The business impact of the coronavirus pandemic continues its downward trajectory in the weekly National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) Pulse poll. Nearly 800 respondents rated the pandemic's business impact at an average of 6.9 out of 10, the lowest since the NKBA's initial survey on March 26. The impact is softening among all surveyed business categories, including building and construction professionals, designers, retailers, and manufacturers.
The continued downward trend coincides with more states lifting restrictions on retail businesses and manufacturing plants reopening, and allowing contractors to resume work in clients’ homes.
NKBA’s weekly two-question survey measures the impact of the pandemic and resulting lockdown on members’ businesses, and whether demand for their goods and services is increasing, decreasing or staying the same.
In a further indicator of optimism, the number of respondents who said demand was decreasing fell by six points to 24% overall. This corresponds with an eight-point hike in those who said demand was increasing, to 38%, while another 38% said business demand was the same as the prior week, down 2%.
Manufacturers showed the biggest surge in increasing demand, up 14 points to 42%. Designers and builders who reported demand was increasing each rose by eight points, to 29% and 41%, respectively, while 46% of retailers said demand was increasing, up five points from last week.
Six weeks ago, in the report of April 16, 62% of respondents overall reported demand for their goods and services was decreasing, while just 9% said it was on the rise.
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