GDHA pledges extra support for indies who show more range cookers

Glen Dimplex Home Appliances (GDHA) is offering “significant” sales, marketing and financial support for up to 50 independents who are willing to get behind the firm’s range cookers.

GDHA, which has been struggling and is on a mission to turn around performance, said retailers who display a minimum of six range cookers across the firm’s Belling, Stoves and Britannia brands, will become ‘elite retailers’ and entitled to increased support from the GDHA sales team in addition to a number of other benefits.

These will include hi-tech display stands, improved margins and rebates, exclusive promotional activities, such as cooker hood promos and extended warranties for consumers, and staff incentives.

Each elite retailer will also receive improved online presence on the brand websites, with biographies, images, product listings and measured web traffic.

Mark Davison, GDHA managing director, said: “The range cooker market is a very important one for us and we are targeting significant growth in the next two years.

“Independent retailers are vital to us achieving that growth and this new initiative allows us to support them in a very tangible way in return for their loyalty and commitment to our brands.

“We think the new displays show the products at their very best and being an elite retailer gives the showrooms the opportunity to really maximise sales and grow their own businesses.”

Speaking to ERT for the September issue of the magazine, Mr Davison made it clear that GDHA’s financial performance was “not good enough at the moment” and revealed ambitions for its Stoves brand to be UK market leader within two years.

He added that the new Stoves products would put them on a par with, “if not ahead of” current market leader, Rangemaster, for which he used to be head of sales and marketing.

The firm launched its new initiative at Built-In Kitchen Appliances in Liverpool, one of the first GDHA ‘elite retailers’ and further display stands will be rolled out in the coming months, it said.

The exclusive point-of-sale materials and displays available to ‘elite retailers’ include a hero display stand that incorporates a 10in touch-screen detailing key features and benefits of the range cookers, plus row display stands, branded plinths and backboards across all the GDHA brands.

Built-in Kitchen Appliances owner Steve Woods said: “This initiative sends out a really positive message in what is a very challenging market.

“We’ve always found GDHA great to work with. Becoming an elite retailer means you qualify for a range of great benefits and enhanced support. So there are a lot of plusses to signing up.

“We’re obviously aiming to increase sales of GDHA range cookers and this partnership presents benefits for both parties.”

• Pictured above left-to-right: Ian Cullen, national account manager at GDHA;  Steve Woods, owner, Built-In Kitchen Appliances; Marion Morton, GDHA head of independent and distribution channel.