Housewares Business-to-business magazine for housewares retailers and their suppliers
With the second May bank holiday weekend coming up, UK shoppers are set to dramatically splash out on home and garden products, according to new data from eBay Advertising.
The ecommerce company has revealed that May was the busiest month for its Home and Garden category last year, racking up more than 15 million searches.
Shoppers fell into two groups: those buying decorative items for a quick cosmetic fix in early May and those investing in bigger renovation and DIY projects later in the month.
In the week following the early May bank holiday last year, purchases of cushions rose by 155% compared with the previous week, while mirrors were up by 87% and sales of candles and plant pots leapt by 172% and 214% respectively.
At the opposite end of the spectrum, the late May bank holiday welcomed in host of die-hard DIYers. Sales of saws and lawnmowers soared by more than 1,000%, while purchases of dust sheets and secateurs increased by 38% and 58% respectively.
And as consumers focused their attention on transforming their homes and gardens for the summer, sales of sofas jumped by 194% and garden sheds by 228%.
Chris Gardner, head of home & garden business development at eBay, commented: “Spring is known to be a hugely lucrative time in the Home and Garden category, whether it’s shoppers looking to do a quick fix or a major renovation.
“And as sales in the category reach their peak, it’s more important than ever for brands and sellers to understand the different mindsets at play.
“As our data shows, consumers are looking at getting the quick fixes out of the way early in the month, before moving onto bigger projects.
“Brands who tailor their messaging and product offering accordingly will be able to ensure they make the most out of the opportunities as they arise, by having the right inventory in place at the right time.”
Established in 1995, eBay is one of the largest marketplaces in the world with 167 million active buyers and 800 million listings worldwide.
Through eBay.co.uk, shoppers can access the products of over 200,000 small businesses from across the UK, and shop the items of independent sellers and big name brands.
Through eBay UK’s partnership with Argos, shoppers are able to Click and Collect at around 800 UK and Northern Ireland Argos stores, with over three million parcels sent using the service since 2013.
