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John Swanson, editor/associate publisher of Window & Door |
Filing away materials I collected at the International Builders' Show last month, I came across a press release about a survey of 55+ home buyers,
conducted by the National Association of Home Builders and Metropolitan
Life. What caught my eye in the survey was the fact that among 36
features these consumers were asked to rate as "important" in their
puchase decision for a new home, "windows that can open easily" scored
third.
Some manufacturers have put more emphasis on this in
recent years. Milgard has promoted its SmartTouch lock, Marvin has
highlighted the easy wash feature of its casements and a host of other
companies have moved to upgrade hardware functionality. It seems to me,
however, that no manufacturer has really tried to set itself apart from
the competition as "the easiest window to open and close."
Maybe
that's just too hard to do. But what do you think, does our industry
put enough emphasis on ease of operation? Are there things that
manufacturers could do to make our products more user-friendly? That's
our poll question of the week. And, of course, I'd like to hear your
thoughts on the topic. What do you hear consumers say about the
functionality of windows and doors? Do you see opportunities for
value-added sales for windows and doors that are easier to open and
close? Email me and let me know.
The Talk..., Page 2
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