How well are Romanians informed before making the decision to purchase thermo-insulating windows, which is the main criterion for buying and why cheap windows will cost Romanians more on the long run?
All these questions were addressed in the national survey conducted by Neomar Consulting during January 10 – February 6, 2015, on a representative sample (individuals) of 1,100 people aged between 20 and 60 years. The margin of sampling error is + 2.9%.
Correct information is essential
The lack of information about the origin of the thermo-insulating carpentry in the dwelling, as well as the main characteristics that make it a high-quality window, are among the most worrying aspects of the national survey. When asked about brands of the PVC profiles that make up the windows in their own homes, 58.2% of respondents said they do not remember its name while 67.8% do not know the name of their windows manufacturer . In addition, 40.7% say that they have only requested one offer before buying the new windows and 26.9% do not know the isolation properties of their windows . For most Romanians, the quality of the thermo-insulating carpeting is unfortunately still second criteria, in favor of the lowest purchase price – 50.3% of the respondents say that the main factor influencing the purchasing decision is the price.
Product quality has to be high
However, there are still positive premises in the market, and they come from future buyers of windows with heat-insulating profiles. In the national survey, they ranked among the top three most important selection criteria the suppliers’ brands used in the window making, namely the profile and the fittings.
Cheap windows will cost more for Romanians who accept to buy them „without VAT”
Probably one of the most worrying aspects of the study is the acceptance of beneficiaries to purchase thermal insulation without a tax invoice, 13.7% being partially or totally in agreement with this practice „without VAT”. This only leads the market to a gray segment, where technical solutions have low performance, uncertain origin and no warranty service. This ultimately leads to increased customer dissatisfaction with the purchased product. On the other hand, a low price can not guarantee the quality of the product. Lower-quality carpentry is only a short-term investment for dwelling because it does not ensure the comfort and safety of the house in the medium and long term, perfect thermal and sound insulation or the strength and durability of the windows. Therefore, at a relatively short time, the windows need to be changed, which implies a new financial investment before the old one is depreciated.
