Due to the repeated impacts of the pandemic and various external factors, the industry continues to be sluggish, intensifying competition, and more and more brands and dealers have been forced to exit.
Especially in the terminal market, demand has shrunk, with both store traffic and sales experiencing a significant decline, marking a harsh winter. Coupled with the severe homogeneity in the tile industry, it has become increasingly difficult for dealers to seek breakthroughs.
To help dealers withstand the industry’s harsh winter and ensure stable growth for terminal stores, ICC tiles, in addition to maintaining its existing strategic determination, has continued to empower terminal stores with design this year.
What specific actions were taken in this design empowerment? What has been the feedback from the terminals? With these questions in mind, Huaxia Ceramics Network interviewed relevant personnel from the ICC tile brand and terminal dealers.
▲Interviewee: Assistant General Manager of ICC Tiles, Geng Haibo
01.Scene Upgrade, Creating a Higher-End Space ExperienceFirst, the store design has been upgraded. This upgrade is based on ICC’s Global project initiated in 2019, which evolved from ICC’s original imported system “Ceramic Source Code”. It systematically introduced top products from Italy and Spain, and became the general agent for the Italian ABK brand in China, providing more differentiated product choices for the high-end market.To ensure that the Global project has a comprehensive effect in the market and fully covers the terminals, ICC launched a major store renovation plan at the end of 2019 and completed over 100 stores by 2021.
In the current fiercely competitive market, immersive stores with high aesthetics and strong experience are key to attracting customers. Therefore, unlike the rigid image of traditional stores, the newly upgraded Global store of ICC adopts architectural design methods to create a strong visual impact.The division of space areas is clearer, with various spaces connected freely, while the circular flow ensures smooth transitions between functional areas, further enhancing the retail experience of the showroom. At the same time, the entire space becomes more transparent, providing a wide visual experience.Additionally, the open design combined with bold colors creates a modern and high-end scene. In the design of the new showroom, whether it is bright and lively colors or understated black, white, and gray, they represent different personalities, showcased and intermingled with each other, rich in layers.
▲ICC Tile Terminal SceneThe product composition is a model of original system + imported system intermingling, and through the combination of different categories and different spaces, as well as the mixing of products, achieves the effect of 1+1>2.As always, the Global store design incorporates the creative thinking of ICC’s multinational team, meeting the needs of the Chinese market while reflecting an international perspective, and has received high recognition from dealers.Zhang Tao, the person in charge of Enshi ICC, stated that due to the impact of the pandemic, the Enshi store was upgraded only in 2022, but it took advantage of the pandemic’s “gap” to have enough time to adjust and optimize the design plan, resulting in a relatively ideal outcome.According to him, although Enshi is a fifth-tier city, there are designer groups and high-end villa owners with certain aesthetic abilities, and the store upgrade incorporated the Global project, increasing the saturation of colors and enriching the product categories and combinations. As a result, the Enshi store has become the most stylish tile store in the entire Red Star Macalline mall, attracting many customers.Currently, the store is composed of 30% imported + over 60% domestic products, perfectly matched, enhancing product competitiveness and creating a significant gap with peers.Li Jian, the person in charge of Weifang ICC, also stated that the new store is trendy, full of international flair, surpassing most competitors in the mall in terms of store layout, overall matching, and decoration details, making it the most visually appealing tile store in the area. He also mentioned that after the showroom upgrade, it has driven performance growth and many contracts have been signed.Moreover, this store upgrade was funded by ICC headquarters in cooperation with dealers, which is also a form of ICC’s empowerment for the terminal.
