Retailers who take advantage of digital marketing will do best, says Symphony

Symphony Group director Simon Collyns says that retailers who make the most of digital marketing and social media will be the ones that benefit in 2021.

The group marketing and retail sales director (pictured) pointed out that since the first lockdown, more consumers are doing their research online and so retailers must make sure their websites and social media are properly sorted.

Speaking exclusively to kbbreview, Collyns said: “We’re seeing a marked trend in consumers researching online for inspiration for their home renovations, as such, we’ve seen record numbers of visitors to our website, and all our social channels have great engagement rates. We expect this trend to continue.”

He added: “Retailers who take advantage of digital marketing and social media will see the benefit in 2021. A well-designed, mobile-optimised website will generate more enquires from customers who are conducting loads of research and looking for inspiration online.”

Collyns also pointed to the trend for more consumers investing in home offices and tipped this as an opportunity for 2021, along with bedrooms.

He added: “The two main areas for growth, in addition to kitchens, will be fitted bedrooms and home-office furniture. As kitchen and bathroom projects are completed, our research shows that bedrooms often follow as the next rooms to be updated.

“Home offices are a new opportunity for growth, which is one of the positives to come out of 2020, as we have seen the switch to mass home-working. We are already well placed with our range of Urbano home-office furniture to capture this market. The expansion of our current home-office range will be a key focus of our new product development in 2021.

“Maximising opportunities will be critical, and retailers that capture these to renovate multiple rooms – such as home offices, bedrooms and bathrooms – will be in a better position to thrive.”

Collyns also identified another trend – sustainability. He told kbbreview: “We also see an increased interest in sustainability in home furniture, as people are looking to minimise their impact on the environment. Retailers who take sustainability seriously will stand out from competitors and appeal to a broader audience”

Asked about how the saw the industry’s prospects for 2021, he said: “2020 has been an unprecedented year for all businesses. While we saw a substantial recovery in the KBB sector in the second half of 2020, early signs are that this will continue into the first months of 2021. We remain cautious about forecasting how the market will perform into the latter half of 2021 and into 2022. We hope that as we return to ‘normality’ in the middle of 2021, so the market will also return to normal and we will continue to see steady growth into 2022.”

He added: “Symphony remains in a solid financial position. As we demonstrated during 2020, we are resilient, supportive and forward-thinking when faced with challenging market conditions. We have retained all our staff and invested in the stock and other resources to ensure the continuation of both production and deliveries as we move through 2021. Our customers can expect to see our usual high standard of service.”

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