We hear a lot about how the global financial recession is affecting the average British household and it is easy to make assumptions about how the average man or woman on the street is choosing to spend his or her money in these difficult times. For example, with Home Retail Group (the holding company for the UK and Republic of Ireland retailers Argos and Homebase) hit by an eight per cent drop in sales at Homebase in the three months to June this year and with sofa retailer DFS seeing sales slump by 14% in the last quarter of 2011, you’d be forgiven for thinking that home improvement and the purchase of ‘big-ticket’ items such as leather settees, is not very high on the list of priorities for many UK householders at the moment. However, the online interior specialist Wayfair has recently carried out research into the decorating and spending habits of UK households and what they found suggests that the picture of household spending on D.I.Y. and furniture products is perhaps more complex than it might first appear.
Despite the economic downturn and the almost constant talk of austerity, the study suggests that many people are still spending their hard earned paycheques on home improvement items, with 66% of people now buying homeware items online. Over 800 people took part in the nationwide survey, which showed that in the first month of moving home spending ranges from £1000 to £3000 for most people, but the 35-44 year old age range spend up to £5000 within their first month in a new house. Perhaps unsurprisingly, younger survey participants were more likely to go online to purchase their furniture and D.I.Y. products, with the majority of online shoppers aged between 18 and 24.
The survey also found that 63% of older shoppers were likely to buy new home furniture, whereas the under-55 age range were more likely to buy second-hand furniture, with only 36% of younger respondents buying new.
Cheap Leather Settees
When the average shopper thinks of a leather sofa, luxury, style and a high-end price tag will probably come to mind. Indeed, leather furniture is synonymous with luxury and style, not to mention comfort and durability, but it is the misconception that leather products must be expensive that may be putting many younger, less well-off shoppers from considering the purchase of brand new leather furniture products such as leather recliners or leather corner suites. Indeed, even some older, more financially comfortable shoppers may feel that, from looking around the high street, a quality leather sofa is outside of their price range.
Many people do not realise just how affordable a leather suite of furniture can be. By sourcing products from around the world and by buying in bulk direct from the manufacturers, online retailers can cut out the middleman and offer high discounts to their customers. This system allows customers to buy cheap leather sofas without compromising on quality or style and ensures that UK householders sit comfortably despite the gloomy economic outlook.
