landscaping Outdoor living takes priority


Aiming to capitalise on the busy spring market and with plans to double its turnover this year, Building Supplies Online has launched two new categories covering paving, garden and outdoor products.


One size fits all Mark says it’s very achievable to create a comprehensive range that is suitable for both professional and individual customers. “Many consumers are cash rich, time poor and many lack the necessary skills, tools and equipment to undertake the work themselves. However, they are very discriminating about the components that are used for their projects. This has resulted in the rise of the ‘Do it for Me’ customer, where the consumer becomes the specifier and works with a contractor to implement their ideas. In turn, tradesmen are being exposed to a greater variety of products and brands than they might otherwise and they become advocates of the brands and products too.” Apart from kitchen and bathroom


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n line with Building Supplies Online’s policy of offering “premium quality products at trade prices”, the online


trader has partnered with Marshalls and Tarmac Building Products to supply a comprehensive range of paving and decorative aggregates available in bulk bags. These are complemented by a broad range of fencing, tools and maintenance materials to complete the landscaping offer. Its offer also includes easy care items, such as composite decking and artificial grass. Building Supplies Online has also


collaborated with Forest Garden to supply an extensive range of decorative fencing, garden structures, furniture and summerhouses. For committed gardeners, the collection includes greenhouses, raised beds and cold frames. Head of buying at Building Supplies Online, Mark Wolfe, spoke to GCU about the thinking behind the launch of the outdoor ranges. “Gardens are no longer neglected spaces and


after kitchens and bathrooms,” Mark says. “Outdoor living has become a major priority for home owners triggering double digit growth in the category. We recognised that our lack of these outdoor categories was a major gap in our offering so we have worked hard to remedy it.”


8 | www.gardencentreupdate.com The company has noticed landscaping trends


tend to have a focus on ease of use. Mark says consumers want to create an outdoor environment that they enjoy but with minimal maintenance and upkeep. “There are competing demands for convenience, durability and ‘stylishness’ driving the demand for low maintenance and easy care products. The ultimate example of this is the growth in artificial grass! Another is the rise of composite decking and we anticipate that composite fencing and composite garden buildings will become more prevalent as they become more affordable. Gardens are considered ‘outdoor rooms’ and entertaining spaces. Their appearance and styling is as much an extension of a homeowner’s style and taste, as the rest of the home. However the time demands of modern life mean that most owners choose to prioritise enjoying the space rather than maintaining it. Additionally, improvements in the appearance of composite decking, artificial grass and porcelain paving have minimised the trade-off between style and easy maintenance.: He continues: “Porcelain paving is more


durable i.e. stain and scratch resistant and also helps customers achieve the seamless flow from ‘inside to out’ when they have bi- fold doors.”


makeovers, Mark says “garden transformations are one of the highest potential spends within the home improvement market” and people are viewing and using their gardens differently and so life events can act as triggers for change. Mark explains: “Starting a family – driven by a need to use the space differently but with less time and money, families look for durable, low maintenance solutions. Empty nesters – with more time, space and money, empty nesters can focus on creating a space that reflects their lifestyle, such as for entertaining. New homes – new owners are often prompted to impose their own style on a space. Space constraints - with increased moving costs and the rise in flexible working, many homeowners are looking for additional habitable space i.e. summerhouses for offices or home gyms etc.” Looking ahead at the rest of the year, Mark


says the company’s first priority is to its customers: “Given that 2019 will be our first full season of outdoor and garden trading, our proposition has been transformed in a very short space of time. We envisage our strategy will be more akin to evolution than revolution, as we monitor and reflect the changing tastes and trends across the market place. Our 2019 offer is very much geared more towards the hard landscaping end of the market, which is a better fit with our customer demographic. While we would not rule out further expansion or diversification of our proposition, ultimately our priority is to our core customer are happy.”


GCU March/April 2019


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