Letters | COMMENT AND OPINION
Turn the page for
PRODUCTS & SUPPLIERS
‘Ruthlessly undercutting each other in the hope a competitor eventually fails’
I HAVE been in the bathroom industry for longer than I care to remember. In recent years, one of the most
regular discussions with my suppliers, manufacturing partners and competitors, has been the obvious outcome of the ‘race to the bottom’ approach of the internet- based companies. We saw it not so long ago with Better Bathrooms [acquired out of administration by the Buy It Direct Group] and now it seems it’s the turn of
Soak.com to cease trading. Their unrealistic approach to business sees such outfi ts ruthlessly undercutting each other on a regular basis in the hope, presumably, that a competitor or two may eventually fail commercially. While such commercial collapse is inevitable, with the very unfortunate loss of jobs as a result, the real sadness continues in the form of the ongoing collateral damage – namely the many closed ‘bricks-and-mortar’ retailers who could not – and cannot
– compete while this crazy internet business model plays out. Inevitably, no one wins from such outcomes. Suppliers remain unpaid, customers’ orders go unfulfi lled, payment reclaims, etc.
But I seriously fear that it’s far from fi nished yet.
Soak’s demise means that there’s one less player in this game of fi nancial Russian roulette – but there are lots of players still in the game. Who will be the next to fall?
Steve Bradshaw, director, Eco Interior Solutions, Stoke-on-Trent
kbb Birmingham review Reviews, comments and product highlights from this year’s show pg 34
Multigenerational living A look at the top issues when designing kitchens and bathrooms for all ages pg 49
Beware new fraud threat on appliance sales
WE WOULD like to alert the readers of kbbreview about a fraud that we understand could well be happening throughout the kitchen and kitchen appliance supply businesses. A perpetrator with a French accent and a name relating to an Italian city is calling kitchen and kitchen appliance suppliers and ordering appliances that are to be delivered to what he describes as “his properties” in and around London and the Home Counties. This person pays with debit and credit cards that are drawn on French banks and card issuers. Even though they are authorised at the point and time of sale, it can take at least 20 days before the true owner of the card advises their bank or card issuer that they have not participated in the transaction.
This means that the perpetrator has more than 20 days to order appliances and get them delivered before any notifi cation is sent by Merchant Card Services in the UK to any of us that the payment has been rejected. If you know anything about this or are interested to
fi nd out the name given by the perpetrator, feel free to message us with your contact details. Action Fraud would also be interested.
Steven Wheat, accounts manager, Kitchen World, Mansfi eld
April 2020 ·
We’ll never turn back the tide of online retailers
AS ANOTHER online retailer ceases trading, I thought I’d wade in on the whole internet versus bricks-and-mortar debate. For me the internet argument, which I have always embraced and even more so these days, has changed buying trends forever. I don’t think it will ever be reversed, and, it’s my view that the online channel will only get more and more aggressive, and a survival of the fi ttest mentality will be the normal. The bricks-and-mortar stores that sell acknowledged brands need to combine with these brands and use ‘infl uencers’ to create rating systems, just like the food industry has. Installers should then be graded on what they can achieve. Slightly controversial, in my humble opinion, but the
more educated people in our society probably wouldn’t buy big-ticket items off the internet. And for those consumers that do use the internet for kitchen or bathrooms, let’s say in less affl uent areas, maybe a combined purchase of around £500 is a big commitment to them.
Obviously, geography plays a big part in any scenario but, I have a feeling it’s not over yet.
Gary Walmsley, managing director, Designer Walls & More, Bolton
Interview: Adam Thomas We talk to one of the industry’s leading lights in 4G kitchens for some valuable insights into this challenging sector pg 60
Interview: Johnny Grey A few tips on multigenerational living from this well-known name in KBB design pg 63
WANT TO TELL US YOUR BUSINESS SUCCESS STORY? EMAIL THE EDITOR:
rebecca@kbbreview.com
31
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88
