Victoria Plum has launched a bespoke design and installation service, threatening to encroach on territory normally the preserve of bricks-and-mortar showrooms.
The pure-play online retailer is aiming the new service at customers wishing to create a bathroom tailored to their particular needs. It believes this is the first service of its kind offered by an internet seller.
According to Victoria Plum, an “in-house expert will create a unique bathroom design” for customers following a free online consultation. If the customer agrees to go ahead, a project coordinator will be appointed to manage the installation of the bathroom through a network of approved installers and plumbers.
The company said it is in the process of expanding its community of tradespeople in order to deliver the new service.
Victoria Plum business development director Jim Barnard said: “We are hugely excited to have launched our new design and installation service, which we believe to be the first of its kind by a UK online bathroom retailer. We have invested heavily in setting up the people, processes and technologies needed to make this a success and it is already proving extremely popular as we begin rolling it out across the UK.
“The service differentiates us within the markets we serve, enabling us to provide an added value service proposition alongside our excellent product range. It forms a key part of our ambitious growth plans and fits perfectly with our mission to become the most differentiated, most trusted and most respected bathroom provider.”
In the year ended February 28, Victoria Plum reported a 46% increase in sales to £104 million, with pre-tax profit (EBITDA) up 115% at £4.5m. It has just under 400 employees.