Managing director of Virtual Worlds Nathan Maclean points to how technology helps bricks and mortar showrooms offer choice

A certain amount of competition is healthy – it keeps us on our toes, prevents complacency and breeds innovation and forward thinking.

But for independent retailers in the kbb industry, competition has never been so fierce.

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Of course the multiples and DIY sheds have always been there, and probably always will be in one form or another, but add online shopping into this mix and it can be difficult to keep up and stay positive.

Offering consumer choice

Competing for customers comes from all angles, with the internet making it much easier for consumers to take advantage of price wars and be attracted by the promise of a quick turnaround on stock availability and delivery.

These things are relatively straightforward for the independent retailer to respond to in a positive way, but when variety of product choice is added into the equation it can be a game-changer.

Showroom space is, more often than not. at a premium for retailers.

Deciding which of the many manufacturers and products to stock is a never-ending conundrum, with regular display changes necessary to keep up with shifting trends and consumer demand.

DIY sheds and the multiples have less of a problem in this regard, of course, as their floor space is likely to be larger.

But for online retailers this problem simply doesn’t exist, giving them the edge in offering consumers what they really, really want: choice.

For independent kbb retailers this means needing to diversify, to consider the methods used to promote and sell kitchens and bathrooms.

They need to look at how the latest technology can help give them a USP that consumers won’t easily find elsewhere.

Tech support

One such technological solution already making waves within the industry is Augmented Reality.

Virtual Worlds AR, brings product brochures to life, with the inclusion of scannable QR codes that reveal single products or complete ranges.

Enabling customers to try before they buy, this technology enhances showroom displays and enables any display model to be instantly sourced, opening up a whole new world of opportunities to retailers regardless of their showroom footprint.

While virtual reality is a design tool that is currently taking the kbb sector into new realms of possibility, AR is not intended as its replacement but rather as an enhancement.

It helps consumers at the product selection stage which can be the point when a consumer can be lost to a competitor through perceived lack of product choice.

Spelling an end to dreaded buyer’s remorse which is often a curse when designing kitchens and bathrooms with a high-price tag, Augmented Reality enables consumers to place a virtual product into their home.

By scanning the QR code from the brochure and then viewing the product through the lens of their smartphone or tablet, removes seeds of doubt and provides peace of mind prior to purchase.

Helping independent retailers flourish in what is a competitive climate, this latest technology enables them to offer more choice without having to add more displays to their showrooms.

With consumers able to make purchasing decisions in a new, highly interactive way that spells the future for independent kitchen and bathroom design.

Co-founder and director of Virtual Stock Ed Bradley says traditional retailers must harness online shopping to make the experience easy, convenient and exciting.