Ikea remains the most positively thought about furnishing and DIY retailer, while Habitat has seen its brand popularity increase the most.
YouGov’s Buzz Score index measures whether more consumers are hearing positive things about a brand in the previous two weeks. The score can range from 100 to -100 and is compiled by subtracting negative feedback from positive. A zero score means equal positive and negative feedback. Consumers are asked if they have ‘heard anything about the brand in the last two weeks, through advertising, news or word of mouth, was it positive or negative.’
The latest results – comparing October 22 with a year earlier – give Ikea a score of 14.7, up two. Dunelm scored 9.3, up 1.4.
Wilko, B&Q and Screwfix retained their position in the top five with scores of 7 (-0.5); 6.2 (-0.5) and 6.1 (unchanged), respectively.
The survey found that Habitat increased its score the most, jumping by 1.8 to 3.6. This ranked it sixth, up seven places.
The rest of the top ten was made up of Homesense with 2.9 (+1), rising five places; Wickes with 2.7 (-2.7) and a drop of two places; Oak Furnitureland with 2.4 (+0.2) and a drop of one place; and Toolstation with 2.2 (+0.2) unchanged in tenth place.
The 11-20 places were occupied by ao.com (2.1, -0.3 and a drop of four places); Howdens (2, +0.6 and three places higher); Wayfair (1.9, -0.1 and two places lower); Homebase (1.7, -0.4 and dropping five places); Robert Dyas (1.7, +0.6 and five places higher); The Cotswold Company (1.5, unchanged and two places lower); Loaf (1.2, +0.1 and up two places); Furniture Village (1.1, +0.5 and eight places higher); DFS (1, -0.2 and one place lower) and Wren Kitchens (1, +0.3 and five places higher).
Those outside the top twenty include Topps Tiles (0.9, +0.3 and ranked 21, up six places); Sofology (0.8, -0.1 and ranked 22, up one place); Dreams (0.7, -0.5 and ranked 24, down seven places); Bensons for Beds (0.6, -0.5, and ranked 26, down four places); Carpetright (0.4, -0.5, and ranked 29, down five places); Sharps (0.1, unchanged, ranked 32, two places higher); Magnet (0.1, -0.4, ranked 33, down four places) and ScS (0, -0.6, ranked 36, a drop of eight places).
Made.com saw the largest fall in score and ranking as administration loomed. Its score fell to 0.7, down 2.1 and dropped to number 37, a drop of 21 places.
