Some 700,000 trade professionals were registered to B&Q’s in-store trade-only TradePoint business by the end of the third quarter.
B&Q owner Kingfisher plc, which announced the TradePoint expansion in its interim statement, also reported a 21.7% growth in B&Q’s UK and Ireland retail profits to £56m in the third quarter from £928m sales.
B&Q launched TradePoint in March, 2010 and has since been rolling it out at stores across the UK. It also reviewed all its building product ranges in its stores to support the expansion of TradePoint.
There are currently more than 120 TradePoint trade counters at B&Q stores, with the TradePoint service available at more than 300 stores in all.
B&Q said its third-quarter sales were boosted by warm autumn weather, increasing sales of outdoor seasonal products by 12%, with garden furniture sales up by 68%.
Sales also benefited from the closure of Focus DIY earlier in the year. During the third quarter, 27 of the 29 former Focus DIY stores acquired had converted into the B&Q format and were “trading well”. Non-seasonal products dipped around 4%, reflecting the weak consumer backdrop.
Retail profit growth mainly reflected sales growth, an improved gross margin and cost initiatives.
