As voters across the UK prepare to have their say at the General Election this Thursday, it’s interesting to note the latest stats from the Business Pilot barometer, which records sales, leads, average purchase orders, lead times and conversion rates from the retail sector.
The headline figures confirm what many industry business leaders will already know, in that average sales and leads are down.
In fact, average sales have dropped 9.1% month on month, with leads down 9%, and both figures are also lower than their respective, rolling six-month averages.
Conversely, average order values are well up, 34% higher in June than May, which also supports industry feedback that the premium end of the market continues to be relatively robust.
But are we at a tipping point? Will we see an uptake in volume sales in the latter half of 2024? According to Business Pilot’s senior analyst, Neil Cooper-Smith, it will depend on a number of variables – including interest rates, mortgage rates, inflation rates and energy prices – but suggests that the Election may just prove to be the catalyst the industry needs…
And while he may not be the Prime Minister just yet, Sir Keir has found time on the election trail to visit one of the largest window and door fabricators in the UK, Window Supply Company, which is headquartered in Whitburn, West Lothian.
Sir Keir was accompanied by the leader of the Scottish Labour Party, Anas Sarwar, and the Labour party candidate for Bathgate and Linlithgow, Kirsteen Sullivan, and enjoyed a tour of the 105,000ft2 factory.
You can read more about his visit here.
Average sales down, but order value remain high
As voters across the UK prepare to have their say at the General Election this Thursday, it’s interesting to note the latest stats from the Business Pilot barometer, which records sales, leads, average purchase orders, lead times and conversion rates from the retail sector.
The headline figures confirm what many industry business leaders will already know, in that average sales and leads are down.
In fact, average sales have dropped 9.1% month on month, with leads down 9%, and both figures are also lower than their respective, rolling six-month averages.
Conversely, average order values are well up, 34% higher in June than May, which also supports industry feedback that the premium end of the market continues to be relatively robust.
But are we at a tipping point? Will we see an uptake in volume sales in the latter half of 2024? According to Business Pilot’s senior analyst, Neil Cooper-Smith, it will depend on a number of variables – including interest rates, mortgage rates, inflation rates and energy prices – but suggests that the Election may just prove to be the catalyst the industry needs…
And while he may not be the Prime Minister just yet, Sir Keir has found time on the election trail to visit one of the largest window and door fabricators in the UK, Window Supply Company, which is headquartered in Whitburn, West Lothian.
Sir Keir was accompanied by the leader of the Scottish Labour Party, Anas Sarwar, and the Labour party candidate for Bathgate and Linlithgow, Kirsteen Sullivan, and enjoyed a tour of the 105,000ft2 factory.
You can read more about his visit here.
Glass Times
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