Seeing is Believing….. Why Merchants have the Edge Over Online
Posted by: electime 30th April 2019
Despite the general increase in online sales, recent research by leading brand Van Vault has highlighted that tradespeople still prefer more traditional methods of buying equipment.
Research by Van Vault, the originators of in-vehicle secure storage, has unveiled surprising results, providing further insight into purchasing habits of its trade customers.
The recent survey, covering a number of trades, including builders, electricians, plumbers and carpenters, showed that when buying secure storage solutions for their van, the preferred choice is to purchase in-store.
In recent years the overall value of internet retail sales has steadily increased. According to latest statistics (from the Office for National Statistics) online sales in February were up 9.4 per cent year-on-year, currently running at 17.6 per cent. Online sales have reached a value of 1.19 billion pounds.
Despite this, the study commissioned by Van Vault, revealed that merchants are going against the current retail grain, with stores being the first choice for tradespeople, rather than online.
As the UK’s number one brand for containers that store and secure tools in vehicles[, Van Vault based its independent research on 300 interviews with tradespeople.
The survey revealed that 41 per cent of participants prefer to buy secure storage solutions in-store from a local or specialist retailer. With 38 per cent claiming that they purchase goods from national brands such as Wickes or Screwfix. With 51 per cent of UK consumers currently preferring to shop online rather than in-store, these results were certainly surprising, but not unusual.
When it comes to buying secure storage – which is driven by a wide range of issues from replacement to theft, and from needing extra storage to getting a new van – often tradesman do their research online first before making a visit to store to purchase.
The research showed initial online research is done to look for product information, but visibility in-store are important as they want to actually see the product before purchasing in-store. This is because it is easier to see the quality of manufacture as opposed to simply looking at a picture online. They are provided with a better understanding of the size of the product, storage capacity and the tools that it can hold, if they see it in-store.
Deborah Hunt, Marketing Manager at Van Vault, adds “Merchants have a vital role to play when it comes to providing customers with advice. Our report found that 38 per cent of tradespeople rely on merchants / stores for recommendations and information and 1 in 4 seek expert advice from a member of staff.
“That is why at Van Vault, we ensure merchants can support their customers in the best way possible and respond to what they want – security, functionality, quality and peace of mind – providing extensive and in-depth information.
“Our research shows that leading brands, such as Van Vault need to invest in their retail customer base whilst responding to the changing shopping habits of the trade.”
Celebrating its 21st anniversary this year, Van Vault is the UK’s premier brand of containers for storing and securing tools in vehicles. The brand offers a range of eight vehicle storage products, each designed for use in different types of vehicles, as well as a selection of on-site secure storage which are stocked by a range of distributors across the UK.
