The B&Q marketplace has emerged as a powerhouse in the ecommerce sector, showcasing remarkable growth and setting the stage for an ambitious expansion by parent company Kingfisher. With categories now approaching a couple of dozen in diverse verticals from pets to auto, this is a marketplace that brands should have right at the top of their channel expansion list for 2024.
A Year of Impressive Gains
- Ecommerce Penetration: B&Q has seen its e-commerce sales penetration soar to 17.4% in FY 22/23, up from 16.3%.
- Total Ecommerce Sales: A robust year-on-year increase of 6.4% brought total ecommerce sales to a whopping £2.3 billion.
- Marketplace Gross Sales: The B&Q marketplace alone generated £154 million in gross sales, with marketplace participation hitting 38% in January 2024, very close to their initial target of 40%!
Kingfisher’s Strategic Expansion
Encouraged by B&Q’s success, Kingfisher is set to launch new ecommerce marketplaces in France and Poland. The goal? To achieve a 30% sales penetration, with a third of that representing high-margin marketplace gross sales.
Global Partnerships for a Global Reach
Kingfisher has forged strategic partnerships with industry giants like Octopia, Rithum (previously ChannelAdvisor), ShoppingFeed, BeezUp, Linnworks, and Just Applications. These alliances provide access to thousands of additional marketplace merchants worldwide, bolstering the upcoming marketplace roll-outs in France and Poland.
B&Q’s marketplace growth is not just a testament to the brand’s strength but also a blueprint for Kingfisher’s future endeavors in the global ecommerce landscape.
