This month, MADE.COM launched its first ever pop-up showroom in Brighton. Located in our space, 114 Church Street, visitors are able to browse a selection of designer products from MADE’s winter collection, alongside iconic pieces such as the Jonah sofa by James Harrison and the Darcy Shelves by Steuart Padwick.
Pop-up showrooms have been part of MADE’s retail strategy for several years now. Each one presents a range of the site’s most popular furniture and lighting products set out to look like a studio shoot. The brand has always believed their future lies in the convergence of online and offline retailing. This Brighton pop-up is taking this one step further, showcasing an industry first in showroom technology; a new interactive tap wall
The wall will display images of popular product groupings in real home settings. These are taken from MADE’s social platform MADE x Unboxed. The groupings have been identified by analysing the data gathered in the brand’s existing London, Liverpool and Leeds showrooms. The data determines “smart pairings” across the MADE catalogue and showcases the ones best suited to the local audience.
Every week, the images are refreshed based on a live data feed created from local customer buying behavior. MADE aims to give their Brighton visitors another level of insight into the best way to style their rooms. It will also help MADE understand better this new design conscious customer base.
Looking to capture the imagination of new and existing customers in Brighton, MADE seem to have created a winning formula. We caught up with the head of MADE.COM UK, Annabel Kilner to find out more:
Why did MADE.COM decide to launch the Brighton Showroom?
We've had our eye on Brighton for a long time. We held a focus group session here earlier this year in April and we know there’s a particularly design savvy, style conscious audience in the area.
When I saw the site at 114 Church street, I got a great feeling about the space. It felt like home; I was able to instantly envision it beautifully styled as a 1 bed flat furnished with MADE product.
*Why are the benefits that pop-ups offer the company? *
Pop up showrooms fit perfectly with our business model; they give us an opportunity to showcase a selection of our products in a desirable location, without the expense of a long lease and costly renovation. We have freedom to be creative with layout, technology and marketing.
Each pop-up teaches us something new and gives us greater insight into what makes our customers tick; this influences our showrooming strategy going forward.
How do you decide on the locations for your pop-ups?
We think strategically. We analyse our online performance in all major cities in the UK and look for opportunities to increase awareness and conversion rates. Visiting a showroom - even a pop up - gives our customers inspiration, a demonstration of the high quality of our designs and assures them they are making a great purchase. We staff the pop-ups with existing members of the showroom team, so customers receive the same benefits and insights they would visiting one of our permanent sites.
What makes Brighton a good location for MADE.COM?
Simply put, we are big fans of Brighton! It’s located in a great catchment area that is just a little bit too far from our London showroom to make it always convenient to visit.
The community here is on trend and very supportive of independent emerging creative talent. We saw an opportunity to provide good, affordable design in the city centre. We already have an incredibly well-engaged customer base in this area – we wanted to take things to the next level.
What does success look like to you?
Footfall is key. We’d love to meet new customers - people who know us online but haven't purchased before - but also our existing customers, as they always have great stories to tell us about our products in their homes; they’re our true champions.
Feeling inspired? Book this space for your ideas: 114 Church Street Boutique
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