CATEGORIES & CRITERIA

new for 2026

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Best New Product – Floorcare

Your entry should describe the product, when it was launched and the need it addresses within the floorcare category. It should highlight what makes the product innovative, its design, features, performance and ease of use, and explain how it stands out from competitors. Evidence of market response, build quality, marketing support and commercial performance should be included, supported by images, specifications, reviews or sales data.

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Best Industry Service & Support Provider

Your entry should describe the business, the services it provides and how it supports retailers or the wider industry. It should demonstrate the quality of service, customer support and the value delivered to clients, including examples of impact such as improved performance, growth or efficiency. Evidence of innovation, service development and business performance over the last 12 months should be included, supported by case studies, testimonials or performance data.

 

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Distinguished Industry Contributor of the Year

Your entry should outline the individual’s role, career and length of service within the industry, and explain why they are considered a distinguished contributor. It should highlight their long-term impact on the sector, including key achievements, leadership and influence, and show how they have supported or developed others. Supporting evidence such as testimonials, examples of industry involvement, recognition or measurable outcomes should be included.

 

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Retailer Social Media Campaign Star of the Year

Your entry should describe the social media campaign, including its aims, the platforms used and the period it covered. It should explain the content and creative approach, how the campaign engaged customers and supported the wider business, and how social media was used effectively. Entries should include evidence of results such as growth in engagement, reach, followers, enquiries or sales, supported by examples such as screenshots, links or performance data.

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Retailer Best Breakthrough Talent Award

Your entry should profile the individual, their role and their development over the last 12 months, explaining why they are considered a breakthrough talent. It should demonstrate the impact they have had on the business, highlight their skills, attitude and potential, and include details of any training or development they have undertaken. Supporting evidence such as performance results, feedback or testimonials should be included where possible.

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Industry Personality of the Year

Your entry should outline the individual’s role, achievements and influence within the industry over the last 12 months, explaining why they are considered an outstanding industry personality. It should demonstrate their impact through leadership, innovation, advocacy or engagement with the sector, and show how they support or inspire others. Supporting evidence such as testimonials, recognition, media activity or measurable outcomes should be included.

RETAILER AWARDS

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Best Independent Electrical Retailer Shopfront

Awarded to an independent retailer that offers unique and eye-catching window displays and uses its shopfront as an extension of its instore space – to grab people’s attention, promote products/services or for marketing purposes. Full criteria >

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Best Independent Consumer Electronics Retailer – Large

Awarded to the independent consumer electronics retailer with an annual turnover over £2 million. Full criteria >

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Best Sustainable Independent Electrical Retailer

Awarded to an independent electrical retailer that demonstrates initiative and proven positive adaptation to their business in order to be more sustainable and energy efficient. Full criteria >

 

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Best Independent Consumer Electronics Retailer – Small

Awarded to the independent consumer electronics retailer with an annual turnover under £2 million.  Full criteria >

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Sales Excellence Award

Awarded to an electrical retail salesperson that has demonstrated  that demonstrates attentiveness to customer needs, product knowledge and goes the extra mile to ensure customer satisfaction as part of their ongoing work ethic. Full criteria >

 

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Best Independent Kitchen Retailer Showroom

Awarded to an independent kitchen retailer that offers a unique showroom and utilises its space and kitchen displays to proactively drive sales forward. Full criteria >

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Best Independent Electrical Retailer Website

Awarded to an independent electrical retailer with a web retail platform that boosts their business and enhances the customer’s overall retail experience. Full criteria >

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Best Independent Electrical Retailer - Custom Install

Awarded to an independent retailer that has developed its brown goods custom installation offering in line with the growth of its associated product areas. Full criteria >

 

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Best Independent Domestic Appliances Retailer – Small

Awarded to an independent domestic appliance retailer, with an annual turnover under £2 million. Full criteria >

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Best Independent Domestic Appliances Retailer – Large

Awarded to the independent domestic appliance retailer with an annual turnover over £2 million. Full criteria >

manufacturer/supplier AWARDS

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Best New Product – Small Domestic Appliances

Awarded to a new small domestic appliance product available to the UK market from 1 January 2025.

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Best Industry Training Provider

This award is given to a manufacturer or supplier that provides training to electrical retailers.

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Best New Product - Major Domestic Appliances

Awarded to a new major domestic appliance product available to the UK market from 1 January 2025.

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Best New Product – Consumer Electronics

Awarded to a new consumer electronics product available to the UK market from 1 January 2025.

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BEST MANUFACTURER/SUPPLIER CUSTOMER SERVICE

Awarded to a manufacturer or supplier that provides the highest level of customer service.

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Best Industry Distributor

Awarded to a supplier/distributor that has demonstrated effective order fulfilment, has proved to be a key link between retailers and brands, and contributed towards mutual business growth.

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Best Manufacturer/Supplier Sustainability Initiative

Awarded to a consumer electronics or home appliances manufacturer or supplier that demonstrates a proven positive adaptation to their business in order to be more sustainable. Full criteria >

Awarded to an independent retailer that offers unique and eye-catching window displays and uses its shopfront as an extension of its instore space – to grab people’s attention, promote products/services or for marketing purposes. Picture evidence in this category is a must for our judges!

