TOTO: Taking Your Bathroom to the Next Level
Taking care of yourself has never been more important than now – and that includes transforming how you think about the most important rooms in your home – the bathrooms. While the pandemic has changed many things, including the plumbing industry, TOTO has remained the most trusted name in the business – and that business is booming.
While TOTO has been a popular product for those who have traveled and experienced them, the toilet paper panic of 2020 led to the term bidet becoming the 20th most-searched item on Amazon. As the brand gained recognition, sales exploded, even causing them to run out of inventory. In fact, the Washlet® bidet sold out in two weeks across the country. Bill Strang, president of TOTO’s e-commerce and private strategy, says that they continue to see strong sales.
“We are looking at the world differently than we did 13 or 14 months ago,” says Strang. “Working from home has changed the paradigm of what is important to us in our lives. We are now reaching customers who were unfamiliar to us before, so now it’s a whole new demographic we’re dealing with. What’s key with this product is they want to have this be a part of their lives. Customers are becoming more aware of value proposition when it comes to getting refreshed and clean, and this goes across the entire spectrum, from entry level to the most exclusive models. Plumbers are always advocating for us, as are decorators – they even put TOTO in their showrooms so that people can comprehend how this product will change their lives. Now, folks are talking about us on social media and using the opportunity to tell their own story. As consumers are becoming much more aware and considerate of what their home and work life is becoming, we are seeing faucet sales, along with other products, growing in this new market.”
Getting clean now has a whole new meaning. That’s because when it comes to style, TOTO offers plenty of clean and streamlined designs. Their exclusive Neorest®, the world’s most intelligent toilet, offers a wonderful aesthetic that is not only functional, but becomes a focal point in your bathroom. TOTO has everything from traditional looks to more sleek and modern styles, so that every product can fit with any decor and lifestyle. Aside from being stylish, they are also sustainable. TOTO has started to integrate UV light and electrolyzed water into their products – after you finish, the wand gets rinsed with electrolyzed water and sprayed into the bowl after you leave. This pulls some of the sodium salt and chlorine into the water, reducing the harshness of chemicals needed to clean your toilet. They also mitigate and eliminate the use of toilet paper. “There is a deeper understanding and appreciation of hygiene and getting clean,” explains Bill.
While in certain countries like Japan, TOTO products can be seen everywhere, their brand awareness is growing rapidly for their hygienic experience, style and sustainability. These posh toilet products pulsate, change temperature and pressure, and have a spray mechanism. Washlet® bidet culture is becoming the norm, according to Bill. “Awareness on e-commerce channels along with the fact that the housing markets are going crazy right now and people are putting new products into their homes have also added to the higher end clean bathroom craze.”
Toto is taking over the way we think – and use – bathroom products.
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