“Many distributors are currently changing their strategy. As potential anti-dumping duties are making it unclear who will provide the cheapest solar modules in the future, distributors are including more and more products with unique selling points in their product portfolios to allow them to compete on factors other than price alone,” sai Dr Thomas Hillig, vice president module sales & marketing at Innotech Solar.
“While last year’s sales talks always focused directly on the price, our modules are now first and foremost purchased thanks to their low carbon footprint, high yields in warm ambient temperatures and their particular suitability for east-west oriented roofs.”
“In a competition based solely on price, only a few of the largest distributors would survive in the long term, as their purchasing power means that they can negotiate the best deals,” continues Hillig.
“At the same time, the rising number of insolvent solar companies has led to greater levels of risk awareness among distributors, as in many cases they have to assume the warranty for the products they have sold.
“The cost benefits brought about by our special production process means that, unlike many other manufacturers, we have a positive cash flow. This economic stability was a further crucial factor which resulted in our new distributors deciding to work with us.”