Stores report rise in demand for home office equipment
Shoppers have moved from stripping the shelves of toilet paper to grabbing the must-haves for working remotely during the COVID-19 crisis. Here’s what’s in high-demand as we abandon our corporate selves and reinvent how we work.
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Melburnians are snapping up coffee machines as millions manage the transition to working from home.
Along with that, kettles, toasters and loungewear are in high demand as people start to settle into their new home-office spaces, with department store giant Myer recording a whopping 100 per cent jump in kitchen appliances since the coronavirus outbreak hit the country.
The megastore also recorded a spike in children’s toys, with parents stocking up on popular LEGO sets to keep little ones happy after the state government shut schools down.
“We are seeing increased demand across various categories, particularly in homewares,” a Myer spokeswoman said.
“In clothing, we are seeing an increase in comfortable pieces including activewear, sleepwear and underwear …(there has been) increased sales of books and toys – particularly our popular LEGO range.
“We’ve also had strong sales in office chairs, desks and stationery.”
Hot kitchen items included coffee makers, blenders, toasters, kettles and bread makers, with vacuum cleaners up 20 per cent and home fragrances up 35 per cent.
And as many swap corporate threads for comfortable cotton, the store saw a 107 per cent spike in the sales of warm hoodies, tracksuit pants and shorts.
The company’s spokeswoman said baby essentials were up a staggering 186 per cent, with plenty of Lego flying off the shelves and 60 per cent more toys and books overall.
“During this unprecedented time, our teams are working hard to ensure in-demand items like homewares, baby essentials, clothing and cosmetics are well stocked both for in store, online and for click and collect purchases,” she said.
Over at homeware hotspot Kmart, there was a “significant spike” in home office items, home essentials, kids products and activewear.
“Although we have seen spikes across a number of our product categories, the most significant areas include kids (clothing, nursery, toys including arts and craft, board games), home office (furniture, stationary and books) home essentials (cooking, storages) along with sleepwear, active general merchandise and wellness products,” a Kmart spokeswoman said.
“We recognise that this is a unique time and we are here to support our customers, teams and communities, while we all adjust to this new way of life with our families and prepare to spend more time together at home.”
Sit-stand desks are also a must-have item with Melburnians working from home concerned about their posture and sedentary jobs.
Reuven Kaminetzky, from Melbourne Office Supplies, said there had been an increased demand for adjustable workspaces over the past two weeks and he advised people to resist working on their bed.
“Ergonomics are very important – make sure you have a proper home set-up with a chair and desk,” he said.
a shortage of toilet paper, hand sanitiser and cleaning products.
Michael Long, from Surrey Hills ergonomics retailer Stretch Now Group, said there had been a spike in sales as people adjusted to working from home.
“The desk is usually secondary for most people, however many who have been used to working with an adjustable height desk at work are also wanting to get one for home as they have experienced the benefit of mixing sitting and standing,” he said.
Mr Long said it was important to have a chair with good lumbar support along with having your mouse, keyboard and a monitor at the right height.
Officeworks acting managing director Michael Howard said the store had seen a spike in sales of products such as sit-stand desks, monitors, home printers and computer accessories.
“With an increased number of schools closed, we are seeing growth in the popularity of education resources, as parents prepare for kids being at home,” he said.
“Customers are also responding to an increased focus on hygiene and cleanliness, with strong demand across cleaning and sanitising products.”
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For customers that couldn’t come into the store, Mr Howard said they were doing everything they could to fulfil online orders.
“At this stage our stores remain open, but we’ll be guided by any federal or state government guidance as the situation continues to develop,” he said.
Big electronics stores and stationery suppliers such as Dick Smith and Office Choice reported “unprecedented demand” and “high volumes” of orders with more and more people setting up office spaces at home.