Premier Retail

Bensons for Beds

Bensons for Beds
Written by Roma Publications

Bensons for Beds Cirencester

Bensons for Beds

The welcome addition of a Bensons for Beds store has been introduced to Cirencester – and just like the other stores within the chain – prides itself on helping customers to find the right bed for their individual needs. An innovative comfort station is in place at the Cirencester store designed to aid customers in discovering the right kind of firmness and comfort for their bed.

Bensons for Beds is a leading sleep solution destination offering both classical and contemporary beds and bedroom furniture, under the group retailer known as Steinhoff.

Steinhoff’s UK retail operations comprise a balanced mix of retail chains, including Harveys, a leading home retail specialist focusing on lounge and dining room furniture at affordable prices. Interestingly it was one of the first retailers to offer customers an online shopping alternative.

Bensons provides a comprehensive selection of comfortable beds from all of the leading Brands. A wide variety of styles are available from wooden and leather bedsteads to children’s beds and divans from brands including Tempur, Stompa, Silentnight and Sealy.

Premier Retail caught up with Peter Harries, Head of Store Design and Visual Merchandising at Steinhoff, to discover more information regarding the new store in Cirencester. According to Peter:

“Our new store in Cirencester opened on March 11th – it is a brand new site for the Bensons brand, however not for Steinhoff – I work for Steinhoff UK and we trade both on the hIgh street and on most of the retail parks nationwide.

“We converted our existing Cargo store into a Bensons for Beds store, because we thought it would work better and we are rationalising the brand for Cargo.

“The high street store is in a good location. Despite the fact it’s quite a narrow space trading on one floor, we wanted to offer the biggest proposition and the biggest range of products for our customers using clever techniques.

“In that small space we can offer a customer the full proposition that Bensons has to offer, through some of our range extension pieces; so for example there are only nine actual bed frames on the shop floor however with the use of a particular extension fixture customers can choose from 40 bed frames, all with products details.

Bensons for Beds

“There is also an internet interaction feature which is salesperson-driven, and includes website access allowing members of our sales team to assist the customer and navigate through the website in-store. These are just two examples of the ways in which we are trying to give the people of Cirencester the opportunity to view and shop the full range that Bensons offers.”

The former Cargo site was converted to the ideal layout for Bensons for Beds, following a thorough strip out and overall redevelopment. A mixture of suspended & MF ceiling was installed in addition to new flooring, wall linings and much more. Following a quick turnaround – roughly four weeks to fit out and one week to merchandise – the new site was ready to be revealed.

“Everything has run smoothly – however it is fair to say that when developing and rolling out this new concept we have been designing as we go along – so there are things that have been a little bit last minute because of tying up loose ends and the snagging stage; but everything has gone well and we are delighted with our new store,” said Peter.

“This project is extremely important to us; we are big on the retail parks. We have a number of bigger high street stores but they tend to be located in bigger towns. It is important to us to grow and be able to go into these smaller market towns; we want to reach out to as many people as possible.”

 

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Roma Publications