Page 20 - HW Sept 2021

state of the nation survey 2021
The results of our latest industry survey indicate that the hardware channel is substantially less positive about prospects for the consumer market than the trade market in the next half year. Steve Bohling reports on our findings.
TWICE LAST YEAR, in March and November, NZ Hardware Journal invited DIY retailers and merchants, hardware and building products & services suppliers to share their outlook on the industry.
Wereportedontheirfeedbackinour2020StateoftheNation surveys in April and December.
Some8monthson,inJuly,weaskedthesamequestionsagain. What’s changed? Do these opinions still hold true in 2021? What is top of mind as we navigate the second half of 2021? To gauge the industry’s take on the current and near-future
marketplace, last month we invited our 1,750+ Hard News e-newsletter subscribers to participate and answer the same core questions as the previous survey:
1. What is your outlook for the CONSUMER market in the
next 6 months?
2. What is your outlook for the TRADE market in the next 6
months?
3. What are the biggest challenges facing the building
product and services industry in the next 6-12 months?
We also asked everyone to indicate their role in the hardware industry and were pleased with the high level of respondents and the balance between the supply side and demand side:
• 53%wereseniorexecutivesormanagementandsomestaffat
DIY retailers and builders’ merchants.
• 47%weresuppliers–seniorexecutivesandmanagers,plusa
few staff.
What were the outcomes? Read on...
1. Businessisboomingrightnow;whatisyouroutlookfor the CONSUMER market in the next 6 months?
Last year, a clear majority of respondents said it would be “Business as usual” for the consumer market, while more than a quarter countered with “It’s going to soften” and smaller but equal numbers forecast uncertainty or improvement.
Suppliers in 2020 were three times more “Uncertain” about the next six months for the DIY marketplace than the retailers & merchants.
What is your outlook for the CONSUMER market in the next 6 months?
18 NZHJ | SEPTEMBER 2021
9%
31%
17%
29%
14%
n It’ll be business as usual
n It’s going to soften
n It’s going to improve
n It’s going to deteriorate
n Uncertain
MORE AT www.hardwarejournal.co.nz
What is the STATE of