Sony Opens Doors To Exciting New Shopping Experience At Upper Canada Mall In Newmarket, Ontario

To view the Social Media Release, click here: http://smr.newswire.ca/en/sony-of-canada-ltd/new-sony-store-upper-canada-mall

TORONTO, Sept. 8, 2011 /PRNewswire/ – Sony of Canada is pleased to announce the
grand opening of the first newly branded “SONY” store in Canada, which
offers an exciting new concept, design and customer experience.

Located at Upper Canada shopping mall in Newmarket, the 2,800-square
foot Sony store features a world-class architecture and design, making
it a unique destination at which consumers can explore the complete
Sony experience, including electronics, games, movies, music, network
services and future technologies.

“Sony’s goal is always to exceed customer expectations by providing an
exciting, interactive and entertaining shopping experience,” said Doug
Wilson, President and COO of Sony Canada. “Our new store concept gives
shoppers an opportunity to interact with trained and knowledgeable
staff as well as preview, test, compare and unlock the full potential
of Sony’s entertainment offerings.”

“The new store in Newmarket is a significant step in building a
blueprint for future Sony stores, both in the U.S. and around the
world,” added Kiyoshi Shikano, Global Sales and Marketing Officer, Sony
Corporation. “In this store, Sony is eager to test innovative offerings
and listen and learn from customer feedback. We will gather opinions so
that we can continually evolve and improve our retail experience, both
here in Canada and around the world. As Sony is increasing its focus on
providing its customers with an integrated shopping experience that
features all that Sony has to offer, from hardware to content to
services, all of its Sony Style stores and websites globally will also
be transitioning branding from Sony Style to Sony.”

Showcase Areas

In the spirit of Sony’s make.believe brand message, the new store is
designed to immediately capture the imagination of customers and engage
with all that Sony has to offer, in an integrated, interactive and
inspiring way. 

The front of the new store features, literally, a window into the world
of Sony. Inside, consumers will be able to access, experience and make
connections with everything Sony, from testing out its network services
— including Video on Demand powered by Video Unlimited through the
Sony Entertainment Network– on network-connected products, to enjoying
PlayStation’s Move interactive 3D gaming experience on a PS3 and the
65″ BRAVIA® HX929 Series 3D HDTV. Consumers will be able to shoot
images and video on a wide range of Cyber-shot digital cameras and
Handycam camcorders then upload onto VAIO laptops, get lost in a 3D
movie from Sony Pictures, and test headphones while listening to Sony
Music artists.

Highest Level of Personalized Services  

With the opening of the new store, Sony is introducing Premium Services
to provide customers with an exceptional support experience for all
Sony products from set-up to service and repair facilitation. Services
include assistance and education by trained staff with setting up all
products and the activation of wireless services. Also available are
in-home consultation, delivery, and TV, and home audio and video
installation by authorized technicians. Sony of Canada recently
introduced the Fastrac Service integrating its enterprise software with
Purolator E-Ship® Web Services to reduce costs while delivering
enhanced customer satisfaction following a product repair.

Grand Opening Weekend

In conjunction with Toronto’s Virgin 99.9 FM Radio, GTA residents will
have be invited to enter with a chance to win a $5,000 Sony Store
shopping spree from Sept. 9 to 23.

A live performance by Sony Music artist Kira Isabella is scheduled in
the store on Sept. 9 at 7 pm featuring songs from her latest album.

Design and Location

The new store was designed in collaboration with Tokyo-based Klein
Dytham architecture (KDa). It features a bright, open, inviting space,
with products displayed on tables so that consumers can personally
interact and engage with them like they would in a home environment.
The layout of the store is flexible, with movable interior walls and
changeable color schemes so that it can be adapted and reconfigured to
highlight specific products, services, or content to engage and delight
customers with fresh experiences each time they return.

The Sony Store is located at Upper Canada Mall, 17600 Yonge Street in
Newmarket, Ontario. Store hours Monday to Friday are 9:30 am to 9 pm.
Saturday store hours are 9 am to 6 pm and Sunday from 11 am to 5 pm. A
directory of all 52 Sony stores across Canada can be found at  http://www.sony.ca/html/ss_location/sonystyle_store_map.html .

*Editor’s Note:

Press releases are available for news media on the Sony of Canada news
and information website at www.sony.ca/presscentre .

About Sony of Canada Ltd.

Established in 1955, Sony of Canada Ltd. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of
Sony Corporation, of Tokyo, Japan, a world leader in High
Definition. Sony provides end-to-end solutions through products that
include the market-leading Blu-ray Disc(TM) players, BRAVIA® televisions,
Cyber-shot® digital cameras, Handycam® Camcorders, VAIO® computers,
broadcast cameras, IPELA security cameras and video conferencing and
many more products that deliver the true entertainment experience.

Sony is one of the most comprehensive entertainment companies in the
world with a portfolio that includes electronics, music, movies, games
and online businesses. With headquarters in Toronto, sales offices in
Vancouver and Montreal and distribution centres in Coquitlam, British
Columbia, and Whitby, Ontario, approximately 1,000 employees support a
network of more than 500 authorized dealers and 52 Sony retail
locations across Canada.

SOURCE Sony of Canada Ltd.

Image with caption: “Robin Powell, Vice President Retail, Sony Canada, prepares for Grand Opening of the Upper Canada Mall Sony Store (CNW Group/Sony of Canada Ltd.)”. Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20110908_C9637_PHOTO_EN_2981.jpg

Image with caption: “Customers enjoying the latest in home entertainment from Sony at the new-concept Sony Store at Upper Canada Mall (CNW Group/Sony of Canada Ltd.)”. Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20110908_C9637_PHOTO_EN_2982.jpg

Image with caption: “Sony Store employee arranging Sony headphone listening station at the new-concept Sony Store at Upper Canada Mall (CNW Group/Sony of Canada Ltd.)”. Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20110908_C9637_PHOTO_EN_2980.jpg