MONITORING THE BUILT-IN APPLIANCES SECTOR IN ITALY

Abstract

This report studies the behaviour of the Italian purchasers of built-in appliances, taking into consideration: sales performance for kitchens and built-in electrical appliances, purchasing criteria by major purchasers of built-in electrical appliances, development of brand-name image and customer satisfaction of major purchaser of built-in electrical appliances. The study is based on 170 telephone interviews with kitchen manufacturers and built-in appliances wholesalers.

Distribution flows and purchases of built-in household electrical appliances are analysed by customer type (kitchen furniture producers, wholesalers of built-in electrical appliances). As far as product type is concerned, the report provides a focus on sinks with data on sales by material (inox/stainless steel, composite materials, ceramics, other materials), colour, customer type (kitchen manufacturers, built-in appliances wholesalers), geographical area, price range.

The analysis of brand name-image covers 6 years and provides a ranking of the main quoted brands by type of customer (kitchen manufacturers, built-in appliances wholesalers) and by product (refrigerators, cooking appliances, dishwashers, hoods, sinks).

The report also studies the development of the criteria used to select the suppliers of built-in electrical appliances. The results confirm that the three key criteria are product reliability, punctual delivery and speed of re-stocking, while other considered criteria are: prices, wide product range, easy assembling design, advertising campaigns and availability of promotional materials, post-sales technical assistance.

The opinions on the built-in appliances brands expressed by the interviewed companies are organised according to brand name, type of customer (kitchen manufacturers, built-in appliances wholesalers), customer dimension (large scale customers, small and medium-sized customers), criteria used to select the suppliers of built-in electrical appliances. Covered brands: Aeg, Ariston, Bauknecht, Blanco, Bosch, Candy, CM, Electrolux, Elica, Faber, Falmec, Foster, Franke, Ignis, Indesit, Miele, Nardi, Ocean, Rex, Samet, Schock, Siemens, Smeg, Star, Telma, Turboair, Whirlpool, Zanussi.

Addresses of 170 Italian kitchen furniture producers and built-in appliances wholesalers are also provided.

Among the covered products: built-in household electric appliances, kitchen furniture, refrigerators, cooking appliances (hobs, ovens), dishwashers, hoods, sinks.