Go Banana has launched as the UK’s first comparison website for building and DIY supplies. With 50,000 searchable products – and more being added all the time – Go Banana provides an online platform for builders, tradespeople and DIY enthusiasts looking to purchase supplies quickly and efficiently at the best possible price.
Go Banana’s unique software creates a live shopping list which searches online 24/7 and shows the best results, meaning users save between 20% and 35% with every purchase. Users can search, compare and buy across a whole range of building and DIY supplies, including building and hardware; tiling and flooring; plumbing and heating; painting and decorating; kitchens and bathrooms, and many more.
Construction is one of the UK’s largest economic sectors, but despite the size of the building materials and home improvement market, estimated to be worth around £70 billion per year, there has been no way to compare and contrast the vast ranges of products on the market until now. Go Banana founder and Managing Director Rami Naori spotted a gap in the market after carrying out several property redevelopments.
“The UK building materials industry is a healthy and competitive one, with plenty of big name brands vying for a customer’s attention,” commented Naori. “But there is definitely scope to reduce the cost of construction and the whole life cost of buildings, and one way to do that is by shopping around for materials.
“We realised there was nowhere for builders, construction companies, building surveyors, property developers and home DIY enthusiasts to compare products, and we believed there was an opportunity for innovative technology to serve a real and useful purpose to make the entire process easier, cheaper and more convenient,” Naori added. “It has taken a year and a half to create and design the bespoke software system underpinning the site to create an ‘Amazon for building supplies’.”
As well as assisting builders and DIYers, Go Banana has also been designed to serve building merchants by giving them another sales channel. The current list of partners and suppliers includes Ruby Group and Pepte UK, and this is being added to all the time. For suppliers, Go Banana is a valuable addition to their marketing and advertising strategy. With no upfront costs, Go Banana increases both brand exposure and revenue streams by offering partners a dedicated slot on the site to increase product reach.
“We are very excited to partner with Go Banana on the UK’s first comparison site for building materials,” commented Ben O’Hanlon, Digital Marketing Manager at tile retailer Roccia. “There are thousands of products out there and searching for what you want can be very time-consuming. Go Banana’s strategy of putting the customer first, and making the process of purchasing building materials more straightforward and cost-conscious addresses a real need in the market. Not only that, it gives suppliers like us a direct line of communication with thousands of customers, and we’re looking forward to working with Go Banana as it continues to grow.”
“We are planning to add 50,000-100,000 new products every month, and to become the most comprehensive building materials e-commerce platform in the UK,” Naori added. “Go Banana is live in the UK now and we will be looking to expand it into other European countries and North America in due course.”
To try Go Banana for yourself, go to www.go-banana.com. Interested suppliers can sign up at www.go-banana.com/register.