VIVID Homes by B&Q in Yishan Lu, Shanghai, is designed to tap into the burgeoning Chinese housing market by offering a hi-tech, multisensory home improvement journey.

VIVID Homes by B and Q in Yishan Lu, Shanghai

VIVID Homes by B&Q in Yishan Lu, Shanghai, is designed to tap into the burgeoning Chinese housing market by offering a hi-tech, multisensory home improvement journey. 

The generation of newly affluent homeowners in China are not as enthusiastic about Do-it-Yourself as B&Q customers in traditional markets, so the retailer has developed VIVID Homes to cater for a strong demand to Design-it-Yourself instead. The new store, which opened in September last year, harnesses technology to help lead the shopper through the design process, helping visualise what the finished result will look like in their home.

With a potentially confusing array of options to navigate, service is provided by VIVID ‘coaches’ who are on hand to provide expert advice at key stages and help customers gather ideas and inspiration online and in-store. Advice is also available via a Pocket Coach app and the homeowner can then share their plans with friends and family via an online ‘mood board’.

Once the design is finalised the customer’s coach can create layouts in-store using life-size blocks and digital projections. The journey culminates with the 4D ‘Visualizer’ – a projection space that presents a virtual mock-up with the same proportions as the customer’s home.

The customers wear 3D glasses that track their movement within the space and adapt the simulation so they can experience the sights, sounds and even the aromas of the finished product. To take the process further the coach converts the results into a detailed project plan, including timings and budgets, so that the virtual design can be turned into a reality.

Consumer Insights:

One size does not fit all. Consumers crave personalised products that realise their own creativity, and they value those retailers that help them achieve this.

Brand take-away:

The combination of physical space, human interaction and digital elements work together to create an engaging and seamless path to purchase.

Brought to you by Fitch. FITCH is a global brand and retail design consultancy Bold Thinking, Seamless Experiences