L’appart de Leroy Merlin – France

L’appart is not a store, but a place for meeting and learning. Leroy-Merlin, a European leader in home improvement, is known for its very large stores located in suburbs. L’appart aims at bringing the brand downtown, focusing on services and customer relations above products and purchase. Customers can define their projects with the support of “roommates” (staff) and 3D technology and participate in training and workshops. The product range in-store is very limited (some decorative or basic products), but customers have access to the whole range through digital devices.

Key data

Country: France
Retailer: Leroy Merlin
Category: Home improvement
Format: 200 sqm
Website: www.lappart.leroymerlin.fr

 

Why is it innovative ?

Catering to customers Only 20% of the space is transactional and product-oriented. The rest of the store is dedicated to training sessions, workshops and customer relations. Digital capabilities are available, but the heart of the concept is human-based.

Education and application

The concept is, above all, about teaching skills, which makes sense.The more self-confident customers are, the more ambitious their homeimprovement projects will be.

Community

The concept is also about communities, conveying to customers that the place is “yours.” It can also be used by private associations or groups of customers.

Ebeltoft Group Expert Comment

Many believe that stores of the future will be venues for engagement, more than for transactions. L’Appart is a radical and credible example of this trend. It brings the brand downtown, creates new connections with customers and a wider ecosystem and improves customers’ skills, which helps them launch more ambitious improvement projects. The test is too recent to assess the payback for Leroy-Merlin, but L’appart is definitely a great example of a retail format R&D.

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