▲ICC Weifang Store02.Open Design, Allowing Commonality and Individuality to CoexistIt is worth noting that due to its high-end positioning, ICC terminal stores are located in high-end markets locally, so the design logic and core concepts of the store are very meticulous, which supports the brand image.So, what is the core concept of ICC terminal store’s innovative upgrade?Geng Haibo, assistant general manager of ICC tiles and manager of the design department, stated that ICC terminal stores innovate every year, and store upgrades are a process from quantitative change to qualitative change. It is not a stepwise process but a linear one, aimed at upgrading or adjusting products, and “design” and “innovation” run through the entire ICC system.Specifically, the innovation of the store is considered from the following dimensions:First, emphasizing experience and value.In the entire space, consumers can intuitively experience different living scenes. In these scenes, products interact richly, integrating with trend-setting design elements, inspiring consumers and allowing them to feel the value of design.Second, focusing on the unity of form and content.It should meet the current aesthetic trends both domestically and internationally, while remaining consistent with ICC’s core.Third, closely tied to the product itself.When upgrading, ICC pays great attention to the combination of new and old products to ensure continuity in ICC products.ICC products grow like a tree, with connections and extensions among them; new products become more outstanding, and old products gain more vitality, thus making dealers’ operations more efficient.Fourth, balancing concept-driven and sales-driven design.Some spaces attract people to stop and take pictures, while others are practical spaces that consumers want to take home, achieving true “both praised and profitable”.In summary, innovation, differentiation, and retail experience are core elements of ICC terminal stores. Of course, there is also openness.
For example, in the open design of the showroom, when ICC was established in 2010, most ceramic showrooms were still fully enclosed. However, the initial headquarters showroom of ICC introduced a window form, allowing consumers to feel ICC’s brand tone and design sense before stepping into the store. Inside the store, the space and flow design are more transparent and open, providing consumers with a modern retail experience.In 2016, the flagship store of ICC located in China Ceramics City further enhanced the open design, increasing window displays, and the flow design became more transparent. Now, in the Global store, the methods are even more open, and the window space boldly cancels the glass facade, allowing customers to step directly into the window space to experience it and then enter the ICC store.It is precisely based on this openness that ICC terminal stores ultimately present a contemporary feeling, including professionalism in design.More importantly, this “openness” aligns with the brand tone, conveying ICC’s proactive interaction with consumers and reflecting ICC’s open-mindedness in facing market competition, sincerely presenting the best side to customers and the market, naturally forming differentiation.Regarding this, Li Jian and Zhang Tao feel that ICC is more like a design company, thus always focusing on high-quality design, including high-quality design output, product matching logic, standardized plans, and displays, etc. They both stated that ICC headquarters pays great attention to dealer feedback while maintaining standards.
Geng Haibo explained that ICC headquarters has both standardization and flexibility for terminals. The standardization reflects the core brand philosophy, differentiation, internationalization, and innovation, which run throughout ICC’s design services, and strictly requires terminals, such as brand VI, store facade, etc., to be consistent with headquarters.Flexibility is reflected in adjustments made according to the characteristics and channel strengths of local dealers, such as product types, whether to focus on large slabs or regular products; ICC headquarters will balance and provide reasonable plans based on standards, and dealers can execute according to the plans.This is also part of ICC’s design service, communicating and interacting with dealers with an open mind to meet terminal needs to the greatest extent.03.Product Differentiation, Firmly Occupying Consumer MindsetOf course, in addition to the design empowerment of the store, the most crucial aspect is the design empowerment of the products. As mentioned earlier, each store upgrade of ICC is combined with products, as the differentiated design of ICC products itself has significant market competitiveness.A unique retail experience combined with differentiated products is undoubtedly an excellent “combination punch”. However, this differentiation is not formed overnight, but through years of accumulation and iteration.Geng Haibo stated that although ICC has only been in China for 12 years, its predecessor has been honing the international market for 43 years, resulting in ICC’s products maintaining internationality while possessing heritage, extensibility, and stability. This is a form of differentiation itself.This differentiation stems from ICC’s unwavering high-end positioning and originality. Geng Haibo mentioned that whether it is large slabs, modern retro tiles, or wood grain, cement, rock, and marble, they all iterate within a predetermined product framework, but aesthetic preferences and specifications are adjusted according to market demands.For example, in the past five years, with advancements in ceramic technology, ICC’s product sizes cover 600×1200, 700×1500, 900×1800, 1200×2400, 1200×2800 (mm) and other tile and slab specifications.Additionally, based on the international living trends under the pandemic, the style of spaces leans towards natural, comfortable, and minimalist. ICC has seized the opportunity to develop and launch products with warmer tones and finer textures, whether wood grain, sandstone, or cement styles. The development of new products does not deviate from the original system, allowing new and old products to complement each other.In fact, looking at a specific category, while horizontally, the number of new products launched by ICC each time is considerable, vertically, one can see that ICC’s products have undergone iterations over different periods, extending their life cycles significantly.This continuous extension and maintenance of a heritage product line is the fundamental reason why ICC products stand apart from other brands.It is this product differentiation and rich variety that have earned ICC a good reputation, so much so that whether in first-tier cities like Shanghai and Hangzhou or in third and fourth-tier cities like Enshi and Weifang, there are high-end customers of ICC.
