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I recently to understand the current bathroom faucet hardware store marketing, sales and marketing, and found from the most common twenty or thirty dollars to hundreds of thousands of dollars of high-end brands, use different brands of kitchen taps the same price disparity.

With the stainless steel faucet manufacturing process in the country gradually mature, whether in production or on grade, stainless steel faucet has greatly improved, although a smaller share in the domestic market, but because of their health, environmental protection, durability, etc., in recent years more and more consumers, leading gradually to seize market share copper, stainless steel bathroom faucet has become the industry s development trend.

In addition, in recent years, the whole bathroom space with a big bathroom brands strive to pursue the development of the object, the traditional ceramic sanitary ware brand in order to obtain a bigger market pie, fully integrated bathroom, hardware accessories and the overall design of the advantages of space, a bathroom industry, another major growth market. Domestic faucet manufacturer is also by virtue of this channel, began to enter the industry in high-end brand market.

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Selling style VS selling Quality

In the brilliant plumbing store, I see the tap is generally two or three hundred of the price within the individual leading to more high-end antique 800 yuan. Both in the shape of the basin leading a price of almost $ 170 while the next is up to 360 yuan, Purchasing Guide tells us: “In fact, a closer look, they are different, this thick, a lot of your waist to use it is better quality, but also our latest styles, of course, expensive. ”

The author based in China Sanitary Ware store has also been marketing a similar response, except that they show the hall where the balance of up to two taps, the taps in the various showroom models accounted for nearly half of the area, the price difference also great, from the most common twenty or thirty dollars to nearly thousand dollars, but most are still concentrated in the four hundred dollars price range or less. This service booth explained: “Because this is based, so all models will be produced here displayed, there is we have our own factory, has a production base in brilliant, so many styles, like some stickers card companies, they are often less style. “I asked a high price of the product to the store, she said these are new companies, but also the most popular design on the market, because of the high cost of the new design, Although the price of your points, very popular with consumers. She said the company s product positioning in the mid-range, cost is particularly high, the store selling the product is already discounted price, based on the play, which is easily accepted by consumers.

In another brand of faucet did not identify the store, the price tag most of the above within the two hundred yuan, when asked about the actual retail price, the boss did not give a fixed discount, the price of each style but their random given, if the wholesale price, but also cheaper.

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Compared with ordinary leader, some well-known brands of faucets pay more attention to product quality and practicality. Benefit of the bathroom inside the store, I see the show table shows some of the taps, according to the manager explained, because the decoration to be upgraded, and now the store s display products can be sold directly, and 4.5 fold for special treatment, if usually in the warehouse getting goods at least 30% off. The remaining taps, price is generally six or seven hundred. Small a basin faucet, not even the special features on the surface, looks very ordinary, the price of three hundred yuan. When I asked why and she said it was determined the quality of products, there is the after-sales service. “We have a shelf life of five years, one year warranty period can, in fact, to spend ten years our products have no problem, and you see those styles actually used cheaper products will soon be broken up. “manager of its interpretation of the price to do so.

TOTO s high prices in the store brand is far more prominent. I saw in the store, the same cabinet basin faucet, where the lowest bid should be more than 1,000 yuan, or even your $ 37 million, and ordinary shower faucet is a thousand dollars. According to Miss Ho Purchasing Guide describes the store, some one thousand of those three taps are imported from Germany, the price of high tariffs and freight with a great relationship, and those who are a little cheaper in domestic production. Miss Ho also introduced several leading production in Dalian, those leading style are quite satisfactory, and did not form a complex process, it seems very common. When asked why such a simple style to sell expensive, the Miss Ho smiled and explained: “Our product does not depend on style design, but by the quality of which several are more like the classic style, without too much popular colors our company s factory produces only one of each thing, as you just saw the faucet on only in Dalian production. production process, every process is rigorously checked, so it is highly normative. “In the shop in a circle tour carefully, I found that the bathroom products are% off store, discount store than the other to be higher.

According to industry analysts, squeezing the face of foreign brands, domestic enterprises need to tap the face of how to keep the domestic market share and continue to expand the international market the dual problem. In a buyer s market, products, technologies, services, three essential, which is the core competitiveness of the brand. In fact, do not have to import high-end, not low in China, many foreign companies looking for Chinese OEM is an obvious example. But in fact, Chinese-made products are used in high-end faucet place is really rare.

“Lack of high-end brand for an industry, not a good thing. Take the leading industry, we all crowded on the boat to middle and low, there must be part of the business was packed badly beaten. Competitors, and more , and we are obsessed with the price war, the one who would be willing to price sales. “a dealer friend told the author. Most domestic plumbing brands still remain competitive in the price level, even some famous brand enterprises, largely rely on elegant, fashionable and popular design to raise prices, and improve product quality and grades improved, and companies are seems weak and vague goals.

