The launch of Plane & Simple, a new online DIY marketplace, is said to be offering UK builders’ merchants the opportunity to branch out to a wider customer base.
Described as providing a new way to access high quality building materials and home improvement supplies, Plane & Simple connects DIYers with trusted local independent merchants, “shining a light on great local merchants who might not be on a customer’s radar”. By entering a postcode, customers are paired with a selection of merchant partners in their area, and a full range of building supplies and products are delivered directly to their door.
Once a merchant signs on as a partner, the company says they will benefit from “market insight, regular monitoring and additional marketing to drive online sales”. With a targeted approach, the platform will also allow merchants to control the areas that they are selling to, with full control over delivery areas.
Plane & Simple is currently available in three regions: Central Scotland; Devon and Cornwall; and Sussex and Kent. The long term plans for the business include expansion into the rest of the UK.
Glen Stocco, Co-Founder of the platform, said: “The pandemic has advanced online purchasing in all sectors, and builders’ merchants are no exception. We know that 40% of online shoppers prefer to shop on marketplaces, and that shoppers are five times more likely to search for a product on a marketplace than on a brand’s website. We expect this will only increase as the sector adopts more digitalisation.
“Developing a website with online sales capabilities can be a big undertaking for busy businesses. The Plane & Simple partnership means that we only win if we both win. By connecting the best independent trade merchants in the country with local online customers, we think Plane & Simple is going to revolutionise the DIY and building materials purchase process and we’re looking forward to seeing it develop as it’s rolled out across the country.”
Plane & Simple is the latest addition to the growing Donaldson Group portfolio of leading independent brands, with James Donaldson Timber perhaps the best known to the merchant sector. A family business, the Donaldson Group has been operating for more than 160 years and the 11 businesses that make up the Group trade and operate independently, sharing best practice and innovation.
