LONDON: Merchants need to have an on-line presence to target their customers. Today's trades people are technology savvy says research by trade-only supplier TradePoint at B&Q.

It found that almost a third of trades people consider their laptop to be as important to their business as any other craft tool and almost a quarter use an i-pad for work.

Some 25% of builders, plumbers, electricians and carpenters also have their own website, and as much as 35% of their business is generated by it.