Wickes takes the fight to Bunnings

So, the long awaiting metamorphosis of the first Homebase into a brand, spanking new Bunnings store has begun.

We visited the store at Griffith's Way, St. Albans this morning and were only able to sneak this pic below, before being spotted by security and interrogated!

Work will continue over Christmas and the New Year period as the team work to complete the conversion in time for the mid-February deadline.

In the meantime, competitors are already starting to up their game and show Bunnings' that they're not going to get an easy ride. Wickes are first to put their head above the parapet with a perfectly placed advertising board at the entrance to the retail park, with the message 'Homebase has closed. Let us point you in the right direction'.

Nice work, it is exactly this kind of guerrilla tactics combined with a consistent above the line message of competitive prices and great service, that Bunnings used to see off the Masters business in Australia.

I think 2017 is going to be very interesting for our industry.

Source: Steve Collinge - Insight Retail Group Ltd.

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