“Better Bathrooms”的意思、由来-开放百科全书

Established in December 2003,^[1] Better Bathrooms (known as BetterBathrooms.com) is a bathroom retailer based in the UK. It is a private limited company retailing bathroom suites, fittings, accessories and showers directly to customers via its website.

History

Better Bathrooms Ltd was founded by Colin Stevens. Before Better Bathrooms, Stevens sold golf equipment and clothing on eBay.^[2] He then sold bathroom taps, before expanding to a wider range of bathroom equipment.^[3] In May 2018, Stevens retired as Director of the company and was replaced by George Mills Bramston Adams. The business was acquired by Roxor Group in October 2018 ^[4], before then entering into administration in February 2019. In March 2019, the Better Bathrooms brand was acquired by Buy It Direct Ltd.^[5]

Expansion

Four years after the website launch, the first Better Bathrooms showroom was launched in Wigan, Greater Manchester.^[7] This was followed by two more showrooms in the North West, with stores in Warrington in 2007 and Manchester in 2010 .^[8]^[9] A fourth showroom was launched in Leicester in December 2013,^[10] and a fifth was opened in Slough in 2014. Their first Scottish showroom was opened in Edinburgh in December 2015.^[11] On Boxing Day 2015, a 35,000 sq. ft showroom opened in Birmingham. The latter was the largest showroom to be owned by the bathroom retailer.^[12]

Investment

In 2013, private equity firm BGF (Business Growth Fund) paid £10m to acquire a 30 per cent stake in Better Bathrooms. This was part of BGF’s £30 million investment in the North of England ^[13] and generated 100 jobs across the country for Better Bathrooms.^[14] In July 2016, they awarded a £4m follow-on fund to the retailer, bringing the total investment to £14 million.^[15]

Awards

Stevens was named Entrepreneur of the Year at the 2012 National Business Awards.^[16] In the same year, the company earned itself a place in The Sunday Times Virgin Fast Track 100 after sales hit £36 million.^[17]

In 2013, the bathroom retailer beat Victoria Plumb, Just Fabrics and World Stores (now owned by Dunelm) to claim the Best Home and Garden Retailer award at the eCommerce Awards for Excellence.^[18]

In 2015, they were shortlisted for the National Business Awards for the second time. In 2018, Better Bathrooms was nominated in the UKTI Growth Business of the Year category and in the Employer of the Year category.^[19]

Media

In October 2017, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) challenged Better Bathrooms for using ‘misleading’ advertisements. The ruling related to four email advertisements, two website advertisements and two TV commercials.

Competing bathroom retailer, Victoria Plum, were first to raise the advertisements to the ASA. They noted that the ‘up to 70% off’ discount was only applicable to a few Better Bathrooms products. Another claim stated that their ‘Sale must end on the 31st of January’ website banner and TV ad were untrue, as it was reported that their sale extended into February 2017.^[20]

