By Claire Reilly
SYDNEY, NSW: Following news of the Melbourne launch of the Masters Home Improvement retail chain next month, Woolworths Limited has announced that the store will have an online offering to work alongside its bricks and mortar stores.
Woolworths is launching the Masters brand in Australia as a joint venture with Lowe’s Home Improvement. Founded in 1946, Lowe’s currently operates more than 1,750 shopfronts across the United States Canada and Mexico, making it the second-largest home improvement retailer in the world.
Lowe’s stores carry an average of 40,000 products across 20 categories including tools, nursery products and appliances. The company also features a dedicated online store, selling washers and dryers, refrigerators, cooking appliances, dishwashers and smalls, all available to order with free delivery and the option of professional installation.
While the details of the Masters online store are still to be confirmed, Woolworths Limited corporate communications manager Clare Buchanan said it will be rolled out “in the not too distant future” and it will be “integrated” with the physical store offering.
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“We don’t see them as different – they’re only different in terms of the distribution channel,” said Buchanan.
“It’s about how your online offer supports your bricks and mortar offer, and how your bricks and mortar offer supports your online offer. Because customers do both, increasingly it’s not one or the other. It’s about your situation and how convenient you want things to be.”
“It’s as unique as every individual is unique. Lots of people will research in store and buy online when it’s convenient. Others may research online and then come and buy in store because they’re driving past. And you might do different things at different times.
“It’s totally varied and our job is to basically have every opportunity available to all our customers. It’s about the customer, understanding how they shop and how they want to shop with your brand."
Speaking about the timeline that Masters is working towards with its online store, Buchanan added that “the priority is getting the bricks and mortar stores opened, and the online will then compliment those bricks and mortar stores.”
While Masters’ key competitor Bunnings has an appliance offering online (including seasonal heating and cooling, floorcare, barbecues and cooking appliances), the majority of products are not sold online, and are listed as “available in store”.
Current.com.au has contacted Bunnings for comment.