EDUARDO LÓPEZ SAMPEDRO (manager OF Parimex S.A. – VOGUE)

“OUR OBJECTIVE IS TO HAVE EVERY COMSUMER FIND THE ARTICLE THAT PERFECTLY MEETS HIS NEEDS”

Parimex S.A. – VOGUE is presently the undisputed leader in the umbrella industry in Spain. We have spoken with Eduardo López Sampedro, manager of the company who has more than 20 years experience in this industry, about the essential characteristics of his product and the umbrella market in general.

- Is the sales of this article tied to climatology as it seems at first sight?

It is evident that in a rainy year we sell a greater quantity of umbrellas. However, the real sales figures tell us that our manufacture decreases relatively little during dry years.

Our products are often bought as fashion-gifts; therefore, impulse buying is much less than first meets the eye.

- What is the consumer profile you target?

Having a wide range of products, around 100 articles, there isn’t a clearly-defined consumer profile. Our type of consumer is usually a person that, upon purchasing an umbrella, values good taste supported by a well-known brand and who finds that it’s offered at a moderate price.

- What qualities do consumers value most in umbrellas?

Our consumers are by and large those people who select an umbrella in the first place because they like it.
Although they may buy an umbrella on impulse on a rainy day, our consumers choose one that they like and are attracted to that is on the store shelves.
Only then does our consumer look at the price and is greatly surprised by the excellent cost/quality ratio. Such quality being interpreted according to the fashion level, design, latest-generation products and brand.

- What points of reference do you take when you design an umbrella in accordance with fasion tendencies?

Frankly, it’s extremely complicated. The design work lasts twelve months a year. The day following the completion of a design we begin the next one.
Therefore, you never know where you will find a new idea. Sometimes it’s by intuition as a result of years of experience; other times it’s based on deep analysis of the tendencies; and even others by traveling, listening to expert opinions, etc.

- What conditions should an ideal sales point have for distribution of this article?

That’s a difficult question. There are luxury stores that successfully distribute our products as accessories and even at times as a priority line.
Nevertheless, we have all types of stores; retailers, wholesalers, and department stores where a large number of umbrellas are sold.
By being a well-know brand product and by having an important fashion component, it can be distributed in select stores. But at the same time its moderate prices make it susceptible to being sold in a wide range of retail and department stores.

- What is the main sales pitch at the present time?

Undoubtedly it’s the excellent fashion/design/quality/brand/cost ratio.

Nevertheless, that wouldn’t be enough without the support of a team that tends to be highly professional and offers the client the greatest advantages and guarantees, the best personal treatment, the fastest and best quality of service, the use of the most advanced technology and is one that commits itself to increasingly do its best each day. This is the best guarantee for the future.

- What elements do you use to support your clients’ work at the sales point?

Advertising support to our clients is based primarily on our exhibitors (4 different types), price-tag holders, displays, mural photography, etc.
In addition to this, our collection appears in a high-quality yearly catalog, a presence and practice that is more and more being used by our clients, primarily for the repeats and to better know the most minimal features of our articles.

- What place does Parimex-VOGUE hold in the world of umbrellas at present?

In the Spanish market, of course, there is no other company that is at our level, not only insofar as variety is concerned, but also the quality and the high level of development of our products.

The most discerning distributors in this country, retailers, wholesalers and department stores have chosen us since a long time ago as their main suppliers and year after year their confidence in us increases.

On the other hand, and on the international scene, we are working to expand our network of distributors who are located in ten countries at this time.

To achieve this, we have the VOGUE COMMUNITY REGISTERED TRADEMARK as well as our new Edward & Edward community brand which was launched in 2001 with outstanding success.

For all of these reasons we are convinced that Parimex S.A. is in an excellent position to face all those challenges of this.