After analysing our data for the month of November, Ark Trading unveiled a notably cost-effective basket, showcasing a total cost of N$7,463.93 in November from N$8,046.86 in October.
These figures represent a significant 7.28% month-on-month decrease. Noteworthy reductions are observed in specific items, including Roofing Galvanised IBR, which decreased from N$931.09 to N$713.12, Paint from N$1,060.16 to N$980.67, and Aluminium Window from N$1,001.24 to N$980.67.
This is according to The Brief’s survey which started in June to assess a basket of similar hardware items that customers would probably purchase on a random day. The survey is carried out across four hardware stores, namely; Build It, BUCO, Pupkewitz Megabuild and Ark Trading.
Contrastingly, BUCO, known for consistently offering the most affordable overall basket from July to September, saw a significant price increase in November, with the total cost reaching N$8,297.77 from N$7,823.32, marking a 6.06% rise between October and November. This uptick can be attributed to specific items such as Roofing Galvanised IBR (N$733.71 to N$829.27), Aluminium Window (N$1,005.71 to N$1,187.00), and Aluminium Sliding Door Bronze (N$2,736.72 to N$2,901.07).
Build It and Pupkewitz both experienced a decrease in their overall basket costs by 2.68% and 10.52%, respectively, compared to the previous month.
The difference between the most expensive and least expensive basket compositions increased to N$833.84 from N$598.98 month-on-month.
The aim of the survey is to provide shoppers with guidance on which hardware wholesaler offers the cheapest basket of building materials for that particular month. Moreover, an analysis of changes in the basket is carried out in order to provide overall basket and item variations month on month.
*Note: The list of products we collect is limited and not intended to be an absolute measure of affordability. We aim for products to be broadly comparable.
In almost all cases it is possible to find any of these products at a cheaper price or to find cheaper alternatives, depending on location or time of month. Our sample is intended to simply reflect the total price of the cart in a single visit on a particular day.
Commodity Spotlight: Aluminium Sliding Door (Bronze)
Each month, The Brief conducts a survey of 17 standardised items in four hardware stores in Windhoek. We will now conduct individual Commodity Spotlighting from the data collected over the months. The Commodity to be chosen will be done randomly.
Over the course of the past six months, the average price for the Aluminium Sliding Door (Bronze) across the four hardware stores in the survey has settled at N$2,746.59.
Pupkewitz has emerged as the most cost-effective option for the Aluminium Sliding Door (Bronze) during this period, with an average price of N$2,442.95. The pricing trend for Pupkewitz’s Aluminium Door saw a slight decrease from N$2,519.10 in June to N$2,454.10 in July and August. Subsequently, there was an increase in September to N$2,511.75, followed by a reduction to N$2,357.10 in both October and November.
In contrast, Ark Trading presented the highest-priced option, averaging at N$2,919.33 over the six-month survey period. The cost of Ark Trading’s Aluminium Sliding Door (Bronze) was N$3,237.25 in June, showing a decrease to N$2,673.49 in November.
BUCO exhibited an average price of N$2,772.29, while BuildIt’s Aluminium Sliding (Bronze) Door was priced at N$2,851.78 on average over the six-month period.
These price differentials among the hardware stores indicate varying strategies and market positions, offering consumers a range of choices based on their budget and preferences.
