Three retail lessons from kitchen award winner Wheel&Barrow

Start-up retailers looking to spice up their offerings before spring may want take a closer look at Wheel&Barrow, which has been named top kitchen retailer in a survey by Canstar Blue.

Canstar Blue commissions Colmar Brunton to regularly survey 2,500 Australian consumers across a range of categories to measure and track customer satisfaction.

The outcomes reported are the results from kitchen retailer customers within the survey group, which, in this case, consisted of 538 people.

To qualify, the customer had to have purchased an item from a specialist kitchen retailer in the last three months. Brands had to have received at least 30 responses to be included.

Wheel&Barrow, which has 18 stores across the country, was the only kitchenware retailer to score five stars in overall customer satisfaction, beating competitors Robins Kitchen, Matchbox and House.

“When we looked at customer satisfaction with kitchen retailers, it became clear that Wheel&Barrow was a true all-star brand,” Canstar Blue said in its report.

What is it about Wheel&Barrow that resonates with customers? Here are three things.

1. Store layout

Wheel&Barrow excelled in this area, receiving five stars for its store layout while both Robins Kitchen and Matchbox earned four stars each, and House achieved three.

Wheel&Barrow stores have an all-white colour scheme, which means the focus is always on the products, rather than the decor. Everything is clearly categorised, making it easy to locate items.

The stores also make a point of showcasing their best wares in the shopfront window, and promoting new stock by way of themes such as “Sweet Treats” and “Indian Feast”.

2. Range of products and brands

Any lover of good food or cooking would be hard-pressed not to feel like a kid in a candy store when looking through a kitchen retailer’s wares.

Both Wheel&Barrow and Robins Kitchen received five star ratings for their range of products and brands in store, followed by four-star recipients Matchbox and House.

Wheel&Barrow’s range includes bakewear, bar accessories, books, cookware, cutlery, dinnerware, electrical, glassware, home decor, kitchenware, napery, servingware and utensils.

3. Online offerings

While Wheel&Barrow invests heavily in its bricks-and-mortar stores, its online presence is also impressive.

In addition to an e-newsletter for subscribers, Wheel&Barrow is active on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

Meanwhile, its online store comes complete with recipes, stories, downloads, and tips and tricks.