Specialist retail and trade brand of the year

In addition to its seven established seals of approval for innovation, high quality, design, ease of use, functionality, ergonomics and ecology, the PLUS X AWARD, the world’s largest innovation prize for technology, sport and lifestyle, also presents special awards at regular intervals to draw attention to the special achievements of brands and companies.

With its special award, the PLUS X AWARD recognizes brands that have rendered outstanding services – in partnership with retailers and tradespeople; brands that support retailers and tradespeople with special promotions and training programs, and some that develop their own sales channels and product lines for them.

The specialist retail brand and specialist trade brand of the year awards are not based on the verdict of our expert jury, as is usually the case, but on a Germany-wide survey for which the PLUS X AWARD and its partner media call on specialist retailers and specialist trades to vote for their favorite brands.

The importance of specialist retailers and tradespeople is greater today than ever before. “It is important that the industry understands that it needs to protect and support these sales channels for its own sake,” says PLUS X AWARD President Donat Brandt. He explains this importance using a vivid example: “In times of ever-increasing distance selling, many end consumers make bad purchases out of ignorance. One of the reasons for this is the frequent lack of advice. If a customer makes a purchase without orientation and later realizes that the product does not meet their expectations or the area of application, they need help from specialist retailers or tradespeople.”

Partnership-based cooperation between manufacturers and retailers or tradespeople is becoming increasingly important – also in order to satisfy customers. “The awards for the best specialist retail brand and the best specialist trade brand in particular show that the management of the award-winning brands have understood this value and that their sales managers also work very responsibly and in partnership with retailers and tradespeople,” emphasizes Donat Brandt.