MTI Introduces Freedom Universal Merchandising System
Latest generation of interactive displays enhance retailers' ability to merchandise a variety of hand-held consumer electronic products

 

 

 

Hillsboro, Ore. - May 25, 2006 - MTI today announced availability of its latest generation Freedom™ merchandising system. Freedom Universal™ is a unique solution for displaying a full range of hand-held consumer electronic products in retail stores.

Freedom Universal's improvements far surpass the previous generation system. It now provides a merchandising platform for a broader range of CE products including not only digital cameras, camcorders and PDAs, but the newest MP3 players, and portable GPS systems and satellite radios as well. Second, the system delivers an even higher level of product security via new mechanical and electronic mounting and alarming capabilities. Third, Freedom Universal represents the new standard in ease of use-simplifying both product merchandising, and installation and field maintenance of the display itself.

"MTI is well known for listening to its customers and acting on their suggestions for improving the design and functionality of our displays," said Eric Pitt, product manager for hand-held product displays. "Freedom Universal is evidence of that practice, and as such, we expect it to be very favorably received among a growing class of retailers."

The name Freedom Universal represents the key feature of the display: universal power. This means it can be used to display-in fully-powered mode virtually any hand-held consumer electronic device.

The Universal system is offered with a selection of smart power cables to accommodate particular makes and models of the displayed devices. Whenever the retailer adds a new device, the SKU-specific Smart Cable provided will automatically deliver the appropriate power voltage. This relieves the retailer of having to manually program the display for each new SKU that is added.

The system is also available in various configurations with one-inch and/or four-inch product mounting bases, giving retailers a wider range of merchandising options. Additional mounting accessories are available to accommodate the display of products that are non-standard or unique in size or form factor.

Security on Freedom Universal is both mechanical and electronic. First, the display secures each displayed product with a conventional tripod mounting screw. Second, a series of audible and visual alarms (e.g., buzzers and LEDs) is built into the display. Two alarm module packages are available (four-position and 16-position), providing cost-optimized solutions to best match the number of product positions on a particular display.

Retailers periodically need to update their displays to accommodate newly introduced products or to perform routine maintenance due to ordinary wear and tear. Freedom Universal's modular design makes swapping out products a simple operation, and it allows for the field-replacement of individual components rather than the entire display itself. This minimizes the time and labor required for both tasks and keeps costs down.

To further accommodate existing Freedom users, MTI designed Freedom Universal to be backward compatible. This means that a number of its components can operate in conjunction with earlier generation cables, key switches, audible alarms and power supplies, which also helps keep user costs down.

About MTI

Headquartered in Hillsboro, Ore., MTI is a privately held company that has been building interactive merchandising displays for consumer electronics retailers since 1977. It remains the leading provider of turn-key solutions, including design, fabrication, installation and support. Four of the top five consumer electronics retailers in the U.S. build their sales with MTI displays. To find more information, contact the company at 1050 NW 229th Ave., Hillsboro, OR 97124, 503.648.6500 x 357, or visit www.mti-interactive.com