When the country plunged into lockdown this spring, nobody could anticipate that we would still be feeling the repercussions of it as we approach Christmas. It has meant that most of the summer, in turn, has been taken away from us or limited us to the walls and gardens of our own homes. Though it has been restricting, it has allowed us to finish or make a start on those jobs that perhaps were seen as a nuisance before. From redecorating to building bars in gardens, the past months have given the public the chance to bring out their inner architect and express themselves in their homes. But what opportunities have arisen for DIY brands to be successful post-lockdown?
Before the lockdown consumers found that they preferred to physically go into a store to buy and browse DIY equipment. In fact, a study by the Drum found that 77% of consumers preferred this to buy their products online. Online was predominantly used by men between the ages of 35 - 44, to provide inspiration for what they would then go and buy in-store. Towards the end of Q1, there was an upsurge in spending in certain stores, as consumers stocked up on tools and materials ahead of lockdown projects. In March the mad rush to panic buying and transaction volumes for DIY products increasing by 137% was taking a strain on the world of commerce but in particular the retailers. In the final week of the month, DIY retailer B&Q’s website was down for several days as it struggled to cope with the demand. To use fellow retail giant Wickes’ site some consumers had to face a 3-hour queue. Click and Collect became the go-to-market model for larger brands but even this added to queue congestion and retailers struggled to cope. But after DIY retailers were labelled as ‘non-essential trade’ most retailers in the country were forced to close. From then onwards the traditional brick and mortar store was no longer an option and DIY brands were forced to provide an ‘in-store experience’ on their websites.
With more and more brands being forced online to create D2C websites, opportunities have started to arise to make the shopper experience easier. As touched upon earlier, consumers predominantly use DIY brands websites as inspiration, often using Inspiration Guides to see examples of their desired product in action. But what if in the moment of consideration the consumer was able to buy the product there and then from a DIY retailer of their choice. That’s where Adimo comes in, our Buy Now technology can be seamlessly integrated with the inspiration guide making it easier than ever to shop online for DIY equipment.
Talking of inspiration, DIY could take some from brands in other categories including condiment giants, Heinz. Heinz created a D2C website that allowed customers to buy products in bundles, for example, a source bundle or a tinned goods bundle. DIY brands could follow suit, allowing customers to buy multiple products in the same bundle and overall drastically increase basket size.
I think we can agree that it is not all doom and gloom for most industries as they adapt to the ‘new normal’. Many have found ways of attracting consumers in a more digital sense and DIY will have to follow suit if they are to remain on their lockdown high. Innovations like shoppable inspiration guides and allowing their customers to buy their products in bundles can drastically improve their chances of making sales.
If you have read this and are interested in how Adimo could make your marketing shoppable, don’t hesitate to get in touch...