Last month’s article about appliances (Referrals – are they really appreciated?, August 18) generated some heated debate, both on the blog and among industry colleagues. Not everything that was discussed “off line” is printable: suffice to say there are various views about not only how you as designers deal with the sale of appliances to your clients, but also why more of you aren’t selling them yourselves.
There are, much to the dislike of most appliance retailers, designers who have direct accounts with some specific importers, and do very well from it. However importers of appliances who don’t take this approach to sales often aren’t at all happy with this situation as it can prevent their own products being promoted within the design community.
There are other designers, including some who made comment on the blog, who take their clients and supervise the sale of products THEY want (rather than allowing the client to be talked into the brand carrying the highest GP). From all accounts, this is by far the best way to manage the wants of your clients, the design aspects you are trying to achieve and, in more cases than not, the financial returns on the appliance retailer.
But by far the biggest question being asked is why more designers with the ability and the willingness, aren’t selling or being allowed to sell their favourite appliances?
Part of the issues pertains to the appliance retailers placing consignment stock into the designer’s showroom – on the condition that the sales are returned to the appliance retailer. However, two appliance retailers confirmed to TKBB that these are given to the retailer by the importer. Now if that’s the case, it begs the question that if the importer isn’t getting their return on their own investment in a designer’s showroom (because the appliance retailer switches at the point of sale to a more profitable product) why wouldn’t the same importer start offering accounts to some of the better designers out there to ensure the sale of their own products?
How brave would an appliance importer need to be for this to take place, or how desperate? Not upsetting mainstream appliance retailers is a constant battle for all importers so introducing designer accounts or a designer pro forma account could start one almighty fight!
I believe that there is a place for some members of the design community to sell appliances direct from the importer (if they want to) without upsetting appliance retailers. If a growing part of potential consumers are increasingly paying for design, and then getting the same “fee for design” designer to facilitate the build and installation, why wouldn’t they buy appliances from the same source?
We know this topic will get your tongues wagging so let’s get into it….thoughts?
