PCR Tech and IT retail, distribution and vendor news
Despite a quick search on Amazon for ‘internet security’ bringing up more than 2,500 results, Kaspersky has revealed why vendors still need a presence on the High Street.
The firm’s new head of retail sales David Mole told PCR that when someone asks him if retail is dead, the answer is always ‘no’.
“A lot of brands wouldn’t exist if they didn’t have a retail presence and our product on the shelf gives us the exposure,” said Mole.
“Whether the shopper buys it in that store, in another one, or online, we need that brand awareness at retail.”
He also touched on how retail has changed over the years.
“We hear about the dangers of cyber crime in the news, and we all have various devices – smartphones, tablets, etc – but I feel like retail hasn’t quite caught up with the importance of that yet,” he said.
“If you go into Tesco, you can buy a PC, a laptop or a peripheral, but you’ll struggle to buy some security software.”
Mole said the retailers that have adapted to the changes around them need to continue to work on properly educating consumers about security. “If they continue to adapt, we [security vendors] will continue to have a product offering at retail.”
As well as outlets educating consumers, Mole revealed that he believes vendors should do more to help retailers and their customers understand the importance of security – not just for PCs, but for mobile devices and home automation products.
“I don’t think we do a great job in the industry of keeping consumers up to date, and I think it’s confusing. Security can be difficult to understand and I don’t think vendors do a great job of informing them of what product are right for them,” said Mole.
“We as an organisation, and we as an industry, need to do a better job of educating consumers.”
Look out for a full interview with David Mole in the July issue of PCR, where he will discuss which new tech trends pose the biggest security risks, the key things retailer should know when selling security to consumers and more.