Brass faucet Stainless Steel Faucet VS

With the stainless steel faucet manufacturing process in the country gradually mature, regardless of manufacturer or grade, stainless steel faucet has greatly improved, but also in the material, stainless steel, healthier, more environmentally friendly 100% recycled. Stainless steel faucet in the country is an emerging product, although a smaller share in the domestic market, but because of their health, environmental protection, durability, etc., in recent years more and more consumers, and as manufacturing technology maturity will also become increasingly popular, leading to seize more market share copper, stainless steel bathroom faucet will become the future industry trends.

There are four main faucet material, namely copper, PVC materials, cast iron, stainless steel, while the domestic market, mostly in the high-end faucet copper as the main raw material. According to experts, often leading casting of copper and copper content of lead is 4% -8%, if the tap when not in a long time, will produce the green patina wall, which released the existence of substances may lead to the water inside, drinking lead too much water can cause lead poisoning, not only will affect the growth of intelligence of consumers, but also seriously affect the health impact on children will be even greater.

Copper rust easily, so the surface is usually copper plating, that is, the surface layer of nickel or chromium plating, and plating the pros and cons depending on the quality of its plating, thickness, will gradually peel off. Fast by year, slowly losing those 3-5 years, surface gloss, from the pits, and finally plating layer peeling off, exposing the rust, affecting the appearance and use, requiring constantly changing, which resulted in waste of resources. The electroplating wastewater generated by the environmental pollution is very serious.

In our interview, found that almost all businesses have said they are copper material made of copper taps, according to industry sources said some of his peers, in fact, many companies do not pass quality copper material, copper faucet because of some middle and low electroplating process is poor, does not take a year or two out will fall off that layer of plating layer, so it is prone to rust.

I understand that, do not tap the surface of stainless steel plating, which requires only surface polishing, grinding and other physical treatment process, and maintain a permanent bright shiny silver, never rust, more environmentally friendly and durable, and easy to clean.

In addition, copper is expensive, and the price is volatile, and has been the rise. A professional production of total faucet business Kwong this bluntly: “Now for us, the impact of rising copper is the biggest factor in our little yard, do OEM, or rely on a little bit of difference to maintain. “Copper prices, if you tap along with prices, may lead to loss of customers, not price increases profit margins narrow and difficult to sustain an OEM type companies, which also contributed to many strong brands began to enter the stainless steel faucet product development and production.

Benefits up to sanitary a company official said, their use is the leading copper A-59 copper, the price of each quarter in 45000-50000 yuan float, and 304 stainless steel (not steel) cost about 34,000 yuan / ton , the current domestic and foreign copper taps are the most high-end, more high-end market positioning. Compared to copper, stainless steel faucet relatively hard material, waterways bad casting, and sealing is not good, but look more beautiful and beneficial to human health, hygiene and environmental protection, but also more durable.

It is reported that many domestic metal plumbing manufacturers as early as five years ago, started to develop stainless steel faucet, but the stainless steel its hardness, toughness, solvent casting and machining in copper is much harder than the high cost. These manufacturers are either not yet developed, or has abandoned the development, or only one or two styles developed. In the international brands, Hansgrohe, China Yida and other brands already have the production of stainless steel faucet.

A leading corporate responsibility argue that the taps on the domestic market, mainly copper, zinc alloy and plastic more, stainless steel faucet and did not get a lot of production use, because the stainless steel faucet brass faucet manufacturing process as simple as that. Stainless steel faucet casting process is very complex and expensive consumables. Moreover, the leading stainless steel casting process development in China was 10 years, manufacturers less, difficult.

Production center of the outlet of a sanitary industry sources said the stainless steel faucet in the outlet does not yet possible to get a lot of production, mainly to cost you, not many companies can afford such a risk. More than a thousand companies in the outlet, but one or two large scale, extensive use of copper process can only lead to over-water production. Because all the pipes with copper is very expensive, and now generally used outlet “over the water of copper”, that is, outside the protective layer made of zinc alloy, which touch on the use of copper water pipe.

Another name also points to the whole of the professional managers of local tap market development status of small businesses with copper, a large number of large companies also use copper. Now in China, the leading copper production is the most commonly used materials. How many is not the production of stainless steel, but there is no direct production of the whole number of companies are leading zinc alloy, unlike some places overseas, many of them directly over the water with zinc alloy. Stainless steel expensive, not many production plants, do not need to say, zinc alloy plating well, it is difficult to wear, in general no problem with a six or seven years.

The author investigated a number of building materials market, found that most stores are brass faucet, only a few home is dedicated to selling stainless steel faucet, there is still a part of the imported products. But some domestic production of stainless steel faucet brand seems to have quite a mature technology, not only in the performance of the design style was very innovative, but also in the varieties covered basin faucet, Caipen faucet, bathroom cabinet faucet, shower faucet in various fields such as traditional leader .

