Among a raft of prizes he picked at the SLR Rewards, Harris Aslam claimed the E-Cigarettes Retailer of the Year category and picked up a £500 Expedia voucher from sponsors blu into the bargain to put towards to a nice, relaxing holiday.
The e-cigarettes category is still, in many senses, an immature, evolving category. It can be a difficult one for retailers to get to grips with, which is why Harris Aslam’s outstanding gantry in this Nisa Greens store in Markinch made such an impression on the judging panel.
Category sponsors blu were extremely positive about the store’s commitment to giving plenty of space over to the category in a very prominent position. Having worked hard themselves over the last few years to bring a product portfolio to market that helps retailers embrace the category, blu had no qualms about handing over a fantastic £500 worth of Expedia vouchers to Harris to put towards a well-deserved break for him or one of his team.
As the judges noted, blu was among the comprehensive selection of brands that the store had on display. Pricing was sensible and staff were knowledgeable.
“We know that e-cigarettes is a growing category so we’ve worked hard at it over the last year or so to ensure we are giving our customers what they want,” said Harris.
“It can be quite a confusing category because of all of the equipment and products and even the jargon that surrounds it – but it’s vital that retailers don’t let that put them off because there no question that the category is here to stay.
“Big brands like blu have done a fantastic job of growing the category and helping develop a new revenue stream for retailers.”
