The company also opened a two-story 661-square-meter (7,110-square-feet) showroom in Seoul's Kangnam area to allow visitors to experience first-hand the company's bathroom offerings. At the showroom, customers can choose styles according to the nine "bath plans," the bathroom total planning and care service. In addition, Daelim Bath offers classes on interior design for those interested in the topic.

Seoul, Korea, Aug 2 (Whowired) -- The bathroom building material and interior design industry is shifting its focus away from conventional business-to-business transactions and toward business-to-consumer dealings. According to industry sources on August 1, the industry anticipates a rapid growth of the B2C market as the B2B market serving mostly construction contractors slows down with the ongoing recession. In addition, the B2C market gets more attention lately because consumers are willing to spend more on improving their quality of life by renovating the bathrooms or enhancing designs of their houses.

In response to this changing attitude, the companies try hard to raise the awareness of their brands. For example, a bathroom building material supplier created a TV commercial emphasizing luxury ambiance. Another holds a series of classes on interior design so that the attendees to the classes can learn about the value of better design for their homes. Daelim Bath, one of the better-known bathroom material brands, recently launched a TV commercial to enter the integrated bathroom bidet market featuring its mascot Beko the Polar Bear.

The company also opened a two-story 661-square-meter (7,110-square-feet) showroom in Seoul's Kangnam area to allow visitors to experience first-hand the company's bathroom offerings. At the showroom, customers can choose styles according to the nine "bath plans," the bathroom total planning and care service. In addition, Daelim Bath offers classes on interior design for those interested in the topic.

Ma Jung-Min, manager of Daelim Bath, said, "Customers these days are highly sophisticated to the degree that they take part in bathroom renovations personally. To respond to this rising expectations, we are providing total planning services, rushing to showroom openings, and giving them latest bathroom interior design trend information."

Royal & Co., the main rival of Daelim Bath, recently opened a showroom "Gallery Royal" in order to improve communication with customers. In addition to acting as a product showroom, the gallery space  doubles as a restaurant, wine bar, book cafe, and cultural event hall. It will also hold a variety of events and classes for those interested in Royal & Co.'s products and cultural experience.

Ha Jung-Hoon, the marketing executive of Royal & Co., said, "Our showroom can be used as a space where customers can see and experience our products. Through this opportunity, we can learn more about our customers and their preferences while increasing sales on the spot."

Sam Kim (press@whowired.com)