All Zippo lighters are not created equal. In fact, there are several hundred designs. So when a retailer looks for a collection to sell, how exactly does one choose? That’s where working with Brassworld comes in. “We’ve been selling Zippo lighters for 10 years, so we understand our customer base,” says Aaron Quillman, sales manager. That includes an understanding of what sells best, and where. “One of our specialties is that we can custom create assortments that are right for anywhere in the country. They are made up of our best sellers, but we also know what’s popular if you’re on the Florida Coast versus Manhattan, versus a more rural area.”
Custom designs
Brassworld offers the largest selection of custom-designed Zippos in the country. According to Quillman, there are a large number of distributors, but just a handful that do custom designs. Through exclusive licensing agreements with companies ranging from artist Ted Blaylock to John Wayne Enterprises, Brassworld is able to produce its own exclusive Zippo designs.
The key for retailers offering Zippos, explains Quillman, is variety, “and we increase the available variety by 30 percent, with 400 of our own designs.” What’s the newest, coolest thing when it comes to Zippo lighters? “It really depends on the clientele,” he says. “You just need to look at who’s coming in the door.” Someone might own a smoke shop with nothing but customers over 50 years old, while in another location customers might not want to pay more than $25 for a lighter.
Brassworld’s customers range from smoke shops to casinos to hundred-store chains. “We focus on niche markets,” Quillman notes. “Zippo is global, so it needs to appeal broadly, but we can bring it to a market like the Western market and develop a whole line of cowboy and western themes.” The other good news for retailers is that Zippo has 90 percent name recognition. The brand also has no competitors other than knock-off products. So why is Brassworld called Brassworld? The company was started in 1979, and was the major importer of brass in the United States. As brass waned in popularity, the firm evolved into what is now one of the largest Zippo distributors in the country.
Buying details
Retailers can create an account on the company website. Zippo prices every lighter, so customers everywhere pay the same price, with a 50 percent markup for retailers. Brassworld has no minimum order, and each Zippo lighter comes with a lifetime warranty.
Brassworld
949 Ladd Rd.
Walled Lake, MI 48390
Tel.: 877-564-3399
Phone: 248-668-1640
Fax: 248-668-1910
Web: www.brassworldwholesale.com