B&Q introduced its first standalone TradePoint store in March, launching the brand new format in Barking, London.

The move marked a significant expansion of the retailer’s trade-focused offer beyond its dedicated counters and in-store areas housed within its wider estate.

Based on Ripple Road, the new 32,000 sq ft flagship was created exclusively for trade professionals and generated more than 30 local jobs.

Although TradePoint already operates from dedicated spaces in more than 200 B&Q stores nationwide, Barking forms the first location to launch as a standalone site in its own right.

“Under-indexed in London”

The store has been designed around speed, convenience and specialist support, with services including 6am opening from Monday to Saturday, 15-minute click and collect, load and go collection, same-day delivery in as little as two hours and next-day bulk delivery.

It stocks more than 5,500 products for immediate takeaway, with a further 25,000 items available for collection or delivery.

The store also features timber and plasterboard cutting via two cutting saws, paint mixing, Speedy Tool Hire and dedicated trade business development managers to support customers in-store and online.

B&Q director of TradePoint John Morgan explains the business chose Barking to launch its first standalone TradePoint store because it “under-indexed in London” since it was “hard to get locations”.

“We looked all around the capital and we looked at major arterial routes,” he says.

“The A13, which is where our Barking store is based, is one of the busiest roads going into London.

“It was around the ability to service the trade that was coming in, particularly from Essex, Kent, M25, and Dartford Tunnel. 

“The location was really important to us to catch those tradespeople as they come into London on the A13.”

A new Hanworth store 

Explaining the difference between B&Q’s retail stores and its standalone TradePoint store, the exec says “around 75 per cent of the sales in a big B&Q will be retail and 25 per cent will be trade”.

“Predominantly, in a retail store, the majority of products and services are there for the retail customers, in TradePoint in Barking it’s only for the trade.

“If you were a DIYer who came in, we wouldn’t exclude you, we would support you, but it’s not for you.

“You have to have a trade card, you have to have a TradePoint membership, and we are only looking for the trade people to shop with us,” he explains.

As well as its Barking site, B&Q is planning to increase its number of standalone TradePoint stores.

And its next one to open on 16 December will be based in Hanworth, the exec says.

Explaining the thinking behind this location, he says: “The Hanworth site, a bit like Barking, is on the 316. 

“It’s close to Twickenham. You come up the M3 and then you come into London and you’re on the 316. 

“It’s on the main road, it shares the car park with McDonald’s and Aldi so there’s pull there, and it’s got trade merchants and other trade suppliers around it. For us, the location is ideal.”

Speed and convenience 

Part of the idea behind the TradePoint stores is that they’re focused on speed and convenience to help busy tradespeople.

Morgan explains: “We open earlier at 6am compared to 7am, we’ve got dedicated bulk delivery from the stores, we’ve got TradePoint express, where we can deliver within two hours.”

Without its regular B&Q product offering, he also notes that its TradePoint stores allow it to “offer far more in terms of the depth and availability” for tradespeople.

“Where some stores might have two or three pallets of multi finish, in a TradePoint it might have eight pallets of multi finish,” he says.

“They also have more services in terms of things like timber saws, paint mixing, the aisles are wider, and the tall ranges are bigger.”

“A reason to stop and talk”

Another interesting element of the Barking TradePoint store is that it holds in-store events and demonstrations for its visitors.

Morgan explains: “What our colleagues and the trade members love more than anything is for a reason to stop, and talk about their projects.

“We do demonstrations and trade days. When we do trade days, we invite our major suppliers to come and demonstrate their products.

“They’ll do events, they’ll lay on some food and drink, and just make a bit of an event out of it. There will be some extra discounts and promotions.

“The tradespeople like it, the colleagues like it, and it drives that loyalty and engagement.”

Despite the fast-paced nature of its TradePoint store, he also says this gives tradespeople “the opportunity to slow down”.

“We’ve got tea and coffee in Barking, and if you drink a hot drink you’ve got to slow down, you can’t run off with it,” he points out.

“We have the hot drinks, and we deliberately don’t put a lid on it so we can say to them, ‘Hey, let’s have a chat before you go’.”

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