Topps Tiles and Tom&Co: building B2B eCommerce that works

Trade eCommerce has a reputation for being the poor relation — a catalogue with a login bolted on the front. Topps Tiles did not want that.

Topps Tiles has been the UK's go-to tile specialist for over 50 years, and the trade side of the business needed a platform of its own rather than a slightly harder-working version of the retail site. So we built one.

The relaunch

Early 2020 forced the issue. Home renovations surged, online demand went with them, and Topps Tiles Trade needed a platform that could take the weight. We led the relaunch, building omnichannel capability around what trade professionals and businesses actually do.

The results landed quickly:

• 100% increase in revenue from trade customers

• 1000% surge in trade website visits

• 45% sustained increase in online sales after lockdown

Treating Topps Tiles Trade as its own brand, with its own identity and trade-specific features, is what made that possible.


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The features that earned their keep

Tile and grout visualisers. Two tools that let customers preview tiles alongside grout and trims. Less uncertainty up front, fewer returns later.

Search that understands trade. We integrated Loop54 for personalised search, so someone who knows exactly what they need can get to it fast.

Headless architecture. API-driven commerce services meant we could offer PayPal, Klarna, Barclaycard, Instagram Shop and Deko as payment options, plus VAT-switching for businesses.

332 stores, one journey

Topps Tiles has 332 stores nationwide, so online and in store had to behave as one business.

The Design Advice Area. In store, staff can pull up a customer's online browsing history, use the visualiser tools and build a personalised basket together — checked out at the till or later at home.

Express Click & Collect. An ERP connection to Microsoft Dynamics 365 gives real-time stock levels across every store, so customers can check what is there and collect within minutes.

Rewards+. The trade loyalty programme, built to drive repeat purchases. Points convert into discounts and exclusive products.

What it added up to

• Trade revenue up 82%

• Desktop transactions up 110%

• Trade website conversion rate up from 0.7% to over 4.0%

• Mobile sessions up 172% year on year

Customer satisfaction has held too. The Tile Talk feedback programme found 89% of in-store customers rating their experience five stars, putting Topps Tiles among the top three UK retailers for customer service.

Why it works

None of this came off a B2B feature checklist. It came from watching how trade professionals buy — fast, repeatedly, often mid-job — and building for that. Headless architecture, real-time stock, AI-driven personalisation and a loyalty programme that pays out are the mechanics. The point is a trade customer getting what they need without a fight.

Topps Tiles and Tom&Co are still at it, on the principle that the platform should be as reliable as the products on it.

Want to chat to us about a project? Call us on 0207 351 3521, or fill in our contact form and someone from our team will get in touch.