De’Longhi announces 30 per cent of heating stock already sold

By Martin Vedris

SYDNEY: With the official start of Winter still over a month away, De’Longhi is urging retailers to start stocking up on heating products to avoid missing out as the company has already sold over 30 per cent of its stock.

“It’s been a good start to the year,” said De’Longhi product manager Major Appliances and Comfort, Helen Finlayson.

“We’re barely into the heating season and De’Longhi has already sold one third of its stock. We ordered 30 per cent more this season because the past couple of years we sold out of all stock before the end of Winter.”

Finlayson highlighted that a traditional ordering pattern of heating products is getting later each year, but suggests that this can lead to missed sales opportunities.

“Historically, heating orders were made in February and the stock was supplied in March but now retailers are waiting for a cold snap to start stocking heating products.

“We are urging retailers to consider stocking heating products on their floor before it gets cold because when the cold snap finally hits and customers come in and the retailer doesn’t have stock on the floor, the customers will walk out without making a purchase.”

De’Longhi is confident of having a strong heating season this year and predicts it will claim the number one market position in heating by the end of the season.

“Last year we achieved 15 per cent of the total heating market share to July 2007 and 41 per cent of the oil column heating market in value share,” said Finlayson. “This year we will claim the number one position in heating. In addition to the additional stock we ordered this year, we have enough differentiation in the range at different price points so retailers can sell up.”

Finlayson predicted that De’Longhi’s Micathermic heaters will be particularly popular this year.

“Mica Technology combines both convection and reflective heating to efficiently heat air,” said Finlayson. “This mix of heating methods distributes warm air more evenly and quicker than conventional heaters and De’Longhi’s SDH2000 Micathermic Technology Heater can be used as either a single-sided personal heater or double-sided. Heat and temperature settings can be viewed at a glance on the LCD display and it comes with a full function, infra red remote control.”