Factory Direct Patio Heaters
Patio heaters supplied from the factory offer significant advantages over most other general suppliers in the market. The price paid from factory direct supply will always be lower when compared "like for like" to heaters on the market. General suppliers of heaters hunt around for the cheapest source regardless of quality, support or style, the most important part to general traders will be cost and margins. With factory direct supply the brand of patio heater is the most important part, manufacturing a quality product is top of the agenda. Second on the agenda for factory direct is product support, by servicing branded products and offering expert advice with a full range of genuine patio heater spare parts the customer is guaranteed the best service and longest life to the purchase. Last by but no means least for factory supply is new product development. The latest and best heaters will always appear factory direct long before other traders catch up. The latest 2010 high energy burners fitted to factory direct patio heaters throw out significantly more heat at lower running cost than the older 15KW and 16KW units. New technology has been applied to give lower running cost at max heat distribution. Factory direct patio heaters do not supply other distributors, agents or retail.
Distributors
Patio heaters supplied by distributors are imported in bulk via an agent usually based in China or Hong Kong. These are generally sourced from the cheapest supplier to sell in bulk. Distributors operate in bulk and need to sell vast amounts to survive and therefore price is the number one priority. The cheaper the patio heaters the more they can sell on to traders who need low pricing to make a bigger margin.
Wholesalers
The supply chain from wholesalers is either direct from UK import supply or for imported stock using a distributor or agent. Patio heaters via a wholesaler will be sold solely on price, other factors such as quality construction, support and after sales is not on offer. Just cheap and quick, they will purchase in bulk lots at peak trading periods and clear quickly. Often the heaters will end up with traders selling on auction sites or direct to shop keepers.
Retail
Retailers will get supply from distributors and may chop and change supply of patio heaters according to who has the cheapest model at the time of purchase. Try getting support, warranty and back up from a retailer and the chances are they will direct you to the factory for the support. Most retailers only dabble during peak periods and de-stock once the season has passed only to return the following season with different model. Larger chain retailer may have a Far East office to get the cheapest supply, the product will be made to match margin expectations and deliver a low ticket price, not always a sign of a quality product.
Traders
We all love a bargain and traders are great at finding that "once in a lifetime deal", these traders will sell with lots of free things, delivery, covers, wheels and even reflectors (strange but true) - all part and parcel of patio heaters and difficult to use without - but traders love to offer a deal so why not call basic items as free? Traders will offer a 50%, 60% and 70% off RSP on patio heaters, but check back a few weeks or a few months later and the same price, same discount and same old offer is showing week after week. The truth is traders offer low value cheap patio heaters that invariably fall apart and when you look for them they change the trading name and vanish. If you don't want to take a chance it's best to stick to a reliable supplier and by going factory direct you'll not only get the expert advice, back up and support but also the very latest and best quality patio heaters.

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