References

1. ^{{Cite web|url=https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/04986428|title=BETTERBATHROOMS (UK) LIMITED - Overview (free company information from Companies House)|website=beta.companieshouse.gov.uk|language=en|access-date=2018-09-17}}
2. ^{{Cite news|url=http://www.thebusinessdesk.com/northwest/news/586231-e-commerce|title=E-commerce: How Better Bathrooms tapped online demand {{!}} TheBusinessDesk.com|date=2014-03-06|work=North West|access-date=2018-09-17|language=en-GB}}
3. ^{{Cite web|url=https://www.easyspace.com/blog/2014/01/06/interview-with-colin-stevens-founder-of-better-bathrooms/|title=Interview with Colin Stevens, founder of Better Bathrooms|last=Easyspace|website=www.easyspace.com|language=en-US|access-date=2018-09-17}}
4. ^{{Cite web|url=http://www.kbbreview.com/19048/news/ambitious-roxor-group-doubles-size-after-better-bathrooms-purchase/|title=Roxor Group to buy bathroom chain Better Bathrooms|date=2018-10-31|website=kbbreview|language=en-GB|access-date=2019-03-03}}
5. ^{{Cite web|url=http://www.kbbreview.com/21862/news/better-bathrooms-bought-by-online-retail-giant/|title=EXCLUSIVE: Better Bathrooms bought by online retail giant - kbbreview|access-date=2019-03-14}}
6. ^{{Cite news|url=http://www.nationalbusinessawards.co.uk/press/better-bathrooms--the-bedroom-enterprise-that-has-become-a-household-name|title=Better Bathrooms ' the bedroom enterprise that has become a household name|work=National Business Awards|access-date=2018-09-17|language=en-GB}}
7. ^{{Cite news|url=http://www.thebusinessdesk.com/northwest/news/586231-e-commerce|title=E-commerce: How Better Bathrooms tapped online demand {{!}} TheBusinessDesk.com|date=2014-03-06|work=North West|access-date=2018-09-17|language=en-GB}}
8. ^{{Cite news|url=https://www.kandbnews.co.uk/news/betterbathroomsmovesdownsouth/|title=Better Bathrooms moves down South - Kitchens and Bathrooms News|work=Kitchens and Bathrooms News|access-date=2018-09-17|language=en-GB}}
9. ^{{Cite web|url=http://elitebusinessmagazine.co.uk/interviews/big-business/item/embracing-the-underdog|title=Embracing the underdog - Elite Business Magazine|website=elitebusinessmagazine.co.uk|language=en-gb|access-date=2018-09-17}}
10. ^{{Cite news|url=https://www.kandbnews.co.uk/news/betterbathroomsexpandsstorenetwork/|title=Better Bathrooms expands store network - Kitchens and Bathrooms News|work=Kitchens and Bathrooms News|access-date=2018-09-17|language=en-GB}}
11. ^{{Cite news|url=https://www.theedinburghreporter.co.uk/2015/09/edinburgh-now-has-better-bathrooms/|title=Edinburgh now has Better Bathrooms|date=2015-09-21|work=The Edinburgh Reporter|access-date=2018-09-17|language=en-US}}
12. ^{{Cite news|url=https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/business/business-news/better-bathrooms-opens-largest-showroom-10636983|title=Better Bathrooms opens largest showroom in Birmingham|last=Begum|first=Shelina|date=2015-12-24|work=men|access-date=2018-09-17}}
13. ^{{Cite news|url=http://www.growthbusiness.co.uk/entrepreneur-of-the-year-colin-stevens-secures-business-growth-fund-investment-for-better-bathrooms-business-2382538/|title=Entrepreneur of the Year Colin Stevens secures Business Growth Fund investment for Better Bathrooms business|date=2013-07-08|work=Growth Business|access-date=2018-09-17|language=en-GB}}
14. ^{{Cite news|url=http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/smallbusiness/article-3682463/Bathroom-firm-uses-4m-funding-Business-Growth-fund-generate-100-jobs-UK.html|title=Bathroom firm taps into £4m extra funding to boost sales|work=This is Money|access-date=2018-09-17}}
15. ^{{Cite news|url=https://www.insidermedia.com/insider/northwest/bathroom-retailers-losses-widen-following-investment|title=Bathroom retailer’s losses widen following investment|last=Ltd|first=Insider Media|work=Insider Media Ltd|access-date=2018-09-17|language=en-GB}}
16. ^{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/yourbusiness/9760525/business-awards-winners-dinner.html|title=Winners announced at National Business Awards evening|date=2012-12-21|access-date=2018-09-17|language=en-GB|issn=0307-1235}}
17. ^{{Cite news|url=https://moneyweek.com/234511/profile-of-entrepreneur-colin-stevens-63834/|title=How Colin Stevens finally made his million - MoneyWeek|date=2013-05-07|work=MoneyWeek|access-date=2018-09-17|language=en-GB}}
18. ^{{Cite web|url=http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/northwest/10722445.print/|title=Better Bathrooms are the best|website=The Bolton News|language=en|access-date=2018-09-17}}
19. ^{{Cite news|url=https://www.kandbnews.co.uk/news/betterbathroomsfinalistinnationalbusinessawards/|title=Better Bathrooms finalist in National Business Awards - Kitchens and Bathrooms News|work=Kitchens and Bathrooms News|access-date=2018-09-17|language=en-GB}}
20. ^{{Cite web|url=http://www.diyweek.net/asa-rules-wickes-and-better-bathrooms-sale-ads-are-misleading|title=ASA rules Wickes and Better Bathrooms sale ads are misleading|website=www.diyweek.net|language=en-US|access-date=2018-09-17}}