The big spring spruce-up: trends shaping UK retail in 2024

As the days grow longer and the weather becomes milder, the arrival of spring brought with it a renewed sense of energy and a drive for consumers to refresh their living spaces. The latest data suggests that this year, UK consumers are embracing this seasonal change with a heightened enthusiasm for home and garden improvements. 

In this post we look at  the key trends that highlight the evolving preferences and behaviours of shoppers this spring.

1. Renewed passion for home and garden enhancements

Spring traditionally marks a period of rejuvenation, and 2024 was no exception. UK consumers have invested heavily in home and garden projects, seeking to enhance both the functionality and aesthetics of their much loved and most used spaces. This trend is evident in the significant uptick in demand for items such as flooring, rugs, and carpets, which saw a revenue increase of 52% year-on-year, as well as garden plants and trees, which grew by 37%. This renewed interest suggests that people are prioritising their immediate environments, aiming to create more enjoyable and comfortable living spaces as we move into the summer months.

2. Quality over quantity

A striking trend this spring is the consumer shift towards high-quality, durable products. Instead of opting for cheaper, short-lived items, shoppers are increasingly choosing well-made products that promise longevity. This preference is particularly noticeable in categories like flooring, carpets, and rugs, where the average order value (AOV) increased by 25%. This trend reflects a broader movement towards sustainability and thoughtful consumption, where the long-term value of a purchase outweighs the initial cost savings of budget-friendly alternatives.

3. The importance of sustainability

Environmental consciousness is playing a significant role in consumer decisions, especially among younger generations. Shoppers are becoming more discerning about the origins and sustainability of the products they buy. This growing awareness is driving a preference for retailers who demonstrate responsible sourcing and sustainable practices. For example, in the furniture and home furnishings sector, while the number of orders decreased by 31%, there was a notable rise in AOV, suggesting that consumers are willing to invest in higher-cost items that are sustainably produced.

The decline in order numbers for furniture and home furnishings may be attributed to growing consumer concerns over sustainability and sourcing. Younger generations, in particular, prefer companies that responsibly source their materials, even at higher costs, leading to increased AOV.  Rather than deep deals and discounts, brands should focus on communicating their quality and environmental credentials to entice customers.

4. Lifestyle enhancements beyond the home

Spring is also a time when people look to enhance their lifestyles, not just their living spaces. There has been a sizeable increase in spending on sports and recreational equipment, with revenue growing by 33%. This reflects a desire to engage in outdoor activities and embrace healthier lifestyles. Similarly, the pets sector continues to thrive, with revenue up by 22% and orders rising by 18%, demonstrating the ongoing importance of pets in UK households. This highlights opportunities for retailers to offer a wide range of high-quality pet products and cater to the emotional bond between consumers and their pets.

5. Fashion and personal renewal

This time of year also heralds a period of personal renewal, with many consumers updating their wardrobes for the warmer months. The fashion sector is seeing a rise in demand, with revenue increasing by 27% as shoppers seek new clothing and accessories to match the season's trends. However, there is a clear shift towards cost-effective shopping, with AOV in fashion dropping by 11%, indicating a trend towards more frequent, smaller purchases, possibly influenced by the convenience of online services and discount codes - which is a contrast to the behaviour we see for homes and gardens.

5. The untapped potential of mobile commerce

Despite the current low proportion of mobile orders in certain sectors, with home and garden sectors seeing only about 5-6% of orders on mobile devices, mobile commerce presents a significant growth opportunity. As consumers increasingly rely on their mobile devices for shopping, and social commerce grows, optimising the mobile shopping experience is crucial. Retailers can attract and retain customers by offering personalised promotions, seamless navigation, and efficient checkout processes on mobile platforms. Embracing mobile commerce can drive higher engagement and conversion rates, particularly among tech-savvy and younger demographics.

5. Conclusion

Consumers are clearly showing a desire for a spring spruce, investing in their homes and gardens. The correlation between rising AOV and declining order numbers, alongside its impact on revenue, highlights the complexity of eCommerce sales. Retailers need to work with experts to fine-tune the customer experience for optimal conversion.

The trends shaping UK retail this spring reflect a blend of renewed passion for home improvement, a commitment to sustainability, and a focus on personal and lifestyle enhancements. Retailers who understand and adapt to these evolving consumer preferences can position themselves for success in a competitive market. By offering high-quality, sustainable products and optimising the mobile shopping experience, retailers can meet the demands of today's discerning consumers and drive sustained growth.

In addition to our web development services, we offer a comprehensive suite of digital services that cover all stages of the shopping journey, from acquisition and engagement to performance marketing and creative media services. These professional services have, so far, leveraged our platform to help merchants thrive in a highly competitive and challenging market.

We deeply understand that each merchant’s technology use cases are often unique and complex. As merchants progress through their business journey, operational challenges and customer demands can shift their technology needs. Visualsoft exists to support and partner with merchants so they thrive over the long term. This means that, in addition to our professional services, we must remain ahead of the curve to offer the most comprehensive range of technologies available to merchants, whether built by Visualsoft or not. This commitment is why Visualsoft is, in addition to our own platform, introducing Shopify to our technology ecosystem.

For specific merchant requirements that the Visualsoft platform currently does not support, its merchants can now benefit from Shopify’s platform.  With Shopify and Visualsoft’s platform, Visualsoft can craft the perfect solution to meet the unique needs of each merchant. Combining advanced technology solutions with professional services, we continue to help merchants thrive on their journey into the future.

Crafting the right solution for every merchant 

No two merchants are the same. Just as we tailor each and every marketing strategy or handcraft each beautiful storefront we build, we must also customise the technology solutions we support. Our client success and strategy team lead this effort, working closely with merchants to embark on this journey together.  

Adopting a multi-platform approach gives us the opportunity to support a far wider range of merchants. That’s more merchants who can benefit from all our award-winning professional services, not just marketing services. Where Visualsoft’s platform is perfect we will recommend it. Where a merchant's complexity demands an alternative solution, we will pursue that too. A key mission for Visualsoft is to maximise shopper engagement and build lifetime customer value so merchants thrive. We will utilise whatever technologies are necessary to achieve this goal. 

The Visualsoft platform remains stronger than ever

Our announcement today coincides with Visualsoft’s continued investment and rollout of the next generation of our award-winning eCommerce platform. The Visualsoft platform is the embodiment of what we think an eCommerce platform should be. An end-to-end, turnkey solution with stunning dashboards, embedded partners like Twilio, Bee, Klaviyo and 100’s more, native communications tools and the best payment solution available powered by Stripe. It’s ideal for most mid-market merchants, and provides everything they need for a simple licence fee.  

We're ambitious for every merchant

As a commerce focussed business, we crave the opportunity to support as wide a portfolio of merchants as possible on their business journey, so each and every merchant we partner with is able to thrive. Introducing Shopify alongside our own platform is a natural step on our own journey to become the leading technology enabled commerce provider across the UK and internationally. Once merchants experience Visualsoft’s raft of services and solutions, we aim to build long term partnerships. Our range of services and solutions are carefully crafted to help merchants attract, convert, and retain shoppers for long term sustained success. Shopify is just the beginning and by no means the last technology solution we’ll introduce in future. Through our new technology partnerships, merchants can continue to flourish when they partner with us.

Stay tuned for more exciting announcements.