• In bid to reach more consumers, Schneider Electric is launching a programme specifically for B2C retailers.
• Retailers need to move R200 000 worth of Schneider Electric products every year to qualify.
• The hope is that the Pro-Retailer Channel Programme will put more of Schneider Electric’s product on more shelves at more retailers.

Most retailers deal with a distributor when purchasing products they intend to sell to consumers. A distributor can have immense value for both retailer partners and brands alike and through various programmes, retailers can value-added benefits that enhance both their business and the consumer’s experience with a product.

The trouble with this is that some programmes can be tough to enter for several reasons. So, Schneider Electric is trying something different with what it’s calling the Pro-Retailer Channel Programme.

This programme is aimed at smaller hardware and electrical supply stores (known as indirect-partners) who haven’t been able to purchase the “full basket” of Schneider Electric’s products.

“We noticed a large gap in the market in terms of our indirect partners. They didn’t have access to our full basket of products, so to purchase all the stock that Schneider Electric offers was a rather complicated process for them,” says virtual accounts manager at Schneider Electric, Bradley Archer.

To be a part of the Pro-Retailer Channel programme, a retailer will need to achieve a target of R200 000 in sales of Schneider Electric products annually.

This programme was soft-launched in October 2023 and so far, the response has been positive. While also assisting smaller retailers, the programme is also improving relations between direct partners (business-to-business distributors) and indirect partners.

“We also have agreements in place where the Pro-Retailers are eligible for rebates if they reach certain immediate targets every year. These rebates are paid through our distributors, so while we do not have a direct financial relationship with the Pro-Retailers, we still do manage and foster these relationships,” Archer explains.

The goal of the Pro-Retailer Channel programme is to saturate the market and make Schneider Electric products available to all at a fair, market-related price.

To find out more about this programme, get in touch with Schneider Electric using the details on its official website.