UK retail unconvinced by 3D and the cloud

UK retailers remain unconvinced of the value of cloud computing and 3D technology, despite the fact they have been two of the hottest topics in the tech industry this year and are being heavily pushed by some of the biggest firms in the market.

The PCR Channel Survey canvassed 100 independent technology retailers and resellers across the country, and only 23 per cent thought 3D would take off in 2011, compared to 55 per cent who said a definite no, and 22 per cent who were unsure. A common feeling among respondents was that the technology would not become mainstream while glasses were still a necessity.

“No way are people going to sit in their living rooms watching TV in 3D glasses, not a chance,” one retailer told us. Another said: “In the cinema, yes I can see the point, but I haven’t had anybody in my shop asking for it.”

Retail’s scepticism extended to another burgeoning sector – cloud computing. Despite major vendors such as Microsoft putting major muscle behind the technology, just 30 per cent thought the ‘cloud revolution’ would be of any benefit to the UK trade. Many of the retailers and resellers PCR spoke to were not even sure what the cloud was.

Elsewhere in the survey, indies remained defiant against incursions from retail monoliths like Asda and Tesco into the tech space. While 23 per cent named supermarkets as the biggest threat to the channel, a whopping 63 per cent said they would not become major players in repair and support.