BATHROOMS
SENSORY SALES B
Fiona Russell Horne finds out how builders merchant C & W Berry used psychology to design its bathroom showroom space.
eing able to touch or hold a product increases the likelihood of purchase and the customer’s willingness to pay for it. That’s the psychology behind many bathroom showrooms – and it’s certainly what C&W Berry in Leyland, Lancashire, applied when setting up its dedicated showroom, Berry Bathrooms.
The multi-award-winning bathroom showroom has been recognised for its research and application of multiple psychological factors that positively influence consumer spending. By combining specially curated music playlists, handpicked scents, specific colours, and a diverse range of plants and foliage, the team created a unique space that welcomes and inspires. Taking inspiration from elite brands such as Rolls-Royce, Cartier, Gucci, Liberty London, Van Cleef & Arpels, Lamborghini, and others, the team conducted extensive research into scent marketing and its benefits. This form of sensory marketing subliminally influences consumer behaviour, and studies have shown that certain scents directly impact sales.
Similarly, the team spent time curating music playlists that align with the showroom’s ambience and brand. Studies have shown that
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shoppers can linger up to 35% longer when music is consistent with the brand’s atmosphere and target demographic, and that it can increase purchase intent by up to 20%. This is further supported by their use of colour theory – blending subtle, calm tones with striking, dominant hues – and the impactful inclusion of plants and foliage to create an environment that, on the surface, excites and inspires, and in the background, subliminally promotes consumer spend.
Berry Bathrooms also enables the company to effectively showcase a wider selection of bathroom products from different brands and manufacturers for easy comparison. With a mixture of display styles – from window features and shop-in-shop concepts to podiums, display pods, and shelving units featuring a variety of taps and mixers – customers can easily compare brands, colours, and price points. The showroom also features a virtual 4D display area that allows customers to visualise their redesigned bathroom through a 4D theatre experience. This investment has created an even more immersive environment that encourages sales by giving clients the peace of mind to comfortably commit to a purchase within a
shorter sales cycle. In its first year, this increased average sales value by 20%.
“The Virtual Worlds software and the VR headset service really tie the sale in,” says Managing Director David Berry. “As soon as we give the customer the chance to immerse themselves in their redesigned bathroom, we find that we keep that sale.”
For these reasons, Berry Bathrooms has already won a number of industry awards, including this year’s kbbreview Bathroom Showroom of the Year. BMJ
www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net May 2025
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