DIY wholesaler Stax Trade Centres has seen a welcome rise in sales for the month of March and has noted a marked change in buying patterns.
While the company's like-for-like sales are still down on last year, the wholesale chain saw its "best month ever" in March with group sales of £8.6m. And the performance was across the board with all four branches achieving their best ever monthly sales.

And, the company also achieved its best ever month for customer visits. This rise in footfall is indicative of a change in buying patterns says Stax joint md David Hibbert:

"We are seeing a change in buyer behaviour. Our figures indicate that retailers are buying less per visit, but visiting more often. They are using cash and carry to buy their stock just in time. So while the average basket values are lower, frequency of spend is higher, indicating that retailers are buying their stock to meet demand without tying up cash.

"We know trading conditions are tough out there and we have been delighted by the level of business we have achieved in March. We have been working hard to support our retailers in every aspect of their businesses and we hope that this is a sign of things getting better."