Moen bathroom in the store I see here the price of stainless steel faucet normally between $ 1500-2000, and the store price of copper tap between 800-1200, but listen to the store s shopping guide introduction, where the product are produced in the country, as has production bases in Guangzhou, the price is cheaper than the imported products, but due to stainless steel in the domestic consumer awareness is not high, and whether high or low-end brand, customer or choose more cost-effective, so we hit the store copper is 30% off retail faucet, and stainless steel although the cost is higher, but can only hit 4.5 fold, in fact, compared with the price of two products are similar, mainly to see what products their favorite customers.

Branding and OEM road

From the 1990s onward, due to mainland China to speed up the process of opening up, Chinese and foreign manufacturers of large tap China s huge market potential and advantages of resources, competing to increase investment in mainland China. There are a number of international brands in China do OEM, and gradually cultivated a Chinese manufacture and supply of high-end bathroom chain. Today, some domestic bathroom plumbing business has grown up, have moved to a foster their own brand development, such as the brilliant, nine, animal husbandry, the buildings, Shenluda the bathroom plumbing business established in the domestic taps market position, while some of the traditional emphasis on ceramic bathroom brands in the use of their fast growth of the channel edge, popular in recent years by means of the overall market to expand the concept of bathroom taps market for development.

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Brand become a consensus

I visited Wai-up bathroom, an unnamed person in charge to the author describes the history of the company s brand building. Bath is a benefit of early to brands, one of the bathroom. As early as 2006, when the domestic bath business are working hard, when the production, the benefits of high-profile signing for film and television star Sun Li brand ambassador, our bathroom to create a precedent for business celebrity endorsements. Followed by a strong benefit of advertising landing CCTV, have cooperation with all major web media, print media, the benefits of sanitary branding started, the benefits of this transformation, followed by domestic companies set their sights on high-end sanitary ware market, further strengthen the brand construction, and enhance brand value, while continuing to promote international market development, to promote the brand internationalization process, and has always insisted on taking the road of its own brand.

For some SMEs, they are difficult to separate their brand management. “In the end of the market makes the product, to do high-end market brand brand with the quality of support, it can greatly enhance the value of the product and now the company developed to a certain extent have your own brand, not own brand is very difficult to survive. “has been responsible for the sanitary work of Yang business operations, said:” There are many ways the brand, the more common are advertising, we also work together and dealers together to promote products in the mass media on the campaign, they go around the promotion. ”

All managers have a similar view: “We do brand mainly through distributors, we are not directly face the customer, many dealers play their own brand, but others know that they produce is not our main brand surface to the dealer, quality, there will be a lot of repeat customers. ”

Manager also told the whole, raw materials up, but have to produce. Now the brand to do business more gradually, OEM production is gradually reduced, this would go looking for some more dealers. We are always everywhere, is to find a dealer. Not only do we have here a number of domestic companies, although the country is our focus, but we do abroad, but foreign countries do have a little skill, can not directly exit. Sometimes it from Guangxi, Vietnam side in the past, it can save a lot of money. There is no way we do, after all, a small factory, can not afford their own brand too frustrating.
OEM companies increasingly turn to the domestic market

There is a popular saying, tap the domestic enterprises to enter international markets are to OEM, that is to become an international brand processing plant, at present, most domestic taps and even some well-known business enterprise in order to enter the international market, to rely on foreign brands domestic products in the international market competition still plays end processing and the role can only get a small profit.

OEM is the abbreviation of the English OriginalEquipmentManufacturer form, can be literally translated as original equipment manufacturers. The implication is that the manufacturer according to the original unit (brand unit) commissioned a contract product development and manufacturing, with the original unit mark, the original unit sales or business co-operation mode of production. Manufacturers to undertake the processing task is known as OEM manufacturers, the production of the product is OEM product. This is an international business model has been operating for years, an increasingly refined division of labor is the product. For OEM manufacturers, can effectively avoid the risk of opening up markets on their own, reducing the flow of funds in the occupied areas, focusing on the organization of production, product research and development component.

But most of the previous OEM manufacturers use different international brands sold abroad, some companies are now re-turned home, some well-known domestic sanitary OEM companies and distributors do.

Kwong outlet of a leading business manager for their company s business situation this year, he taps the market this year and that a few years ago almost, but not optimistic about the future situation. “Foreign economic downturn, we have started trying to do the domestic market the past few years we mainly rely on the overall sanitary and domestic companies to do some OEM products to maintain the now rising raw material, and doubtless will rise again and now not only raw material prices the wages of workers but also prices and now the master of my yard which is not high wages failed to keep the production line workers have to mention wages, the cost of our raw materials and wages of workers is mainly these two. more and more OEM faucet will turn to domestic enterprises, we must first develop the domestic market, or domestic and foreign sales will collapse together. ”

Since 2008, the outbreak of the international financial crisis, foreign economy has been sluggish, coupled with the ongoing foreign markets trade frictions and policy import restrictions, faucet outlet pressure gradually increased, the domestic market continues to heat up, some companies gradually withdraw from the international market competition in favor of the development of the domestic market.

