According to a new report from AMA Research, the internet is the fastest growing channel for the purchase of plumbing and heating products in the UK. The market has seen strong growth over the last five to seven years, and in 2017 alone the internet based plumbing market is estimated to have increased by 17% in value.
However, the pace of growth seems to have gradually slowed down over the course of the review period. AMA attributes this change of pace partly to market saturation of internet users and fewer new suppliers entering the market.
With strong demand driven by lower prices and added convenience, internet retailers have been able to capitalise on changing consumer cross-channel shopping habits with a notable shift towards online purchases. Own-label products sold on the internet are performing particularly well.
Shower controls and bathroom taps represent the largest sector of the internet plumbing market with a share of around 23%, followed by bathroom furniture and accessories, baths and sanitaryware, heating products such as boilers and standard radiators and shower enclosures, screens, trays and wetroom products.
Towel warmers and decorative radiators account for a much smaller share of the total market.
Key factors that have influenced growth in this market over the past few years include the growing number of UK households with internet access – estimates indicate that around 90% of households have access in 2017 – and significant growth in the level of online e-retail sales over the past seven years. The usage of mobile internet technology has also increased substantially, with a growing number of purchases being made through mobile handsets or tablets.
The majority of plumbing products sold on the internet are through specialist online plumbing retailers, of which around 65% only trade online.
Non-specialists account for around a quarter of the total internet plumbing market and include merchant/trade outlets, DIY multiples, marketplace websites such as Amazon and eBay, and other general retailers. Non-specialists also include plumbing manufacturers that may make specific products available for consumers to buy online.
Hayley Thornley, Market Research Manager at AMA Research, says:
Factors such as improved delivery/collection options, the growing range of products available online, along with technological improvements should drive Internet sales of plumbing products.”
“By 2022, it is estimated that the UK internet plumbing market will have increased by around 43% compared to 2018. However, it is likely that the pace of growth will start to slow as this market matures.”
AMA says the market is expected to continue to grow by 10-15% per year for the remainder of the forecast period.
