Dixons signed as retail 'dragon' by Tech Crowd

Retail specialist to set market alight on channel panel

Dixons is set to strike sparks for the Tech Crowd's Channel Dragons as the exclusive retail partner.

Dean Kramer, head of the computing category at Dixons Retail, alongside its head of OEM computing Dave Ward, joins the Channel Dragon distributor panel this month. looking at cross-category innovations and emerging markets.

"We are constantly striving to find the latest cutting-edge technology for our customers. The Channel Dragons initiative is a brilliant way to identify some of these while also offering smaller, independent suppliers a springboard," Kramer said.

Jamie Plumridge (pictured), managing director of The Tech Crowd, said the signing of a dedicated retail partner was the next phase of the programme, which kicked off last August.

"Not only will vendors benefit from the impressive existing reach of the UK's 10 most influential distributors, they could now benefit from the unmatched reach and brand equity of the Dixons Group, and exposure to many millions of consumers at a far earlier stage than they would otherwise find possible," Plumridge said in a PR statement.

Dorset-based Tech Crowd is a consultancy which hunts out new and innovative manufacturers to present to a series of distributors - the Channel Dragons panel - every quarter. However, unlike the TV show Dragons' Den, they present to each distributor in private, enabling commercially sensitive information to be protected.

The Dixons Retail group will join distribution dragons from Tech Data, Micro-P, Gem, Enta, Spire, CMS, Centerprise, Platinum Components, 2Tech and Beta.

Vendors must pay fees if they qualify, with a view to getting exposure to a range of suitable partners without having to go out and arrange individual meetings, and enabling distributors to meet a range of pre-screened vendor prospects.