When you look at the level of interest people have in buying a new kitchen across a 12-month period, a very clear pattern emerges.
Online search behaviour is the clearest window into that interest.
It shows, almost in real time, when homeowners are actively thinking about a new kitchen - and when they’re not.
And when you track it month by month, the shape of the market becomes obvious.
Here’s what the last 12 months look like:
From Easter through to early November, interest stays relatively steady.
There are natural rises and dips - especially during the main summer holiday period - but overall, demand moves at a consistent pace.
Then, as November ends and Christmas takes over, interest drops. People turn their attention elsewhere.
And after that?
Everything changes.
In January, interest doesn’t simply rise - it surges! It’s the single biggest monthly jump of the year.
And because January is followed by a strong February and March, it forms the start of what is, without fail, the highest-demand quarter in the kitchen calendar.
So, what does this actually mean for you?
Well, three things.
First - Q1 isn’t just another quarter. It’s the commercial high point of the year.
This is when intent is strongest. This is when homeowners act. This is when serious enquiries happen.
Second - Visibility matters more in January than at any other point.
Because buyers don’t begin their thinking on 1st January. They respond to the businesses they already recognise. To names they’ve seen over months - even years.
That familiarity isn’t created in the final few weeks of the year.
But the question each retailer faces now is:
With the next big spike of interest on the immediate horizon, what are you going to do to make sure you’re seen when interest lifts?
This isn’t about building a brand in six weeks. It’s about ensuring that, when the market wakes up, you’re one of the retailers who stand out.
Third - Actions that shape your Q1 happen before Q1 begins.
Not during it. Not once the surge is already underway. Before it.
This period - right now - is your window! To get visible. To be present. To make some noise. To ensure you’re in the places your customers turn to when they start searching again.
Treat this period as preparation rather than downtime, and you’ll enter January ahead of where you could be - more visible, more recognised, and ready to capture the lift that January and Q1 offer every single year.
Obviously, if you’d like help getting ready for January - making the most of your Q1 and 2025 - then we need to get talking! Just click here and let’s arrange a chat.