- B&Q are enhancing their ecommerce platform to offer unparalleled choice, with the ambition of millions of products being available
- Customers will have access to an additional 100,000 products within six months via selected third-party sellers – tripling the existing number of SKUs
- Marketplaces are the fastest growing channel in ecommerce and B&Q underlines its ambition with this large-scale expansion of its platform
- An opportunity for sellers to raise their profile through association with this trusted brand, plus access to significant digital traffic at diy.com, one of the top retail websites in the UK
- The marketplace offers a unique, integrated experience for customers with in-store returns for many products and Click + Collect options coming in the future
B&Q, the UK’s most recognisable and trusted home improvement retailer, today announces the launch of a new online home improvement marketplace.
Choice is vital for customers when it comes to home improvement and B&Q’s new marketplace proposition will both expand existing ranges and add new categories, with products available for home delivery and Click + Collect options coming in the future. Within six months, 100,000 more home improvement products will be available to buy at diy.com from third-party sellers, in addition to the 40,000 products currently sold by B&Q – more than tripling the range customers can choose from – with the ambition to offer unparalleled choice with millions of products available.
At launch, customers will be able to choose from an expanded selection of wallpaper, lighting, and power tools, as well as a new range of small domestic appliances – a new category for B&Q. Over the coming weeks, third-party sellers will bring thousands more new products from a broad range of brands, including Osram, Black & Decker and Breville, while offering competitive prices and fast delivery options.
Marketplaces are growing in popularity, with nearly half (48%) of online product searches now starting on marketplace platforms in key markets including the UK and US [survey by Inriver]. B&Q’s new marketplace in partnership with Mirakl will accelerate its e-commerce growth. It will be hosted online at B&Q’s website (diy.com) and the B&Q app, offering the convenience of a ‘one stop shop’ for home improvement products, hosted by a brand they know and trust.
B&Q is one of the UK’s most recognisable and credible home improvement retail brands, with a history dating back over 50 years. Today, diy.com is one of the top retail websites in the UK with significant traffic, giving third-party sellers access to a new far-reaching sales platform. For B&Q, the launch of a marketplace means diy.com will become even more of a strategic asset to the business, as site traffic grows in line with an increased product offering.
The seamless, multi-channel approach of B&Q’s marketplace makes it even easier for customers to shop with both online and in-store benefits. The integration with B&Q’s network of over 300 stores nationwide means customers can conveniently return many items purchased from the marketplace in-store, with Click + Collect options available in the future.
Graham Bell CEO, B&Q, commented: “At B&Q, we’re focused on improving shopping experiences for our customers to make shopping with us even more convenient. Around 85% of our customers’ shopping journeys start online. With the launch of marketplace, customers can now access an even bigger choice of home improvement products online, with the convenient option to return many products at their local store, with Click + Collect options coming in time. Marketplaces are a rapidly growing retail phenomenon around the world and we’re excited by the potential this model brings in combination with the convenience of our fulfilment capabilities. The unique multichannel combination of this online marketplace, along with our network of 300 stores, means we can offer customers a level of choice, speed and convenience that pure play retailers cannot match.”
B&Q’s marketplace fully reflects evolving customer demand, with the shift to online and the need for speed, convenience, and choice, and creates a scalable model for Kingfisher, B&Q’s parent company, to roll out marketplaces in other markets and banners.
To support the operation of the marketplace model, Kingfisher has partnered with marketplace platform Mirakl, the industry’s leading enterprise marketplace SaaS platform. Building the marketplace for B&Q offers UK customers the chance to benefit from broader choice, something that other Kingfisher banners will be able to rollout under this scalable technology platform. Mirakl brings a wealth of expertise, shaped by working with over 300 of the world’s leading enterprises that have adopted the marketplace model to thrive in a rapidly evolving e-commerce landscape, including Decathlon, Joules, and H&M Home.
Adrien Nussenbaum, Co-founder and Co-CEO, Mirakl, added: “B&Q truly understands the value of the marketplace to quickly, meet customer demand for a wider product range to improve their home. Our wealth of experience in launching and scaling a marketplace has enabled B&Q to achieve a completely seamless integration of the marketplace into their existing eCommerce platform on diy.com. We look forward to seeing the growth of the platform in the months to come.”
All third-party sellers at diy.com will be selected by B&Q experts. Sellers undergo a verification process to ensure they complement B&Q’s existing offer. Products sold by third-party sellers are easily identified by the description ‘sold and shipped by [seller name]’ underneath the product title.
B&Q marketplace launches at diy.com and on the B&Q app on Thursday 10 March 2022.
Ends
About B&Q:
B&Q is the UK’s leading home improvement and garden living retailer, offering great prices across over 40,000 products in 300 stores across the UK and on diy.com.
Their team of more than 27,000 (15,812 FTE*) colleagues of all ages are respected nation-wide for providing great home improvement help to customers. They’re the beating heart of B&Q and their iconic orange aprons are worn with pride.
Every year, more than 20 million people make their homes and outdoor living better with B&Q, and every year the company achieves ever-higher standards for sustainable sourcing and supports our local communities undertaking home improvement projects and raising money to fund Shelter’s DIY Skills Advisors. For more information on our community initiatives visit https://www.diy.com/corporate/community
B&Q is part of Kingfisher plc, the international home improvement company which operates over 1,400 stores in 8 countries across Europe.
*year end 2020-21 figures
About Mirakl:
Mirakl offers the industry’s first and most advanced enterprise marketplace SaaS platform. With Mirakl, organizations across B2B and B2C industries can launch marketplaces faster, grow bigger, and operate with confidence as they exceed rising customer expectations. Platforms are the new competitive advantage in eCommerce, and the world’s most trusted brands choose Mirakl for its comprehensive solution of technology, expertise, and the Mirakl Connect ecosystem to unlock the power of the platform business model for them.
As a result, companies like ABB, Astore by AccorHotels, Best Buy Canada, Carrefour, Catch, Changi Airport, Darty, The Kroger Co., Leroy Merlin, Maisons du Monde, Metro, and Toyota Material Handling gain the speed, scale, and agility to win in the changing eCommerce landscape. For more information: www.mirakl.com.