Builders Merchants Journal – BMJ Publishing to Builders Merchants and the UK merchanting industry for more than 95 years
To better manage the surge in online sales since the coronavirus threat emerged, builders merchants have been bringing forward their website launches.
Merchants’ online channels to market have seen an unprecedented surge in sales as many builders seek to minimise social contact while still wanting to carry on with their jobs.
Builders’ merchants Haldane Fisher, TJ O’Mahoney and Gardner & Scardifield are all planning to go live weeks or months earlier than they initially planned, joining merchants such as Lords, BPS, Collier & Catchpole and Inter-line who have seen a sudden upswing in online orders of more than 50% in the last two weeks.
Andy Scothern, founder and managing director of eCommonSense said: “We now have such a well-oiled website launch process that we can go as fast as the merchant wants.
“Since JT Dove went live on our solution only a month ago, they have seen website sales increase at a rapid rate. Other merchants are now recognising that an industry-leading website will be one of the most critical weapons in their arsenal against the current Covid-19 pandemic.”
“To help at this difficult time, we are providing a free branded marketing toolkit to all of our clients to help promote their website when many merchants are experiencing a decline in branch footfall.”
The nationwide picture is the same with online sales predicted to double by the time the Corona epidemic is over as many more people socially isolate.
Many experts are now predicting that online trade will stick as consumer behaviour becomes ingrained.
“If you don’t have a fully optimised online channel, you will be at a disadvantage both during this current crisis and also once it ends,” added Scothern.
“We only build websites for builders’ merchants, and we have done so many now that we can now go live in a matter of weeks. Speed of deployment will be really important for merchants who are not yet online and want to keep orders coming in during this time of crisis”
