Hardwaref Housewanes : I 985 Home centers losing houseware sales

EWER HOUSEWARES are being sold each year in home centers and hardware stores as competition from other retail outlets increases.

A cooperative effort to combat the trend is being organized by the National Housewares Manufacturers Association and the National Retail Hardware Association. Nearly twothirds of the nation's retail hardware stores are deemphasizing housewares, according to research done by the NRHA.

"The plan," said Ronald J. Fippinger, managing director of NHMA, "is to provide sales people in the hardware stores better training and the background to sell housewares." Sales people better equipped to serve the customer wanting to buy housewares will bring us "one step closer to restoring thriving housewares departments in local hardware stores, thus increasing sales," he added.

The NHMA's major responsibility in the joint venture will be to assist in the development and financing of an audio visual training prsentation. At this time discussions are being held to determine which medium will be used to deliver the training information. The audio visual program for sales representatives from wholesalers as well as retailers is expected to be completed this year.

The l8th annual marketing research study completed by the National Housewares Manufacturers Association to monitor and track industry sales and marketing trends concurred with the results of the National Retail Hardware Association Study. According to their figures, mass merchandisers accounted for 3890 of their total dollar sales in 1984, the highest figure reported since the series of tracking studies was initiated l8 years ago.

Retail outlets accounted for 8390 of all housewares purchased from manufacturers while wholesalers were responsible for 1790. Surprisingly, hardware stores purchased only 390 and home centers 290. Among those outlets purchasing 590 and above, department stores accounted for l09o; catalog showrooms, 990; food stores, 1t/o; drug stores, 590. Mail order operations accounted for 290 of purchases; buyrng syndicates, ls/o, and all other categories 490

On the wholesale side, housewares/ hardware distributors purchased 590; rack jobbers, 290; electric housewares distributors, premium users, club and party plans and variety distributors, each purchased l9o. Drug distributors, premium distributors and stamp plan suppliers purchased less than .0590. All other purchases accounted for 590.

Home centers and hardwares experiencing a decline in their housewares sales would be wise to follow the lead of the associations and beef up the product knowledge of their employees. They also should look to their competition to see why they are being outsold.

Story at a Glance

Associations fight lower sales new training video due this year. .mass merchandisers, department, drug and food stores outsell home centers/ hardware stores.