TOOLS TO


OOLS


POWERFUL SALES W


Positec Power To Tools product and mark such as B&M and W


e are seeing a number of changes in the UK DIY market, including the gr owth of the discount stor es, Wi


Wilko, who now


sell ranges of power tools. The change of the Homebase chain to Bunnings – a retailer that wants to trade in a very different way to everyone else – is also likely to have an impact. Bunnings is bringing a taste of Australian retailing to the market, with a hint of the UK. Kingfisher’s


Finally, y, Unified


Project to have a specified range of suppliers for all categories within all of their outlets acr oss Eur ope also has the potential to impact a lot of manufactur ers acr oss categories, from paint and power tools, to lighting and kitchens.


The power of brands


As we become less capable DIY wise in the UK, the r etailers need to change and adapt their ranging to suit. The DIY consumer now demands products that can fit with their lifestyle.


ss capable DIY- Y-


The retailers ar e driving hard to develop their own brands of power tools and garden power


tools –


whether created or licensed – as that they feel they will be in better control of their profits, rangi ng and pricing hierarchy instore. The difficulty in achieving this is how best to manage, develop and promote the own brand or brands created. This area has long been the domain of the brands and is why there is a premium to purchasing branded products in any industry The R&D, innovation, advertising and marketing has to be paid for by someone!


in any industry y.. Challenges in the category


Power tool battery share platforms have become a major part of the pr ofessional power tool industry over the last 10-15 years. All of the major pr o brands now have a range of power tools that utilise the same inter changeable batteries and, with some brands, this is over 100 differ ent machines. The DIY brands are developing wider ranges of


www.diyweek.net ools product and marketing director Jim Kirkwood looks at


what’s ha ving an impact on the market, why there is a need for major brands in the power tools category, and what opportunities there are f or retailers


machines to utilise the same battery platform, with many now of fering what would be considered lifestyle products for everyday use.


One challenge the UK is curr ently facing is how to increase the ownership and diversity of multiple DIY power tools. Ownership of more than one or two power tools in the UK is much lower than other markets like the USA or Australia. This makes developing wider ranges of machines much more difficult, especially when they contain innovative features or technology.


Customer service is key


The UK consumer likes to feel they have bought something that is good value and as high a specification as that good value will allow . Power tools is a sector where it is often dif ficult for retailers (and the brands) to convey the difference between a £39.99 power tool, a £79.99 power tool and one costing £129.99 or mor e.


Knowledge of staff in stores can vary wildly and the space given to pure messaging in store is limited at best. We would all like to have a fully-trained workforce available when you need them instore, and maybe Bunnings will achieve some h its focus on staff in store.


We e of this with its focus on staf y, ff


The digital world has changed the availability of information dramatically


now find the answer to almost anythin g it


is instantl . However,


y.. Consumers can y


difficult to r eplace the ‘live


interface’ of having someone instor e who can close a sale. Customers r eturn home and purchase fr om Amazon with free delivery via their Prime subscription, or they decide not to pur chase at all because no one closed the sale. ‘Live Chat’ offers a potential solution for some industries but as yet a successful power tool version has not been found. Maybe this is something we will see in the coming years?


Digital decision makers


Reviews and the use of bazaar voice, social media and video


26 MAY 2017 DIY WEEK 13


video content and reviews just a few clicks away


ly, with a wealth of data, away


streaming is fast changing how we make some decisions, and how we can influence others to make the same or differ ent decisions. This


is one of the y.. Most of the


most powerful tools power tool category currently


brands are active in some form, and the r etailers ar e certainly using it more and more. Power tools, as a category is often is a little behind some other DIY categories.


tegory y,,


Individual r eviews for products are strong, however linking these to the consumer journey


r,, y,, and being able to capitalise fully and maximise Good customer service is needed to close a sale in the


sales is an ar ea that is often difficult to justify the outlay r equir ed. This will change in the next few years, especially if consumers potentially start to own their personal data and companies will effectively have to pay to be able to use that information…. Everything will become a lot more targeted.


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