CEO of Bathroom Brands Stephen Ewer encourages independent bathroom retailers to invest in their showroom and says look to suppliers who offer support

As larger, multi-channel trade merchants continue to invest heavily in showrooms, it provides another point of competition for independent retailers.

More than simply a space for displaying products, showrooms provide an opportunity to offer an immersive and memorable experience of inspired bathroom designs, with on-trend aesthetics, innovative functionality, and a quality and feel that is appreciated by decerning customers.

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Ultimately, it is this experience that elevates independent retailers so they can differentiate themselves from the increasing choices available to consumers.

This showroom experience is an essential and intuitive part of the bathroom design planning process, interpreted and informed by experienced specialists, resulting in bathroom solutions that delight customers.

Support from brands

When considering investment in showroom development, independent retailers face obvious challenges around budget and space limitations.

Brands can play a crucial role in providing support at various levels and engage to form a mutually beneficial interdependency.

Underpinned by commercial terms, there is an imperative for both the independent retailer and the brand to maximise their return on investment in showroom display space.

Success factors are not solely limited to supplying an appealing and relevant assortment of products that are curated and presented in aspirational spaces.

Bathroom Brands Group strives to empower independent retailers to maximise the sales and income from space committed to our brands in their showrooms.

We seek to build our role as a trusted partner, going further than the fundamentals of co-investing in the displays, providing ongoing training and support to showroom staff, backed-up with excellent levels of stock availability and customer service.

We take a longer-term view and see a critical part of our role as being future looking.

Through investing in a commercially attractive pipeline of new products, innovative display concepts, and digital marketing that engages with the consumer’s path to purchase and drives footfall to showrooms, we are committed to supporting a sustainable and relevant showroom proposition.

Our New Product Introduction (NPI) programme delivers an extensive range of new products each year.

Originated by our Bathroom Brands design team, across all categories and brands, we continue to bring design-led, high-quality products to market, at a price point that democratises design and increases the vitality of sales and margins for showrooms.

Creating consumer push

At Bathroom Brands Group we continue to evolve in the market with new initiatives that support our ongoing commitment to showrooms.

Recognising that often the most successful displays are not only those that inspire, rather they are able to be personalised to achieve the ultimate solution.

Bathroom Brands is increasingly working with showrooms to create full bathroom solutions and spaces that showcase new materials, design details and matching colour accents throughout.

This year we have also introduced a space-saving display concept, that bridges the gap between full bathroom displays and product boards, with a portability that supports in-store ‘mood boarding’, an increasingly popular and collaborative part of the design process.

Bathroom Brands Group operates as a B2B2C model, recognising the consumer path to purchase starts with online research.

Our consumer marketing strategy is helping independent retailers build their own digital footprint. We invest in visual content, digital marketing, consumer PR and social media for our brands, which in turn acquires new customers for our retail partners.

Creating demand online and driving footfall directly to showrooms nationwide.

Current initiatives include geo-targeting, particularly during peak times such as our National Sale, and campaign-in-a-box which involves co-investing in digital content and advertising to a localised customer group from the retailer brand.

Given the rapidly evolving landscape where consumers have increasingly more choices, there has never been a more relevant time for independent retailers and brands to assess their partner choices.

Co-director of Day True Tony Robson offers his advice on how retailers can make their showrooms memorable.