COMMENT Golden Opportunities


No 5,842 - 24 August 2018 www.diyweek.net


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In This Issue


© 2018 Datateam Business Media Ltd. DIY Week incorporates Decor Retailing, DIY Retail Leaders, DIY Superstore, Do-It-Yourself


Retailing, Domestic Electrical Appliances,


Excellence In Garden Retailing, Excellence In Woodcare Retailing, Excellence In Timber Retailing, Excellence In Tile Retailing, Garden Retail Leaders, Garden Retailing, Hardware Merchandiser, Hardware Trade Journal, Homecentre, Home Storage Retailing, The Ironmonger, Ironmongery & Hardware, Lighting, Martineau & Smith’s Monthly Circular, Mercantile Guardian, Superstore Management, Tools Retailing, and Wholesale Leaders. No part of this publication may be reproduced by any means without prior written permission from the publishers. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of material published in DIY Week. However, Datateam Business Media Ltd will not be liable for any inaccuracies. The views expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the editor or publishers. DIY Week is registered at Stationers’ Hall. ISSN 0954-8823. DIY Week is printed on environmentally friendly paper; both text paper and cover stock are elementary chlorine free and sourced from paper suppliers with a well planned environmental policy. This issue of DIY Week includes some editorial photographs provided and paid for by suppliers. Printed by Buxton Press.


P4 / NEWS


The latest headlines from across the home improvement and garden sector


P10 / CONFERENCE REPORT Steven Van Belleghem speaks at the Global DIY


Summit about technology advancements in retail


“The spend hasn’t disappeared and has been replaced by a longer


shopping period ”


Founded in 1874


This week I’ve been reading a lot about the so-called ‘Golden Quarter’; the key Christmas selling period, where retailers can entice shoppers to start spending as early as October with a bit of keen marketing and promotional activity. Some experts say November’s much-hyped Black Friday is out in the cold a bit now, as shopping habits have changed and consumers no longer expect to queue and battle for one day of bargains but, instead, anticipate a more extended period of deals and discounts. Even Amazon triggered its discounts earlier last year by kicking off its ‘countdown to Black Friday deals’ from of the start of November. Whilst shopping figures still typically peak in the middle of November, in the build up to and on Black Friday (which happens to fall on November 23 this year), savvy shoppers like being able to take advantage of discounts in the weeks leading up to the main event. Home and Gift trade show, Autumn Fair has dubbed itself the ‘gateway to the Golden Quarter’ in 2019, offering retail buyers the chance to stock up for the end-of-year peak sales period and has set out to offer strategic advice for retailers on how to make the most of the trading period.


Whilst the chaotic scenes we once associated with Black Friday – from punch-ups over dirt-cheap electricals, to frenzied shoppers ranting at store staff – may be on their way out, the spending hasn’t disappeared and has simply been replaced by a longer shopping period. With DIY giant B&Q moving away from promotional activity and now pushing everyday low prices, it will be interesting to see how the chain captures some of that spend whilst its competitors’ prices are tumbling around it. Mind you, if customers don’t feel the pressure to splurge on a single day and can, instead, bide their time waiting for the ‘right’ price, maybe B&Q will come up trumps if its prices and offer are attractive enough.


Editor, Fiona Garcia: fgarcia@datateam.co.uk


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P17 / AN INDEPENDENT REMEMBERS


Our independent hardwareman takes a step back in time with part 27 of his stories from the shop floor


www.diyweek.net P20 /MAKE THE MOST OF GLEE


DIY Week’s in-depth preview of the UK’s leading garden retail show and what not to miss


24 AUGUST 2018 DIY WEEK 3 Published by


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