COMMENT AND OPINION | Letters Letters


Put your money where your mouth is


ADAPTING TO new ideas and incorporating them into your business can be a challenge. It is only natural to err on the side of caution when making changes and many retailers understandably take the ‘if it isn’t broken, why fi x it?’ approach.


Trends and technology move on at a pace and making any change is a big investment, both in terms of money, but also in the time it takes to train staff. And who is to say that, after all that, the product will be right for your business? The same can be said for product investment too, with kitchen and bathroom trends shifting with the seasons, yet independent retailers needing to make tough choices over their displays and their stock to ensure they appeal to their target market. A big investment in a kitchen technology trend that turns out to be more of a passing fad, for example, could mean stock dates too quickly, leaving the retailer with little option than to offer end-of-line discounts and take a cut in their profi t margins. It is small wonder that sales reps often have a hard task when signing up new retailers and persuading them that their products are worth the investment. Regardless of how confi dent the rep is in what they are selling, getting buy-in from retailers when it involves any form of change can be a task in itself. What manufacturers need is to gain the retailer’s


trust, particularly when the product or service is new or relatively unknown in the marketplace. Increasingly, manufacturers


are offering longer


and longer guarantees on their products, as a way of securing consumer confi dence, but the retailer is often left out of the picture. Of course, the retailer can benefi t from warranties


and guarantees with peace of mind that they won’t have call-backs on products they sell. But where are the incentives for retailers? Guarantees are a way for manufacturers to demonstrate they have every faith in the quality of their products, however very few manufacturers put their money where their mouth is and say with any authority that their product can actually uplift sales, which would surely be the ultimate way to secure buy-in from retailers. Could offering a money-back guarantee be the solution? Yes, as long as this is entered into with equal commitment from both the retailer and the manufacturer. Offering this kind of guarantee is a symbol that you stand behind your product and believe in its worth. As an industry, we often hear complaints that


products end up having margins eroded, because they are sold on price. This doesn’t need to be the case. By reducing the perceived risk, newcomers to a revolutionary new product are more likely to make the change. This can also be an effective way of standing out from the crowd and for brands to differentiate – important in a crowded marketplace. Offering a money-back guarantee gives the


manufacturer or service provider time to build a relationship with new customers. Surely, if manufacturers have confi dence that their


products are revolutionary, we should be able to stand behind them fi nancially in order to build closer links with our valued retail partners. In these changing times, perhaps it


is time for


manufacturers to put their money where their mouth is and actively demonstrate complete confi dence in their product. We certainly are.


Nathan Maclean, managing director, Virtual Worlds


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kbbreview · December 2019


Passionate about innovation


IT WAS encouraging to read such passionate responses in the October issue to my original opinion piece arguing that there appears to be a lack of innovation in the kitchen industry. Hats


off to those manufacturers and


retailers who are responding to changes in the way people are using their homes by offering innovation and forward-thinking designs. Only with more of an innovative approach from designers will consumers have the confi dence to go against the grain with their own kitchen design. Judging by the reader responses, it would appear that the will is there, so we will wait to see with interest any further advancements within the industry.


Daniel Bowler, director, Eggersmann UK


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