Stoves Rewards Retailers with Ace Initiative

Cooking appliance brand, Stoves, has just signed up its 200th retailer to a dedicated support initiative designed to help independent retailers increase profits.

The Stoves and Ace Centre initiative was launched in the latter half of last year, to support retailers through the provision of training, product information and merchandising support. Importantly, the scheme also offers retailers access to exclusive discounts, promotions and tailored marketing materials.

L – R: Steve Woods, manager at Built In Kitchens and Richie Bleasdale, area sales manager at GDHA

The initiative works over two levels, catering for smaller retailers as well as the more sizeable. Stoves centres are those who stock six to nine Accolade products and an Ace (Accolade Centre of Excellence) centre stocks 10 or more Accolade products.

Retailers who join as a Stoves or Ace Centre benefit from thorough training on the products they are selling, which can either be carried out at the GDHA training centre in Prescot, or in house at their individual retail outlet.

Steve Woods, Manager of Built In Kitchens, recently became the 200th retailer to sign up to the scheme. His Liverpool based business became an Ace centre when he had an Accolade show room installed, stocking over 45 products. He has already seen the benefits: 'The initiative was a great opportunity to build our relationship with Stoves and expand the range of products we stock, which are very pleasing on the eye.

'The on-site training provided by Stoves was invaluable and has given the staff here much more confidence as they now know the products, their functionalities and the benefits of having them, and are at ease communicating this to the buyer.'

Richard Bleasdale, Area Sales Manager for GDHA, who recently recruited Built In Kitchens onto the scheme as an Ace centre, says: 'The initiative for retailers has been very popular and over 20 in my area are now listed as Stoves or Ace centres. The discounts the retailers receive on this scheme are exclusive and with the products being of such high standard, it proves a successful combination. We have recruited over 200 retailers onto the scheme since Sept and intend to cap this once we hit 250, to ensure that the retailers involved in the scheme continue to benefit from the exclusive promotions'.

Web: http://www.stoves.co.uk

Picture from L – R: Steve Woods, manager at Built In Kitchens and Richie Bleasdale, area sales manager at GDHA.