Canon has announced the launch of its first innovative and futuristic format, Canon Image Square (CIS) 4.0 in Andheri West, Mumbai. The “experience store” aims to bring together technology, lifestyle and innovation to its consumers. With the launch of CIS 4.0, Canon has embarked on a paradigm shift in its retail strategy, persuading professional and semi-professional photographers to experience the brand’s end-to-end photography solutions. The stores will also have service collection and CPS registration desks to cater to consumer demands.
The new CIS Version 4.0 store aims to deliver an immersive experience to the consumers, thereby making it relatable to their existing workflows. The stores will include four interactive zones, i.e. Wedding, Wildlife, Vlogging and the Family zone, enabling the customers to simply walk-in and engage in roundtable discussions with a trained technical staff.
Commenting on the CIS 4.0 store launch, Manabu Yamazaki, President and CEO, Canon India said, “At Canon, we take great pride in being a complete imaging solution provider, catering to a vast audience across genres. Through our flagship Canon Image Square, it has been our constant endeavour to build customer trust by bringing alive the experience of the latest technology and products to photography and videography enthusiasts. With the introduction of CIS 4.0, we aim to elevate the customer experience by connecting them with experts and get a holistic understanding of the latest product offerings. Delighting customers has been Canon’s primary objective and we are sure to level up our engagement with the launch of CIS 4.0 and continue nurturing the imaging culture in India.”
Sharing Canon’s retail plans, Manabu further added, “Having established a strong presence in the country through our CIS network, we have unfurled a new chapter in our retail connect strategy. With an objective to further strengthen our customer outreach, we aim to launch over 50 CIS stores in the next 5 years.”
C. Sukumaran, Director- Consumer Systems Products and Imaging Communication Business, Canon India added, “Through the years, CIS stores have been a testament to our commitment to build a strong customer connect and increase the recall value for our products and solutions. In the past few years, we have seen a shift in customer purchase behaviour where they are making more informed decisions. Aligning with the evolved needs of our customers, we are proud to launch the CIS 4.0 stores, to give customers a first-hand experience of products that they need for their area of specialisation. These new stores will further enable us to gauge consumer feedback and accordingly integrate the same to our product line up.”
Speaking about the importance of Mumbai for the launch of CIS 4.0, he further added, “Mumbai being the hub for photography and film enthusiasts, we aim to further nurture the imaging culture prevalent in the city through our experiential imaging destination. The launch of CIS 4.0 will further strengthen our regional outreach in the city.”
Another addition to these stores is the introduction of third-party essentials such as memory cards, lights, tripods, bags, gimbals, etc. Providing a comprehensive perspective to imaging, CIS 4.0 stores will showcase Canon’s entire product line-up, ranging from D-SLRs, mirrorless cameras, cinema cameras, EF and RF series lens, digicam and photo printers. Additionally, EMI finance options will be available at CIS 4.0 stores. Canon reports that the store is in compliance with the COVID-19 protocols setup by various authorities.
