Laundry deal promises stores increased footfall

by Megan Humphrey megan.humphrey@newtrade.co.uk

Independent retailers are being recruited to install outdoor self-service laundry stations, with the supplier promising footfall, extra sales, commission and a new unit for smaller stores coming soon.

Revolution Laundry is owned by ME Group, which has more than 6,000 systems installed in 12 countries. The unit, 3.2m long and 2.3m wide, houses two washing machines and a dryer, either 9kg or 20kg.

Shoppers can pay £11, or £5.50 respectively, for a 30-minute wash, with the choice of a £3.50 dry using contactless payment.

Business development manager for West and East Midlands, Carl Woolley told RN the firm is looking to expand further into convenience.

“We already have machines in over a hundred convenience sites across the UK,” he said. “There is a tendency for people to think it’s only those on lower incomes who use laundry services, but that’s not true. They are used by those who don’t want to use their own domestic machine, for things like quilts and dog blankets, as well as big families, where one wash can get everything done.”

When asked about what criteria stores need to meet to qualify for a machine, Woolley explained: “Retailers will need to have access to three-phase electricity, which most do because they use chillers. The machine will also need to be relatively near a foul drain. In addition, we prefer the store to be in a populated area.”

Stores operating one of the self-service units will be responsible for the payment of the utilities associated with it, but the commission offered “should cover this and more”.

“We work on a commission structure of between 15 to 20%,” said Woolley. “We also give a payment of £750 upfront. The minimum we offer is 15%, which we like to say half goes on utilities and the rest on the running of the machine.”

The site is maintained by engineers free of charge, who can attend once a week if used regularly, but typically every three weeks. As part of the package, Revolution Laundry also provides stores with free point-of-sale material and marketing advice, tailoring promotions to demographics.

When asked why retailers should invest, Woolley said: “The biggest benefit is footfall. A recent survey we did with users showed that 80% stay on site for the duration of their wash. We also know people travel long distances to use these machines, in some cases up to 20 miles. We’ve found increasing prices to be a challenge, but with the price of electricity coming down, it’s made the proposition more attractive for business owners.

“We do everything that we can to help make this work for selected retailers. We understand that, at first, the idea might feel overwhelming, but we are here to work closely with retailers to make sure it works for them.”

At present, the machine itself is only available in a row of three, but Woolley revealed that UK retailers will soon have access to a new model currently being used in France, of one machine on top of the other, making it more accessible for more stores.