Home Show: Uncertain economic and political context slows down consumers

Pascal Settipani, lors de l’inauguration du Salon de l’habitat. Midi Libre – STEPHANE BARBIER

Faced with uncertainty and the ambient gloom, exhibitors are standing firm and pulling through.

For most of the exhibitors present in the aisles of the Salon de l'Habitat at the Parc des Expos in Méjannes-les-Alès, a certain gloom is the order of the day.

While on Friday, the public came in large numbers to get information, Saturday was not very fruitful.

This Sunday, the second car park was opened to accommodate all visitors' vehicles. But the crowds in the aisles are far from being at their maximum.

“It comes in waves. It's irregular”, note the business leaders while waiting for the customer.

The uncertain economic and political context

The exhibitors put forward several ideas to explain this phenomenon: “The economic and political climate is unstable. People have listened to the announcements of the new government and are wondering whether to invest, do work or keep the money. We can feel that people are hesitant."

"This is not the first time that we have experienced this kind of situation, remembers Gilles Paveyranne of SARL Mendez-Paveyranne, a specialist in PVC and aluminum joinery. We already had a gap in 2013. It was after the debt crisis with Greece's difficulties. We have to keep our heads down. It always ends up starting up again. The problem is that in the meantime, boxes explode in mid-air. You only have to look at the figures from the commercial court."

A trade fair that offers a global offering: all sectors of the building industry are represented

Same story at the plumber Bonnefoi. "We have a few contacts. It is true that people are looking for ways to save money on their heating consumption, or improve the performance of solar-based systems."

Lorraine Martin (Martin household appliances) has a somewhat discordant voice in the ambient discourse: “To operate well in a show like this, you need to have the right proposition. We stand out with attractive prices and special offers, especially new televisions since some brands support us.”

An effort by the banks to get the machine going again

“It's better than last year, estimates Sébastien Beaumet, a turnkey house builder. We must look beyond the gloomy speeches, even if we have to deal with the scarcity of land, the new provisions to further reduce permits, the increase in the price of materials, the high interest rates…"

On this last point, exhibitors are expecting an effort from banking institutions. "Since this summer, we have been told that rates will drop. This could encourage people to embark on renovation or construction projects."

A trade show that has extensions until the end of the year for businesses

Pascal Settipani still has Monday left before identifying a trend: “A home show is useful for developing a project, finding out information. Here, you can find all the trades. The choice is vast. The most important thing is to offer a global offer. After a project, it's a journey. People must be able to project themselves before making a decision. It's always complicated to take stock when there's still a day left. I see exhibitors who tell me that they capitalize on the contacts made here until December. Some have immediate feedback, others review prospects, establish quotes that can lead to work. It takes two or three months before being able to carry out a complete assessment."

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