Superdrug and B&Q - a tale of two Mirakl powered online marketplaces
Superdrug recently announced the upcoming launch of Superdrug Marketplace for premium and emerging brands.
The platform is set to go live in September this year.
It is powered by Mirakl and Superdrug owner AS Watson’s strategic technology partner SAP and will be integrated into the existing Superdrug.com website.
KPS Digital will be responsible for the project delivery.
Customer, Marketing and Online Director Matt Walburn, who is leading the development of Marketplace at Superdrug, commented “The marketplace will be a vital step for our business as we look to strengthen further our role in health and beauty retail and start to build into new associated categories.”
“We’ve been looking at ways to bring innovative and growing brands into our business more quickly and in the appropriate way to test consumer reaction.”
He added: “This is a crucial next step in bolstering our online and offline strategy; marketplace inventory will eventually be available to purchase virtually in-store as well as online.”
“This launch will make a listing with Superdrug now possible for more up and coming brands and give our customers a wider range to enjoy, from luxury to trending beauty and wellness hacks.”
We should contrast and compare this initiative with the “potential chaos, cannibalisation and confusion of B&Q's marketplace”, according to Richard Hammond, CEO at retail analytics startup Uncrowd.
“In that example it's all about expanding uncurated choice, muscular blunt SKU growth. Whereas here, Superdrug are adding to the customer experience through curation, relevance and uniqueness,” he said in a LinkedIn post.
“So how does this happen? B&Q can rightly say they are listening to their customers, because it's true; in surveys, VoC especially, two of the most common asks are for lower prices and more choice.”
“Why? Because those are the easiest things for customers to surface when asked. And because choice is a synonym for freedom and nobody ever asks for less freedom.”
“Customers responding to VoC and feedback requests and surveys and NPS verbatims also often cite more choice as a motivator when they mean, you failed to surface the thing I actually wanted.”
Hammond concluded: “And Superdrug, the difference? The way they describe their marketplace, it’s clear the team aren't knee jerk reacting to surveys but instead have asked themselves a question, in what ways can a marketplace enhance and add to great experiences?”
B&Q did not respond to our request for comment.
