feature: tools of the trade
“Anything to make the consumer’s life easier is a huge plus!”
This month, in our ongoing series in which we speak to the biggest brands and manufacturers to get their advice on selling their appliances in your shops, we hear from John Davies, Head of Marketing at SMEG, who gives us the lowdown on selling the company’s products.
L
uxury Italian appliance brand Smeg is most well-known for its retro fridges
and small appliances. However, Smeg offers a huge range of built-in appliances covering all aesthetics and price points to suit the tastes and needs of all retailers and consumers. In fact, the breadth of built-in appliances on offer at Smeg is one of the widest in the industry. Built-in appliances are the ideal solution for
many kitchen designs as they create a sleek and streamlined environment, while freeing up plenty of space to enjoy family meals and entertain at home. Large, open-plan kitchen diners are a growing trend, and built-in offers the best solution here. Not only are built-in appliances ideal for flexibility, but there are a variety of space-saving installation and layout options to choose from. When it comes to making a sale, retailers should ensure they know each product inside- out, including how it performs and its various functions. A top tip would be to simply explain to the consumer how and why they may need a product and demonstrate how it will easily fit into their existing lifestyle - demos and consumer events are a great way to show this! Across various specs and price points, each oven offers a selection of different functions, so knowing the difference between these is paramount, as it offers an incredible opportunity for upsell. Our Linea, Victoria and Dolce Stil Novo ranges are a clear focus area as they can offer steam and combi ovens which boast additional features such as the option of pyrolytic cleaning. To give the retailer an edge, these all qualify for class leading 5-year warranties and trade up options such as matching hobs and accessories which allow for strong margin opportunity. Smeg’s built-in sector continues to grow, with
new collections and designs launching year on year. Starting with the built-in Victoria collection, which combines beautiful, traditional styling across double, single and compact ovens with a range of modern technology, these include cooking functions, spacious capacity, soft close doors and digital controls. The Victoria range has a lot of character with its bold retro style, door profile and detailing – available in black, white,
October/November 2019
cream and stainless steel. In fact, it is the only built-in oven on the market which caters to this traditional retro style – a key USP of this range. Next up, Smeg’s Linea range of built-in appliances is perfect for those looking to create a unified look throughout the kitchen. The range features compact ovens, steam ovens, coffee machines, extractor hoods, hobs, warming drawers, wine coolers and even matching sinks and taps. The Linea collection is available in silver glass, black and white to complement a variety of kitchen interiors. The 60cm SFP6104STS Linea Steam Assisted Oven retains the features of Smeg’s previous top-spec models, but now offers steam injection to guarantee superb cooking results. In addition, the Classic range is simple yet sophisticated. The mix of stainless steel and black Eclipse glass – another USP of Smeg’s - is a design that can suit a wide variety of kitchens, both modern and traditional. Depending on the size of the kitchen, the Classic range has a selection of larger 90cm models like the SF9390X1 90cm multifunction oven - perfect for larger families and those who like to host at home. After being restyled in 2018, Smeg’s Cucina range provides an extensive choice for any new kitchen design. The Cucina range now features stainless steel, black and a new silver glass. While
the black and silver glass colourways feature a shiny metal trim, the stainless-steel model features Eclipse glass. This means the oven door is perfectly opaque when not in use but offers clear vision into the main cavity once turned on. The Cucina range has been designed specifically with architects, designers and the kitchen studio market in mind. The key to selling built-in ovens is making them appear as desirable as a statement model like a range cooker, and with six ranges to choose from in total, customers have complete design freedom meaning it isn’t hard to find the perfect style statement. The flexibility a built-in collection offers is vast – customers can mix-and-match to their heart’s content, and often benefit from technological advancements and bonus features that many other appliances do not. Retailers must remember the opportunity for upsell is huge – customers may walk through your doors looking to purchase an oven but leave with a matching hob, hood, wine cooler, dishwasher and so forth. The best advice we can offer retailers would be to invest in a strong, solid lifestyle display to offer consumers the chance to imagine the products in situ, and begin thinking about how they would look in their own home. It is also worth highlighting beneficial features such as Pyrolytic cleaning – anything to make the consumer’s life easier is a huge plus!
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