“Now our sales are OEM, there are over getting goods to their foreign and domestic distributors themselves are also getting goods now less abroad, and is preparing to move home. We are also looking for domestic distributors at the same time do some OEM and they are willing to cooperate if we can talk to them about the past. “wide manager told the author, there are many local dealers own brand name, but the goods they produce, many leading brands so.

Yang believes that “we now have a relatively stable domestic sales channels, the channel does not crash, are accumulated in order to build up slowly to rely on.”

Leading the whole bathroom space into a bright spot sales

Past two years, the whole bathroom space has become a major brand and strive to pursue the development of sanitary objects, traditional ceramic sanitary ware brand in order to obtain a bigger market pie, fully integrated bathroom, hardware accessories and the overall design of the advantages of space, a bathroom industry marketing another big growth. Currently in the domestic bath industry to brands is one of the best ways to develop the whole bathroom space.

“The faucet and bathroom counters, cabinets bound to match, leading to greatly increased sales, which is also a best of both worlds for consumers the way, reducing the leading consumer the trouble of re-purchase support, so buy faster and more convenient to achieve a one-stop purchase. “benefits up to sanitary charge of people think that brand manufacturers, this is a very good starting point. Most customers will choose bathroom cabinets, cabinets, faucets, and binding supporting sales, the overall design concept of the bathroom space is quite agree.

For a simple tap of the professional production enterprises, thus they did not seem to get more revenue space. “Now we have to go the whole bathroom, bathroom leading value-added business that is the whole thing, we talk about the good order price on the line, but we will do the appropriate measures to protect the profits of the downstream business leader, will not say them to comment on their sales prices, we have our own strengths, our retail cheaper. “Kwong manager which is still very confident.

As a brand bathroom faucet purchasers of Yang believes that now is the route to go the whole bathroom, the whole bathroom space sales have become a selling point. “The multi-tap primary value-added did not say how much we purchase the wholesale price, a single retail price is sold, if we do not purchase the less expensive and now the network is so run, if the manufacturer side of the retail the same price and wholesale price, then why should we give money they do order that consumers here have not said no, as long as the parts are sub-standard, no quality problems on the line. ”

But the more people think that the whole bathroom space contains more than just a simple sum of individual parts, but also the aesthetic value of the space, namely the design value. I described this to all managers: “The sale certainly make more money with you to see people count the bathroom cabinet, shower cabinet leader together with all of them, the price is not too clearly points one by one, it can be more count money and now a high-end consumers are not sold a single piece, are all together to buy, they buy with our OEM business had orders to sell than simply the amount of lead is much greater. ”
There are still gaps with foreign technology

In Europe, the faucet has a longer history, after a hundred years of accumulation and precipitation, while domestic enterprises was only twenty years. Technology and materials that they also have certain advantages, but also ensure the existence of a certain foreign market advantage, they pay more attention to brand awareness and shape, these are the high end market weight. Benefit of the person in charge of sanitary,

“First in appearance, imported faucets in the shape of a more contemporary fashion sense of art, we need to focus more on the appearance of innovation and development. Second, the assembly of precision parts, mostly imported bronze casting, made in China multi-purpose brass, but also on the material to refine and improve.

More people think that the production technology and processes, domestic and international advanced tap there is a big gap between manufacturing enterprises, which is almost not exist in the respective cross-cutting between the competitive market. “We are now occupying high-end market can not, not technology, equipment also can not keep up, we have a reserve force, slowly introduce some new equipment and processes.” Wide manager told the author: “Now the leading foreign technology than Our advanced, they are relatively mature than us, and they do high-end market, and our market is not a lot of crossover. ”

Some industry sources believe that the high-end foreign brands now and really there is a gap, but through the efforts of our domestic enterprises will gradually catch up with the level of foreign technology and equipment, and even beyond.

While the other is more concerned about saving water faucet technology, foreign as in establishing the relevant standard, the current domestic water taps in the development of this area is very rapid, recent national release of GB25501-2010 “Tap water efficiency and water limits efficiency rating, “the mandatory implementation of the enterprise standard is also increasingly being valued by major companies to promote.

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From the perspective of the development of international sanitary market, the future development of faucet will be a long-term energy-saving environmental protection theme. The development of faucet has been developed as a selling point from the appearance of multi-functional as a selling point to the direction of transformation. Tap the industry s second major development is bound to ceramic sealing technology plus smart thermostat technology revolution. This is more in line with the trend of the times, in line with national call to create a conservation-oriented society, but also more in line with the fundamental interests of consumers.