Sofa so good at DFS with sales up 19 per cent in six months
Gross sales at DFS Furniture increased 19 per cent against the comparable 24-week period ending 15 December 2019, despite disruption caused by Covid-19.
The furniture business’s online channel in particular grew in the 24 weeks to 13 December, with gross sales up 76 per cent on the same period last year.
DFS believes it has benefited from a shift in consumer spending, with more money being spent on homes.
Group chief executive Tim Stacey said: “We are working all hours focusing on what we can control to look after our people and our customers. I want to thank our customers for their patience given the ongoing disruption to our deliveries due to port congestion and raw material shortages, as well as apologise to those that have experienced delays.
“While the current environment is clearly unpredictable, our business model is resilient and we are well set for medium term growth.”
Like other retail businesses DFS has faced disruption as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
More than a quarter of the DFS’s showrooms are currently closed due to stricter coronavirus measures, and the furniture store has had to cope with continued raw material supply problems.
Its Q2 order intake over the first 11 weeks was down approximately 5 per cent year-on-year, despite the impact of extensive showroom closures in the period.