 category

• 52% of respondents identified Gaming & Gaming Accessories as a Top 3 category

• 38% of respondents identified Mobile Devices as a Top 3 category

• 37% of respondents identified Audio (Headphones & Speakers) as a Top 3 category

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Liam McSherry, Sales & Marketing Director at DISTREE Events, said: “It’s great to see that there is real appetite amongst our audience for new products as we move into 2019. We already have some innovative brands from the top four categories confirmed for next year’s show including airlive, igloohome, Thonet & Vander, ub+, xtrfy, e-blue and NUU Mobile among others, with more confirming each week.”

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Wilson continued: “We’re seeing tremendous levels of innovation across all four of these categories, and increased brand proliferation as more companies bring products to market. The DISTREE format is designed to help brands quickly and efficiently scale their channel reach across multiple markets, giving them the scale and volume they need for long-term business success.”

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The 2018 EMEA Consumer Tech Channel Survey also highlighted the continued demand from channel partners to meet new brands with a view to expanding their portfolio. In total, 86% of respondents expected the number of brands they work with to increase in 2019. Despite continued pricing pressure in consumer tech channels, 59% of respondents expected their profit margins to increase in 2019.

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Wilson commented: “The consumer tech channel brand landscape remains highly dynamic. Distributors, retailers and e-tailers are constantly looking at the profitability and future prospects of each brand they carry in their portfolio. At the same time, successful distributors, retailers and e-tailers are actively looking to build relationships with exciting new brands they can work with.”

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The unique DISTREE Events’ format is designed to accelerate business interaction between exhibitors and channel partners. DISTREE Events works closely with all exhibitors and channel buyers before, during and after the event to help them accelerate growth and channel development. All of the one-on-one meetings that take place at DISTREE EMEA are pre-scheduled and take place in specific time slots. Exhibitors use DISTREE Events’ powerful web platform to research the channel audience in advance, ensuring they meet high-quality, high-potential channel.

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Wilson concluded: “DISTREE EMEA remains the most efficient and effective platform for consumer tech brands to manage, build or launch routes-to-market across EMEA. As a highly structured event, we offer exhibitors an unique opportunity to meet genuine channel decision-makers with the authority to add new brands to their portfolio. We look forward to welcoming more tech brands from around the world to Monaco next February for DISTREE EMEA 2019.”

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Distributors, retailers and e-tailers that have not yet received a hosted buyer invite can apply for a place online. Consumer tech brands can request more details on exhibitor packages online. The 2018 EMEA Consumer Tech Channel Survey was conducted from 1st November to 30th November 2018. Additional results from the survey will be released later this month.