▲ICC Enshi StoreFor instance, Zhang Tao from Enshi, who has been in the building materials industry for 12 years, observed that the Enshi market was primarily focused on popular products in the first four years after entering the industry. Unlike traditional polished tiles and fully polished glazes, ICC’s products have an international feel, more tone, and unique competitiveness, which led him to decisively become an agent for ICC at that time.Over the past eight years, Zhang Tao has gained recognition from many local decoration companies, designers, and consumers due to ICC’s differentiated products and diversified combinations, including outstanding store effects and services.He also mentioned that most of Enshi’s population is from ethnic minorities, and they are relatively open to high-end, differentiated, and culturally rich new things, including advanced design concepts. Therefore, when introducing new products locally, customer acceptance is also very high.Weifang is similar; Li Jian stated that ICC’s product differentiation has attracted many villa clients, designers, and referrals from old customers.He believes that ICC is an international tile brand that insists on innovative differentiation, truly achieving international standards in its output, and is the most cost-effective brand among high-end tile brands, filling the gap in Weifang’s high-end market.Moreover, over the past five years, the Weifang ICC team has diligently focused on customer service, allowing ICC to occupy an important position in Weifang, with an ever-improving brand reputation.
04.Systematic Empowerment, Enhancing Design Marketing Service CapabilityIn today’s era of consumption upgrade, the importance of design is self-evident. Since its inception, ICC has placed design at the top of its corporate structure, which is a core element in establishing its presence in the high-end market.Of course, in addition to building a high-aesthetic store image and differentiated products through design power, ICC also assists dealers in enhancing their design marketing service capabilities, including understanding and applying design software and concepts, and collaborating with dealers in brand building through designer channels to enhance designer loyalty, thereby attracting high-end groups and creating greater value through design.
▲ICC Tile Home Application SceneGeng Haibo stated that high-end individuals have a certain aesthetic ability, and their design perspectives are different, with higher expectations. In addition to continuously improving store images through excellent design and providing high-quality products, it is also necessary to meet the demands of designers and high-end owners through excellent design services.“We involve professional designers when facing high-end owners, and it is a collaboration between dealers and designers to provide a more refined and surprising work for the owners.”This requires dealers to have a very clear understanding of ICC’s designs and to understand the needs of the owners, which is why ICC continuously enhances the design service capabilities of dealers.Only by continuously improving the professionalism and systematic knowledge of the terminal team can dealers and designers work together to solve owners’ problems and help designers elevate their proposals.“Through training, our ICC team understands its products better, knows what materials designers want, and can provide various better suggestions for designers in terms of matching, thereby achieving the sublimation of design proposals, ultimately presenting clients with plans that exceed expectations. When designers trust you and recognize your professionalism, you have more opportunities to work with them to serve more clients and create greater value.”
▲ICC Tile Commercial Space SceneIn summary, ICC’s design empowerment not only enhances the image of terminal stores but also addresses the design service issues of dealers and designers, allowing them to better serve customers together.Overall, ICC’s design empowerment for terminals can be viewed through this formula: through design, create an excellent store image + build a differentiated product system + provide systematic services to create a more valuable and experiential living space for customers.As for the future, Geng Haibo stated that ICC tiles will continue to keep pace with the times, maintaining an international, innovative, and differentiated brand tone, focusing on keywords like modern and open, including an open mindset and a calm attitude, providing more excellent design ideas for the terminal market.
Author of this article | You Suowei
On-duty editor | Liu Rui
Editor-in-chief | Lao Niu
*Some images are from the internet and have not verified copyright ownership, not for commercial use. If there is an infringement, please contact the author.
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