“People move a lot more now, and they’re concerned about having to pack up what they buy. But as Vassil points out, younger consumers are different from their parents in more ways than taste. If classic collectibles brands are to maintain their appeal, they must recruit new collectors while keeping the established followers happy this is often a delicate balancing act, as existing collectors are apt to protest changes in the lines they love. We also develop specific products for them and the Danbury Mint: it broadens the audience.” A different approach “We still cherish retail stores, and develop product for them, but we have to be cognizant of what’s going on in other distribution channels. Pedone goes one step further, searching for channels outside of shops altogether. “And we’re targeting new distribution channels in shops where we weren’t previously present.” “We’re extremely serious about our distribution, trying to avoid gray marketers,” he explains.
Gallego agrees with the importance of protecting distribution as well as finding new channels. Vassil plans to stay with high end stores and keep distribution very limited, but the company also licenses “inspired by Boehm” designs that the parent company sells at home shows, a process which both serves as advertising and pays for expensive magazine ads for high-end product.
Boehm opened showrooms in Dallas and Atlanta to reach new customers and increase distribution. That’s decreased the value of collectibles.”ĭifferent companies have handled this challenge in different ways. “And you can go into Sam’s Club and see Waterford and Baccarat. “Plus, there’s the consolidation of some of the big department stores,” says Vassil. The biggest challenge for many classic collectible brands has been loss of distribution, with a number of the high-end stores that sell them having gone out of business in recent years. To that end, Lladro has produced advertising and even a book that encourages collectors to move sculptures out of the cabinets and into different areas of the home. Their idea isn’t to change the product, but to change how the product is used. Lladro USA, Moonachie, New Jersey, is also pushing “the home decor approach,” according to chief executive Fernando Gallego. Armani has tackled the problem by retooling and expanding its product line to include product that is explicitly home decor-oriented, including a number of lamps and wall reliefs, as well as more modern, unusual figures.
0 kommentar(er)
