B&Q has announced it is driving its e-commerce expansion with the launch of a new home improvement marketplace at diy.com.

The British retailer said that the new marketplace will expand existing ranges and add new categories, with products available for home delivery and Click&Collect in the future.

It added that within six months, 100,000 more items will be available to buy at diy.com from third-party sellers, in addition to the 40,000 products currently sold by B&Q.

“Around 85 per cent of our customers’ shopping journeys start online,” said Graham Bell, chief executive, B&Q. “With the launch of marketplace, customers can now access an even bigger choice of home improvement products online, with the convenient option to return many products at their local store, with Click + Collect options coming in time.

“Marketplaces are a rapidly growing retail phenomenon around the world and we’re excited by the potential this model brings in combination with the convenience of our fulfilment capabilities. The unique multichannel combination of this online marketplace, along with our network of 300 stores, means we can offer customers a level of choice, speed and convenience that pure play retailers cannot match.”

Share Story: