The implications of Covid-19 will be felt for many years to come and, it’s fair to say, the pandemic has changed the retail landscape for good. The KBB industry, however, has held up well but, with consumers at the high-end notoriously more demanding, we asked a selection of industry experts for their top tips on how best to sell luxury KBB products right now
Ricky Davies, director, Sub-Zero and Wolf UK
Offer a cooking demonstration (either in person or via video link) to show off the power, performance, ease of use and superior manufacturing of the products and why this sets them apart. (Main image shows a live Sub-Zero cookery demonstration).
Martin Canning, head of category, Häfele UK
My advice would be to sweat the small stuff. Finishing touches are vital if you wish to create a feeling of real luxury and can give the edge when designing a statement space.
Paul Bailey, senior category manager, Grohe UK
Video content in the form of demonstrations, how-to guides and even virtual tours are great for enabling potential buyers to see the products come to life and visualise how they will help them in their everyday lives.
Melissa Blewitt, retail marketing assistant, Calypso
If used correctly, technology can be a great asset in this current situation. It can enable retailers to showcase images of previous installations via a web conference or even show renders and 3D CAD models of bathrooms.
Ron Blount, business development manager, Falmec
Ironically, selling high-end products is not all about the price. It’s about the value and the underlying, unknown motives of status and style. Highlight a feature, follow up with “which means…” to explain all the inherent benefits and value.
Helen Haider, head of marketing, Fisher and Paykel
As with any sale, get your customers to try the products if possible. If that is difficult, then at least find out how they use their kitchen – how and what they cook? Do they like people to cook with them? Is their kitchen a social room in the house where children do homework and a place to have an evening glass of wine? These factors all impact how you design.
Richard Turner, national sales manager, Pronorm
Luxury purchasers can be demanding, with high expectations for service, design and quality – and that’s fine, provided everyone maintains a respect for value.