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 Hill Street Motorist Shops

Founded in 1979 by owner Frank Furillo, Hill Street Motorist Shops is a chain of motor accessory shops with 465 branches spread throughout the UK. Named after the address of the first shop, the chain is the brand leader in the retailing of car accessories and parts for DIY repair and maintenance. The stores are located on retail parks rather than high streets and offer a fitting service for basic items such as batteries, in-car entertainment, roof racks, baby seats and windscreen wipers. Hill Street Motorists Shops has a limited web presence which is more 'corporate' than it is marketing –for example, it has sections on 'about the company' and its commitment to the environment (CSR is considered important public relations for a firm promoting the use of cars), but has no online shopping facility. Some products are listed, but the 'sales' content is generic, describing only the ranges of goods sold and encouraging customers to visit their physical stores. At present, the website is developed and maintained by a third party web-design company, with a member of the marketing team designated as website manager/coordinator. Marketing director Mick Belker is very aware that the company is not using digital to its best advantage and is looking to spend more of his marketing budget online in the future, with digital advertising and social media being high on the list. Creating an e-commerce site has been considered, but the cost is seen as a significant obstacle. Whilst the virtual collapse of sales during the COVID pandemic has emphasized the need for online sales, the financial impact of the crisis has left the organization in a precarious financial situation.  

Currently, most of the marketing budget is spent on advertising on TV and in appropriate magazines, with PR also being considered an important element of the promotional mix. Most of the offline advertising is in collaboration with manufacturers, who contribute to costs, or where the product ad refers customers to Hill Street outlets to make a purchase. Since the mid-1980s, Hill Street has produced an annual catalogue listing all products stocked in the shops. However, there is no facility for ordering goods – the catalogue is seen more as a promotional tool than a direct sales vehicle.