COMMENT


No 5,868 - 9 December 2019 www.diyweek.net


Director of Editorial: Neil Mead 01622 699110 DIYWeek@datateam.co.uk


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© 2019 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.


In This Issue P4 / NEWS


The latest headlines from across the home improvement and garden sectors


P12 / RETAIL FORECASTING How retailers can better forecast promotions in order


to maximise sales and profits using accurate data


“The show was once again very well supported by the trade, with plenty of new products launched and samples being given away”


Founded in 1874


Christmas is coming, but it’s time to plan ahead


Now we are in December, it seems Christmas is just around the corner and everyone is getting in the festive spirit. The way it’s fallen this year, with the start of the month at the weekend just after payday, has worked out well for the retail trade. I visited a number of DIY outlets over the first weekend of December and trading seemed to be brisk, with plenty of queues at the tills and customers keen to purchase seasonal goods. It also coincided with ‘Black Friday’ and ‘Cyber Monday’, so shoppers were in a spending mood and looking for bargains. All this signals a good start to the festive trading period that will hopefully be sustained right up until the big day. Of course retailers have to capitalise on this time of year and maximise seasonal sales opportunities, but it’s also a time when they need to be looking ahead and planning for the next twelve months, so in this issue Clive and Kerry Daley of the Daley Hub offer their advice on exactly that. Setting budgets, having targets, formulating a plan and defining a clear direction for your business is crucial for future success, as they explain on page 10. An important part of forward planning is being able to forecast sales, so in this issue


we are also looking at ways in which retailers can better forecast promotions in order to maximise sales and profits using accurate data. This is quite a complex issue and can seem daunting at first, but Ian Hall of Atheon Analytics offers his advice on how to tackle the problem using a methodical and analytical approach. Read more on page 12. This issue we also have a review of the recent National Painting & Decorating Show,


starting on page 18. A favourite annual event, the show was once again very well supported by the trade, with plenty of new products launched and free samples given away. Hopefully we’ll see many of these entered in the 2020 DIY Week Awards which are fast approaching. Entries are already coming in, but if you would like to enter a product in the supplier category, or enter your business or team in one of the retailer categories, head to the event website at diyweekawards.co.uk to learn more.


Director of Editorial, Neil Mead: DIYWeek@Datateam.co.uk


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P14 / LIGHTING & ELECTRICAL


Innovative lighting controls are set to help reimagine the bricks and mortar retail industry


www.diyweek.net P18 / EVENT REVIEW


DIY Week reports from this year’s National Painting and Decorating Show held at the Ricoh Arena


9 DECEMBER 2019 DIY WEEK 3 Published by


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