Homebase in 戦う／戦い of the £5 DIY 取引

By NEIL CRAVEN, MAIL ON SUNDAY RETAIL CORRESPONDENT
Updated: 23:45 BST, 6 February 2010

Homebase is squaring up for an audacious price war with larger 競争相手 B&Q against the background of what it 推定する／予想するs will be a 不振の 住宅 market.

The retailer has 開始する，打ち上げるd a 範囲 of 350 Value 製品s this 週末, half of them under £5.

The 範囲 uses Homebase’s orange flash, which most DIYers will notice is 類似の to the orange used in B&Q’s logo.

Homebase is trying to move into the gap created by the 崩壊（する） of MFI last year

In a rare interview, Homebase managing director Paul Loft told 財政上の Mail he would not be 追加するing to its 350 蓄える／店s this year beyond the seven already 予定 to open.

This will （疑いを）晴らす the way for reorganising 存在するing 出口s. ‘We have 棚上げにするd new 蓄える／店s for now and we are making the best of what we’ve got,’ he said.

Loft said the chain, part of Home 小売 Group which also owns Argos, had 実験（する）d a new 蓄える／店 design at Colchester, Essex.

Homebase is working to 減ずる the cost of refits by about half and 実験（する） variants this year.

The 目的（とする） is that next year its 50 最高の，を越す-成し遂げるing 蓄える／店s, all with mezzanine levels, will have more space for fitted bathrooms and kitchens as Homebase continues to move into the gap left by the 崩壊（する） of MFI last year.

いっそう少なく space will be 供給するd for furniture. Loft has been in 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金 of Homebase for seven years.

He 以前 worked at Argos and 簡潔に ran the GUS home shopping 商売／仕事 before it was sold.

He said that last year was 堅い, with 利益（をあげる） 利ざやs under 圧力 and little growth. He 推定する／予想するs a 類似の picture this year.

‘We’ve had two downward 転換s and we’re 推定する／予想するing an uncertain year next year,’ he said, referring to Homebase’s 財政上の year starting in March.

Home 小売 will 明らかにする／漏らす 財政上の results for Homebase in April.

‘We’re planning for a market that 退却／保養地s next year ? it’s safer than 推定する／予想するing it to grow,’ he said. ‘We think 住宅 処理／取引s will stay where they are, which is about half what they were before the 後退，不況.

'Then the year after it will start to move.’

However, he believed the nation had once more caught the DIY bug and the Value 範囲 would encourage home 改良 熱中している人s who are short of cash.

‘We are still a bit softer than our competitors, a bit more feminine and stylish,’ he said.

‘Our main 顧客s are more 利益／興味d in the 結果 than the doing. The 熱中している人 might see us as a bit more expensive and without the 範囲 that you might find どこかよそで. ‘Now what we are 説 is that we can match that value.’