Comparing the new formats of B&Q, Wickes and Bunnings
The DIY sector in the UK has gone through some major changes recently. Bunnings, the Australian home improvement retailer purchased Homebase and has started to roll out the Bunnings stores into the UK. B&Q and Wickes have also launched new formats with some substantial improvements to the store environment.
So I visited the B&Q store in Cribbs Causeway, Bristol, both Bunnings stores in St. Albans, and the Wickes store in Telford, to look at each new offering. I have taken a look at a variety of categories and displays, although not able to capture examples of every section for all three brands.
Entrance displays
The tone of voice of all three stores is established early on in the customer journey; Bunnings employs a handwritten chalkboard, B&Q has a range of large wall mounted graphics, Wickes adds local emphasis applying the store name, along with a range of project leaflets.
Aisle signage
Navigational signage varies across the three retailers - Bunnings uses hanging PVC banners, B&Q employs printed boards and Wickes chooses to use no aisle signage.
Flooring display
All three brands use angled sample displays for flooring displays. The B&Q store is the largest, and as such, has a more extensive flooring area, with low level centre gondolas, with higher wall displays around the perimeter, creating an auditorium atmosphere, containing the complete category. Bunnings had the smallest store, and utilises one side of an aisle. Wickes, like Bunnings, combines angled and upright sample displays.
Kitchen displays
All three employ roomsets for the kitchen category. Once again, Bunnings has a small space for this, at the other end of the scale, B&Q provides a large proportion of the store for kitchen, with an open walk around environment. Wickes creates a smaller group of roomsets than B&Q.
Kitchen door selectors
All three stores have a dedicated area to help shoppers select doors for their new kitchen. Bunnings use their Kit and Kaboodle kitchen brand to present an illuminated display with removable samples of door and worktop finishes. Both B&Q and Wickes offer a space where the doors and worktop samples can be combined to compare and select the best match. Wickes also has door handles on clear acrylic mounts that can be overlaid onto the doors as well for the final selection.
Tap display
Bunnings reverts to a slat wall fixture built into the generic aisle furniture to display their tap range. B&Q and Wickes create feature tap areas that are stepped, with helpful information to assist with selection. B&Q have further tap ranges on a wall dislay,. much like Bunnings.
Timber display
This is a category that illustrates the strong visual merchandising that B&Q now employs. The timber samples above the product display are large and neatly arranged, creating visual interest, navigational assistance and product examples, all in one. Wickes has strong communication, offering clear advice about selecting the correct timber for the project in mind. Bunnings has a more simple, but neatly merchandised display, with racks of timber within their signature red furniture.
Wallpaper
I couldn't locate a wallpaper category in Wickes in Telford, although Bunnings and B&Q both use wallpaper samples as a header to the category. Bunnings uses vertical rolls of paper to wrap around the display framework. B&Q vary samples sizes for a more creative display that provides a striking colour spectrum across the fixture.
Sink display
Like the wallpaper category, Bunnings and B&Q use high level examples above product shelving to display their range. Wickes has a smaller range built into a bespoke wall display, located next to the taps and kitchen door displays.
Category communication
All three brands use signage to provide navigation (Wickes employs this at fixture level only, Bunnings and B&Q use the aisles first, then the fixture). Wickes has clear, concise graphics in most categories, with icons to assist the understanding. B&Q appears to have a disciplined communication hierarchy, with horizontal levels of navigation, merchandising and product display. Bunnings combines fabric banners and hand written chalk boards.
Other features of note
And finally, I collated a striking image from each store that was memorable as I walked round. I loved the eclectic toilet seat display in Bunnings, both practical, logical and amusing! The lampshade feature in B&Q captures the new stylish visual merchandising methodology that embodies the new format, like the wallpaper category, a colour spectrum is created to striking effect. Wickes kitchen display has bay headers that outline the process of thinking, exploring and buying, encouraging shoppers to take the next step towards purchasing.
Summary
I was expecting the new B&Q store to be impressive, having read a few features about the new format. As well as the greatly improved visual merchandising, communication and product displays, they have considered the customer journey. In addition to the main entrance, there are side entrances that take trade customers directly to Tradepoint. This new format is a big step forward in the way it engages shoppers, helps them find and select products and to be encouraged to return for the next project.
Wickes has taken the biggest leap forward, their objective of 'A Wickes project in every home' is a much more realistic proposition with this new format. The clear no nonsense communication and neat stylish merchandising should attract more end users while not alienating their core trade customer base.
Bunnings is new to the UK and appears to have positioned their store experience where Wickes was recently, and B&Q was about a decade ago. Their communication is often hand written, personal and engaging. The store is heavily stocked, with lots of secondary displays in the aisles, creating a browsing environment, much like a market stall.