Details to include in your entry:

  • Description of the business’s history and where you are today in comparison to last year. Please provide additional evidence of this, for example: growth, investment, turnover, profits, size, staffing levels, product range, etc.
  • Showroom details – including design and layout, any products displayed and experiences available to customers, with evidence through a floor plan and images or videos to support.
  • Examples of marketing activity, including details of how your business engages with customers and the local community. Any PR, advertising, social media and digital marketing strategies, showing results over the last 12 months. Details and evidence of customer events.
  • Description of a multichannel strategy – Explaining how the web platform compliments the physical retail store. Examples to include online product videos, incentives to convert web visitor to store visitor and the overall user-friendliness of the website.
  • Evidence of staff training – Details of what training is available, internal and external.
  • Customer service strategy – description of strategy including customer feedback and reviews.

Awarded to an independent electrical retailer that demonstrates initiative and proven positive adaptation to their business in order to be more sustainable and energy efficient. The judges will be looking for examples of how you have changed your business for the better and what practices you have introduced to help reduce your carbon footprint.

If possible, include information on how these changes have impacted your business, and what you have done, or what you do, to publicise your sustainable initiatives in order to expand your customer base.

Details to include in your entry:

Description of the business’s history and where you are today in comparison to last year. Please provide additional evidence of this, for example: growth, investment, turnover, profits, size, staffing levels, product range, etc.
Showroom details – including design and layout, any products displayed and experiences available to customers, with evidence through a floor plan and images or videos to support.
Examples of marketing activity, including details of how your business engages with customers and the local community. Any PR, advertising, social media and digital marketing strategies, showing results over the last 12 months. Details and evidence of customer events.
Description of a multichannel strategy – Explaining how the web platform compliments the physical retail store. Examples to include online product videos, incentives to convert web visitor to store visitor and the overall user-friendliness of the website.
Evidence of staff training – Details of what training is available, internal and external.
Customer service strategy – description of strategy including customer feedback and reviews.

Details to include in your entry:

Description of achievements to include details and evidence of customer feedback, any sales records and accolades, training undertaken to ensure top knowledge of products, any other details of how the nominated staff member goes above and beyond to the benefit of both the customer and the business.

Awarded to an independent kitchen retailer that offers a unique showroom and utilises its space and kitchen displays to proactively drive sales forward. Demonstration of products in innovative, high quality room settings is essential.

Include information about how your kitchen sales have developed and how they have impacted your business. Don’t forget to include plenty of pictures of your kitchen showroom(s) for our judges to see!

Details to include in your entry:

  • Web platform efficiency – demonstrate a user-friendly interface, accurate and clear product details, and simplistic customer process from product selection to confirmation of the order.
  • Description of the business’s history and where you are today in comparison to last year. Please provide additional evidence of this, for example: growth, investment, turnover, profits, size, staffing levels, product range, etc.
  • Details and evidence of digital marketing strategy and results.
  • Customer service strategy – description of strategy including customer feedback and reviews.

Awarded to an independent retailer that has developed its brown goods custom installation offering in line with the growth of its associated product areas. Whether it’s whole home audio, home cinemas, lighting systems, or networking and automation solutions, retailers should describe the integration services they offer and demonstrate how they have utilised the margin opportunities to help develop their business.

Even if it’s simply fixing a standard-size TV to the wall, the judges will want to see how retailers go the extra mile to cater to their customers’ needs.

Retailers should include examples of some of their best installation projects – with images if possible – describing the original requirements, the end result and the work that was carried out.

Details to include in your entry:

  • Description of the business’s history and where you are today in comparison to last year. Please provide additional evidence of this, for example: growth, investment, turnover, profits, size, staffing levels, product range, etc.

  • Showroom details – including design and layout, any products displayed and experiences available to customers, with evidence through a floor plan and images or videos to support.

  • Examples of marketing activity, including details of how your business engages with customers and the local community. Any PR, advertising, social media and digital marketing strategies, showing results over the last 12 months. Details and evidence of customer events.

  • Description of a multichannel strategy – Explaining how the web platform compliments the physical retail store. Examples to include online product videos, incentives to convert web visitor to store visitor and the overall user-friendliness of the website.

  • Evidence of staff training – Details of what training is available, internal and external.

  • Customer service strategy – description of strategy including customer feedback and reviews.

Details to include in your entry:

Description of the business’s history and where you are today in comparison to last year. Please provide additional evidence of this, for example: growth, investment, turnover, profits, size, staffing levels, product range, etc.
Showroom details – including design and layout, any products displayed and experiences available to customers, with evidence through a floor plan and images or videos to support.
Examples of marketing activity, including details of how your business engages with customers and the local community. Any PR, advertising, social media and digital marketing strategies, showing results over the last 12 months. Details and evidence of customer events.
Description of a multichannel strategy – Explaining how the web platform compliments the physical retail store. Examples to include online product videos, incentives to convert web visitor to store visitor and the overall user-friendliness of the website.
Evidence of staff training – Details of what training is available, internal and external.
Customer service strategy – description of strategy including customer feedback and reviews.

Awarded to a consumer electronics or home appliances manufacturer or supplier that demonstrates a proven positive adaptation to their business in order to be more sustainable. Whether it’s making changes to business practices to help reduce your carbon footprint, expanding your line-up of energy efficient products, or a particularly successful consumer-facing sustainability campaign to help raise awareness, include as much detail as you can if you think your efforts are worthy of this award. Where applicable, include information on how you publicise your sustainable initiatives in order to appeal to a wider audience.