The Hindu Business Line : With HCL stores, gadgets cease to be a puzzle

You have an iPod presented to you recently but do not know how to connect it with your PC and thereby download music. Or you are clueless how to burn a CD and copy pictures from a digital camera. Want to buy a PC or a laptop and close to buying Xbox 360, but don't know what is right for you and how they can be used.

Help is on hand through Digilife Zones created by HCL Infosystems.

The Executive Vice-President of HCL Infosystems, Mr Rajendra Kumar, said "these stores are designed differently and the emphasis is on providing experiential journey into the digital lifestyle products that touch one's life - be it mobile phones, desktops and laptops, entertainment devices such as iPods and gaming consoles like Xbox 360."

These stores would host a range of products such as laptops from HCL range and Toshiba family, desktops, Apple iPods, Nokia phones, entertainment devices and gaming products along with all accessories which connect one product with another.

An individual may accumulate various gadgets over the years and find it difficult to connect one with another and make them work. He would want to know if his existing PC could work with next generation Vista operating system. In theseh stores he will have experienced professionals to guide as to how he can make best use of these devices.

It is like tutorials for a beginner where he can explore and learn, experience a particular product and then take an informed decision on buying what suits him just right. It goes beyond mere selling of products.

In fact, patterns lately point that even some of the first time buyers are directly buying laptops, and so is the case with `road warriors' (sales professionals, managers etc) and small and home office segments.

The company has opened its 20th digital store in the country at Hyderabad, and its first in South Zone. It is set to shortly roll out similar stores in Chennai, Bangalore and other major cities in the South. HCL has targeted to reach out with about 200 such stores based on a franchisee model by the end of 2007, Mr Kumar said.

Call it seamless digital connectivity or digital nirvana, shopping of digital products will never be the same again with such stores.

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