I don’t know what it is about this time of year but as soon as the sun comes out and we’re able to throw open our doors and windows to let in some fresh air, we get that urge to declutter our homes and clean everything in sight. I wonder whether it may be to do with some deep-seated nesting instinct, as the compulsion can be so strong and we also seem to be granted the stamina to keep working hard at it for longer than we’d be able to at other times.

Of course what follows all that decluttering and cleaning is the ability to take a fresh look at our surroundings – and that’s when we notice that paint might need refreshing, or our kitchens and bathrooms are looking tired. Time to replace them perhaps?

I’ve been wondering whether all the talk of potential deflation is having an impact on our industry and whether people are waiting to see if prices will fall before splashing out. After all, many of us hold off making a purchase until the January sales, so a discount clearly does tempt people. I’m never sure though whether the majority end up deliberately spending less than they would normally have done, or whether they will stretch the budget as far as they can and buy a heavily discounted product or range that wouldn’t normally be affordable to them. Or does it fall somewhere between the two?

My family recently ate at a restaurant that was offering half price cocktails. I don’t generally drink cocktails but that night I did and between us we drank more than we normally do, spending more than we normally would. I also left a far larger tip than was necessary. We all had a good time, the restaurant’s turnover increased (as we weren’t the only ones indulging!) and the staff took more money home because I was grateful for the opportunity to try lots of cocktails and wanted to give something back – I hope I wasn’t the only one.

Is this how it works for retailers in the KBB sector I wonder?

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Yours,

Jan Hobbs