BUYING GROUP FOCUS
Sign up for the Metro makeover Every business is first and foremost a marketing business – it’s only what you sell that varies. The Metro Group has majored on marketing for its members, making retailer’s consumer appeal as attractive as possible to boost their competitive advantage. A professional presentation builds customer confidence and loyalty, and commands better margins. The Metro Group and its Carpet 1st brand makes it easy to look the part alongside the benefit of group buying discounts from leading suppliers, own label protection and professional services. The group has a very open approach to serving its membership of 150 retail outlets. There are no contracts and no complex rebates, just an annual subscription for which members get access to competitively negotiated prices across some 30 suppliers. “The group was started by retailers more than 40 years ago,” says operations manager Steve Depport, “and it’s still run by retailers today in very much the same ethos of serving the retailers’ best interest, with no restrictions and 100% independence – members are free to deal with whoever they wish.” Metro is run by a board of four retail members who are elected at the AGM to serve a two-year term. Ray Chilton of Carpet Style in Nottingham is the chairman at present. Membership costs £1,200 as an annual subscription. The fee is usually quickly recouped in supplier discounts but the group’s key offer is that members get £500 back (£600 for new members) to spend towards display, merchandising and marketing services. Those award-winning services, backed by a professional creative design agency, are provided at cost so their value is even greater. “We can cover everything from a shopfront to a business card, merchandising and display to your web presence and social media content,” says Steve, who has an impressive 26-page brochure of marketing services to prove it. Sq M
“ The right thing for retailers is
to join a buying group – the real decision is which one,” says Steve. “Metro can give retailers a makeover while maintaining their independence and boosting their buying power. It all adds up to better business.”
“More and more retailers are making use of this service. They find it generates more sales and the annual allowance means they can sustain that momentum to build their business long term,” he says. Own-label advantage Retailers can use the allowance to enhance their own name and reputation or buy into Metro’s popular Carpet1st own label branding. Or both! The own label proposition has become increasingly important to retailers to protect their margins against competition, price comparison and online retailers. 90% of the group’s product portfolio can be presented this way – either in the retailer’s own brand or as Carpet 1st. Many retailers use a mix in their stores – creating a varied visual environment of leading supplier brands, store specials and Carpet 1st ranges while some members use the Carpet 1st brand exclusively, right through to their shopfront signage and business identity. The Metro Group merchandising approach covers signage, window display, posters, banners and stickers, vehicle livery and business stationery as well as a full suite of professional point of sale displays and ticketing.
Telephone 01204 393 539 – Jill Coward • info@carpet1st.co.uk • www.carpet1st.co.uk 48
THE STOCKLISTS April 2021