Not so long ago, most DIY-ers or builders had to either go to one of the major DIY stores like B & Q or Homebase, or, go to an installations company to get whatever window and door related products they needed. Yes there was the odd depot knocking around out there, but things are changing now.
GAP has them, Lister Trade Frames has them and Eurocell has them. They have customer-focused trade counters designed directly for those wanting to do DIY at home or fitters in need of a quick fix…sorry about that pun! They’ve been around a few years now but they seem to be taking hold and popping up around the country. And why not!
What manufacturers have done well to spot is the growing trend for non-trades people to get stuck in with things around the house and provide solutions to those problems. Thanks to the recession in previous years, it has encouraged more consumers to get their hands dirty and get things done around the house. But not only that, with the rise of more and more product options, so has the demand for speedy turn around times. These new trade counters are able to stock most products anyone might possibly need to solve a problem that day. Far better than waiting days for whatever it is you need to come on the next delivery.
I do believe that as the consumer becomes more educated about our products and what is involved to service them and make them function, trade counters will continue to be popular and expand. The latest Insight Data report explains that there are 3 new depots or trade counters opening up across the UK every week. That’s 12 per month or 144 per year. It’s once of the fastest growing sectors within the fenestration sector. Proof that consumers and trades people are mucking in!
Trade counters now start stocking full windows and doors, just in case that very eager beaver of a DIY-er wants to get a new bathroom window fitted that same day. If suppliers can market these counters correctly to the right places, there is some good money to make.
One of the better companies to comment on this would be Listers or Eurocell. They seem to have the trade counter sides of their companies down. Comments from each of them would be welcome on this post.
Glass News spotted this growth area a while back, which is why we are the only publication where installers can pick up a copy of the newspaper, from over 50 trade counters, and growing, backed up by our 11,000 posted distribution.
Thanks for the name check! At Listers we spotted the need for a trade counter as long ago as 1995 when we opened our first one. At that time it was a small affair set-up to deliver the basics mainly to the trade but this rapidly grew to the point where it was the Trade Counter that ultimately convinced us to move premises to a much larger facility. You’re absolutely correct in your observation that Joe Public are getting more involved in DIY projects normally associated with installers, but we’ve also seen an increase in our trade customer base as… Read more »