Kitchens & Bathrooms News talks to Shaun Corcoran, director of new bathroom supplier One of One, about targeting the higher-end market and helping retailers protect margin and maximise profit

After four years in development, One of One launched to retailers in October, targeting the higher-end of the bathroom market. Offering exclusivity and margin protection, the supplier plans to establish a network of 180 showrooms across the UK.

Q: What is the relationship between Harrison Bathrooms and why did you feel you needed to create a new company – One of One ?

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A: Although established by the directors of Harrison Bathrooms, the two companies are completely separate. The directors have vast experience and knowledge of the industry, so utilised this expertise to set up One of One.

In a move to help retailers regain exclusivity and increase margins, we’ve launched One of One to give local retailers the chance to exclusively stock the company’s collections in their postal area, helping them maintain a competitive edge on local competitors and increasing profit potential.

We target a different customer base to Harrison Bathrooms. Harrogate and Dawn ranges target the higher end of the market, catering for customers looking for high-quality bathroom furniture, shower enclosures, bath screens and walk-in panels.

Q: How did you decide upon the unusual name?

A: We decided to name the business One of One, as we boast a one of a kind offering, with our main objective being to provide premium, unique bathroom spaces which are individual.  In addition, we wanted to emphasise that our customers and partners will receive first-class service every time, which we felt was communicated by the name.  One of the key pillars of the business is exclusivity, and we also feel that the company’s name represents this perfectly.

Q: Why did you decide now was the right time to launch a new supplier, considering the current uncertain climate?

A: One of One has been in development for the last four years. I have more than 15 years’ experience working within the industry and I, along with my colleagues, wanted to create a company that offered some of the highest quality bathroom products on the market, without compromising on value-for-money.

We feel that it’s a good time to launch a business of this nature as some retailers have found the last few months a real struggle. We’re committed to helping retailers protect their margins while assisting them in maximising their opportunity to make profit.

Q: You’ve promised to offer retailers the opportunity to “regain exclusivity and increase margins? How do you propose to do that? 

A: When it comes to offering exclusivity in a particular area, this won’t be based on postcodes specifically, but rather a postal area. We’re aiming to secure a dealer for every 400,000 people in the UK, which will eventually equate to around 180 retailers across the country.

Although this isn’t an exact science, what this approach does do is give our partners an indication of our future plans. It also provides them with peace of mind that we won’t be looking to become another supplier that targets every showroom in the UK.

Q: How are you differentiating your product offer to competitors in a busy marketplace?

A: The products within the collections speak for themselves – they offer high-quality, exceptional bathroom items while maintaining great value-for-money. We’re passionate about providing consumers with the opportunity to be able to touch and feel the quality of our products, which is why we’re partnering exclusively with displaying outlets across the UK.

Q: You currently offer Harrogate and Dawn brands – will you be looking to increase your offer? What will you be adding and when?

A: Our Harrogate and Dawn ranges currently provide a diverse choice of high-end bathroom products for consumers. However, if these brands are as successful as we’re predicting, we’ll definitely be introducing new lines in the future based on customer demand.

Q: What do you expect from retailers in terms of commitment? 

A: Since we’ll be offering retailers exclusivity, one of our main expectations is for retailers to display the Harrogate and Dawn collections in such a way that means consumers have access to it. We want customers to get up-close-and-personal with the products, so they can touch and feel the quality and finish for themselves. So we’d expect dealers to allocate the appropriate amount of showroom space to allow this to happen.

Q: What level of support are you offering to retailers in terms of stock, delivery, marketing and training?

A: We’re currently housing 12-months’ worth of stock in our warehouse in Worcester, meaning our dealers have access to a full selection of products, which can be delivered within 48-hours to anywhere in the UK.  We also make our marketing and PR department available to our exclusive partners, who can assist with any point-of-sale and marketing collateral required, based on a dealer’s individual needs.

Our sales managers have direct relationships with our dealers across the UK and are fully up to speed on the in-depth details of our products – all of our training is provided by them. This means the training is brought directly to the dealer, making it easy and hassle-free for them to immerse themselves in One of One and its brands.

Q: How do you hope the brand will develop over the next five years?

A: Our main objective is to have the One of One brand, along with the Harrogate and Dawn collections, well represented in each of our target postal areas. We anticipate the ranges to grow to a level to successfully compete with any other competitor in the marketplace, while both becoming recognised, sought-after brands.

Q: What are your greatest challenges/opportunities in the coming years?

A: One of our biggest challenges will be securing dealer buy-in. From experience, we know retailers tend to stick with well-known brands that they know. Even if the retailer is working with eroded margins, making a change is a big step. We need to change their buying habits, so they see the benefits of investing in One of One – once we’ve done that, the opportunities increase dramatically for us.

The other challenge is selecting the right partners. This is a partnership and for us to be able to offer the exclusivity and protection the retailers crave, we need the dealers to really support the brand in both displays and sales.