Clear differences

Four markets, four clearly different concepts. The storetour, the day before the 3rd Global DIY Summit showed how different DIY retailing can be. The participants were driven right across the Greater London area in three buses. Thanks to excellent planning and the support from all the visited companies, the tour ran perfectly and punctually.
The team from the Kingfisher distribution chain B&Q took a lot of time and effort to guide the visiting groups through the store in Farnborough, the flagship store of Britain's market leader, with more than 16 000 m².
It was interesting to see the clear price communication in this store. The advertising slogans are written in such a way that the customer can see at a glance how much the products cost. Products, price and volume speak for themselves. The top 150 products, among others, are clearly placed in the foreground. The sales from these top 150 rose by 42 per cent in one year. That means GBP two mio per week in sales revenue.
It became very clear at the collection point for click & collect goods how much B&Q push the omni-channel concept. The blue counter is strategically placed near the entrance and exit and in addition, there's a tradepoint area concept especially for professional customers.

Although Kingfisher has another particular distribution chain for the professional business side of things: Screwfix, originally a purely mail-order company, meanwhile operates 500 stores made up of a very small showroom and a well-organised warehouse. The ordered goods are ready within five minutes. Orders come in through all communication channels: in store, by phone and of course, online. If something isn't in stock, it will arrive within hours from one of the two central warehouses. "That's an efficiency machine", commented one of the visiting participants. 
Wickes, the DIY store sales chain from Travis Perkins, also targets the professional clients with separate offers. There is also a special counter for professionals with the brand name Toolstation, integrated into the store. 
The Farnham store with an area of 4 000 m² is one of Wickes' highest volume stores in the UK. The concept relies heavily on own brands which make up 90 per cent of the product range and characterise the store's image.
On the…