The amount consumers were spending on furniture on their credit and debit cards soared over the summer, according to new figures.
Barclaycard claims that card sales at shops selling furniture were up 32.3 percent in July this year compared to the same period two years ago, before the Covid-19 pandemic hit. And the increase is not just down to a rise in card transactions as they only increased by 7.7 percent, suggesting shoppers are going for higher priced items.
This data suggests that consumers are taking time to invest in their homes and make them more comfortable and stylish. And they aren’t just buying new furniture, they’re also decorating and carrying out other improvements.
Card sales at home improvement and DIY stores saw a 24.4 percent increase with transactions up 15.4 percent, the Barclaycard statistics show. And spending through credit and debit cards rose by 23.1 percent across the household goods sector as a whole with an 8.7 percent increase in transactions.
Experts believe that spending more time at home during lockdown has led to more people re-evaluating their indoor space and thinking of ways it could be improved.
Increased sales have fueled demand for storage and fulfilment solutions
More and more people are also heading online to buy their furniture rather than relying completely on bricks and mortar stores and showrooms. Although this was initially driven by non-essential shops having to close in March 2020, many consumers now view the internet as a great place to shop for items for their home.
This high demand for new furniture has led to a busy period for companies like AP+ who provide third party logistics (3PL) services for retailers in this sector. AP+ works with firms who do not have their own warehouses or distribution facilities, providing an end to end solution which includes storing stock, fulfilling orders and sending them directly to the customer.
At AP+, our purpose-built 300,000 sq ft facility is located in the North West near major transport links, making it a convenient hub for distribution all over the UK. It is also equipped with state-of-the-art technology including a cloud-based order management system (OMS) and warehouse management system (WMS) allowing the inventory to be checked and updated and orders fulfilled in real time.
For more information about AP+ and how it can help your business, get in touch with the team now.
