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EDITOR’S COMMENT
Andrew Kidd EDITOR
Expect a sales rush It’s not a headline you see very often, but shoppers are soon likely to be clamouring for you to take their money – really. As I write this there are a few still days left of General Election campaigning, but hopefully by now there will be a Government in charge (unless coalition wrangling is still going on). So why will shoppers be beating a path to your door wanting their living room carpeted and a new sofa to go with it? Well, because it looks likely that whoever is occupying No 11 Downing Street will have little option other than to increase VAT as part of efforts to reduce the deficit. Increasing the VAT rate doesn’t cost the Government any more to collect as it’s you who does the collecting, so it seems a bit of a no brainer. However, it’s unlikely the rate would be increased overnight, so creating a window for shoppers to save money before the higher rate comes into effect.
The same thing happened at the end of 2009 before the rate reverted to 17.5%. The downside, of course, is that everything will cost more after the rise and no-one knows how badly it’ll hit sales, but hit them it will. In-store presentation, service, marketing and new products will be even more important to overcome the extra hurdle higher VAT would present. This month will see members of the SMG, Metro and BRM flooring buying groups have a new opportunity to see the latest products. The groups’ suppliers, along with Flooring One suppliers, will be exhibiting at AIS’s exhibition centre in Solihull on 19 May, the day after the Flooring One show there. And in the search for new products, at least there is less chance of being stuck in the Midlands than there was for everyone who visited I Salone last month. For those of you who avoided the travel chaos, the best of Milan review starts on p66. One positive that could come from the aftermath of the Icelandic eruption is more people staying at home this summer, which could give them more incentive to change their furniture or flooring. Especially if air travel taxes increase as well.
Editor: Andrew Kidd T: 01273 930 029 E: akidd@interiorsmonthly.co.uk
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Fun on the Floor
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Returns for third year
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The stars of Milan
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I Salone shines bright
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