In an era where digital innovation continues to redefine traditional retail experiences, a UK-based flooring retailer is poised to take a bold step forward. Grosvenor Flooring, a specialist in Luxury Vinyl Flooring (LVT) and premium floor coverings, is preparing to launch a smart showroom trial that could reshape how customers browse, experience, and purchase flooring.
The concept, currently in its early stages, represents a hybrid model that bridges the gap between physical retail and e-commerce—an immersive, technology-driven space that enhances decision-making and streamlines the path to purchase.
So, what exactly is a smart showroom? Why is Grosvenor Flooring investing in it? And what could this mean for the future of flooring retail?
Blending Physical Experience With Digital Intelligence
A smart showroom is more than just a modern retail space. It’s a digitally enhanced environment where technology is used to create a more intuitive, interactive, and personalised shopping experience. For Grosvenor Flooring, the upcoming trial will blend tactile elements—such as physical product samples—with dynamic digital tools.
Rather than browsing only static displays, customers will be able to engage with interactive screens, augmented reality (AR) tools, and smart tagging systems to explore products in greater detail. These technologies will allow shoppers to visualise flooring in their own spaces, compare collections side-by-side, and instantly access specifications, stock availability, and pricing—all in real-time.
The aim is simple: to make flooring selection easier, faster, and more enjoyable, especially for homeowners and design professionals facing high-stakes renovation or construction decisions.
Why LVT Is the Ideal Product for Smart Retail
Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) is a rapidly growing segment in the flooring market. Known for its durability, waterproof properties, and ability to replicate natural materials like wood and stone, LVT is a top choice for both residential and commercial applications.
However, choosing the right style, finish, and installation type can still be a daunting process for many buyers. With dozens of manufacturers, hundreds of design options, and multiple technical specifications to consider, the decision-making journey can feel overwhelming.
The smart showroom model aims to demystify that process. For example:
- Touchscreen panels will enable users to filter LVT by colour, finish, price, and brand.
- AR visualisation tools will allow customers to “see” what a product looks like in their own room using a smartphone or in-showroom tablet.
- Smart sensors placed on sample displays will link physical planks or tiles to digital content, such as care instructions, acoustic performance ratings, and real-world installation photos.
This kind of intelligent, guided retail experience is especially useful for LVT, where appearance, practicality, and compatibility with subfloor types or underfloor heating all factor into the final decision.
Grosvenor Flooring: A Retailer Driven by Innovation
For those familiar with Grosvenor Flooring, this move comes as no surprise. The company has been at the forefront of digital transformation in the UK flooring industry. In 2023, they gained attention for their successful partnership with merchi.ai, a multimodal agentic AI platform that automated their product listing process with generative AI, allowing them to clear a 600+ item backlog and dramatically improve SEO performance.
Now, they are taking that same forward-thinking approach into their physical retail environment.
According to Adam Williams, Director of Grosvenor Flooring, the smart showroom initiative is not about replacing the human element of retail—it’s about enhancing it.
“Choosing flooring is still a tactile experience. People want to touch and feel the product. But they also want speed, clarity, and confidence in their decisions. The smart showroom will combine the best of both worlds—expert advice with digital intelligence,” he says.
A Pilot Program With Scalable Potential
The initial smart showroom trial will take place at Grosvenor Flooring’s flagship location in Altrincham, with plans to roll out the concept to further key locations if successful. The pilot will be used to test which digital tools most effectively drive engagement, reduce decision fatigue, and improve conversion rates.
Key features expected in the trial phase include:
- Extended hours showroom access, customers will be able to access the showroom 24 hours a day at a time to suit.
- Customers will be able to browse the largest selection of LVT in the country in their own time and not feel under pressure from sales staff.
- Smart Lighting Zones: Lighting will be movement enabled.
- Interactive Wall Displays: Featuring QR-enabled samples connected to real-time online content.
- Mobile Companion App: Enabling users to scan a sample and access detailed data, installation guides, and design ideas on their smartphone—even after they leave the showroom.
Behind the scenes, Grosvenor Flooring plans to gather anonymised customer interaction data to refine the user journey, personalise in-store suggestions, and even inform inventory management decisions.
Supporting Staff, Not Replacing Them
While the word “smart” can sometimes trigger concerns about automation and job replacement, Grosvenor Flooring is taking a hybrid approach.
Appointments can still be made via their website if the customer wants a face to face experience with a flooring expert. For customers that want to visit out of normal showroom opening hours or simply don’t like to feel pressures by sales staff they can visit the showroom at their own leisure.
This creates a powerful combination: trusted human advice and cutting-edge digital assistance, designed to make the in-store experience more engaging and efficient than ever before.
Industry Implications and Customer Benefits
If successful, Grosvenor Flooring’s smart showroom concept could signal a major shift in how consumers shop for flooring.
For customers, the benefits are clear:
- More confidence in decision-making
- Faster, more informed product selection
- A blend of physical and digital experiences
- Personalised suggestions based on actual preferences
For the industry, it sets a new benchmark in retail presentation. In an age where consumers are increasingly used to digital convenience, the showroom experience must evolve to stay relevant.
With LVT flooring being such a visual and performance-driven product, it’s the perfect category to showcase this innovation.
Conclusion: Leading the Future of Flooring Retail
The flooring industry has long relied on showrooms filled with static displays and brochures. But Grosvenor Flooring’s smart showroom concept represents a bold departure from that model—one that acknowledges how consumer expectations have changed.
By combining the tactile satisfaction of in-person shopping with the power of digital tools, they are creating a next-generation retail environment designed to inform, inspire, and empower.
As the pilot gets underway, all eyes will be on Grosvenor Flooring to see how customers respond—and whether the smart showroom might become the new standard for flooring retailers across the UK.
