- Nuheara commences 50 store trial of IQbuds BOOST™ with Italian optical chain, Vision Group.
- Vision Group has a total of 2,059 stores representing 20% of total Italian optical market.
- Current Nuheara optical partner Acuitis, launches IQbuds BOOST™ after successfully introducing IQbuds™ in 66 stores from March 2018.
- Optical stores are strategic in Nuheara hearing healthcare initiatives and expansion.
18 September 2018 – Perth, Australia
Nuheara Limited (ASX: NUH) (“Company” or “Nuheara”), transforming the way people hear by creating game-changing hearing solutions that are accessible and affordable, is pleased to announce the expansion of IQbuds™ BOOST retail with a 50-store sales trial with Vision Group in Italy. Vision Group is the leading optical retailer in Italy with 2,059 outlets which represents 20% of the total Italian optical market.
Figure 1: Vision Group Store
The Company is also pleased to advise that current European optical partner Acuitis, with 66 stores across France, Switzerland and Luxembourg, is extending its Nuheara product range from IQbuds™ to now include IQbuds BOOST™.
Commenting on the strategic optical expansion, Nuheara CEO Justin Miller said, “The optical industry is embracing hearing health retailing with increasing scale and professionalism. In comparison to traditional hearing clinics, the optical retail industry is more advanced and sophisticated in the way it merchandises and markets to its customers. The stores are large and spacious with contemporary merchandising, professional sales support, and are better positioned in viable high traffic areas such as premium shopping centres and strip malls.”
Nuheara’s range of smart hearing buds is allowing optical stores – with and without audiologists – to participate and realise value in the hearing healthcare market. Those optical stores that have already invested in providing audiological services, will be able to recommend and sell Nuheara’s affordable, multifunctional, self-fitting hearing devices to those customers that are not yet ready to receive a hearing aid but still need support in the mild to moderate loss category. For those optical stores without audiologists, the cross-sell opportunity is enormous with Nuheara products; all without the need to invest in in-store audiological services or infrastructure.
Figure 2: Acuitis Optical and Hearing Store
“Nuheara is on a mission to transform the way people hear by providing affordable and accessible hearing solutions. Put simply, optical retail is one of our most strategic partners in this pursuit. It represents a handheld consultative sale, conducted by salespeople that not only understand healthcare but more importantly are used to selling the value of it.”
“Most significantly, there is an age intersection with customers that need both hearing and optical support. This convergence of optical and hearing healthcare retail is growing globally and it will be a critical outlet for Nuheara’s expansion into this new channel.
“We are looking forward to playing our part in the future of hearing retail disruption and are determined to increase the uptake in our smart hearing devices for those that previously were unable to access or afford hearing assistance,” said Mr. Miller.
CONTACTS
Australia
Justin Miller
CEO and Managing Director
+61 8 6555 9999
[email protected]
Media
Ranya Alkadamani
+61 434 664 589
[email protected]
About Nuheara
Nuheara is a global leader in Intelligent Hearing: smart personal hearing devices that enhance and amplify human experiences. Nuheara has developed proprietary and multi-functional intelligent hearing technology that augments a person’s hearing and facilitates cable free connection to smart devices. Nuheara is based in Perth, Australia and has offices in San Francisco and New York, USA. Nuheara was the first consumer wearables technology company to be listed on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX).
In 2016, the Company released its revolutionary wireless earbuds, IQbuds™, which allow consumers to augment their hearing according to their personal hearing preferences and connect hands free with their voice-enabled smart devices. IQbuds™ are now sold in major consumer electronics retailers and professional hearing clinics around the world. The Company’s mission is to improve people’s lives by allowing them to seamlessly listen, communicate, and connect to their physical and digital worlds.
Learn more about Nuheara: www.nuheara.com
