By Patrick Avenell
SYDNEY: With winter now completely upon us, suppliers are urging retailers to stock up on heating products, hence ensuring they have enough product to meet demand once the mercury drops sharply in July and August.
Based on the Earth’s positioning in relation to the Sun, winter only officially commenced last Sunday (21 June). That means there’s still three months of cold weather before spring begins on 22 September, the date of the vernal equinox.
“Retailers should buy before they miss out,” said De’Longhi product manager, heating, Helen Finlayson. “Get in before the stock’s exhausted, because the weather has certainly started to turn as you can see.”
De’Longhi has been on the front foot so far this heating season, running a cashback campaign on its electric blanket range, which Finlayson reported had been very successful. The Italian supplier is now proving strong competition in this market, which was previously monopolised by a single rival.
Finlayson commented that the current range was doing very well.
“We have nine models: three in polyester, three in woolfleece and three in cotton quilted; we do single, we do queen and we do king,” she said.
When asked for her opinion on the category as a whole, and how heating will do this winter, Finlayson was cautiously optimistic. Her message, however, is clear: you can’t sell heaters if you don’t have them in stock.
“I think they’re going to have good sell through because the weather’s definitely turning and it’s still relatively early in the season. People will still go in and buy a heater in June, there’s still ample time for them to capitalise on the sell through.”