The Builders Show rebound and how value will drive success in 2014
By Craig Danielson, WOLF
If you attended the 2014 International Builders Show, you saw what I saw: a massive throng of attendees – 75,000 in all – milling around the Las Vegas Convention Center. HousingZone reported that IBS exhibitors filled 440,000 square feet of exhibit space – a huge 24% increase from last year’s total, 355,000 square feet.
There was optimism everywhere, but I noticed a much different tone to that optimism than I heard at the height of the building boom a decade or so ago. Now, even with the market improving, dealers and contractors believe that consumers will focus on one key concept: value. In fact, everywhere you looked in the exhibit hall, companies emphasized the notion of “value” through their product introductions and through their messaging.
Regardless of their price point, today’s homeowners seem to be more cautious (and why not, after the real estate collapse) – they want to be sure they’re getting value at a fair price and that they’re getting a return on their investment. In this environment, I believe high-quality products with competitive prices will enjoy the greatest success.
At WOLF, “value” is an idea we’ve built into every WOLF-branded product we’ve developed since 2010. But for us, the value proposition extends to every stop on the supply chain: the dealer earns a fair profit, the contractor gets great service and support, and the homeowner gets a product they’re happy to have at a price they’re willing to pay. By working closely with our independent dealers, WOLF is able to create products that will succeed in today’s marketplace.
The experience I had at IBS reinforces WOLF’s focus on value in our product development, and provides a strong platform for growth in 2014 and beyond.
Read the original blog post from Wolf HERE
