October 10, 2016

Home improvement retail, like most everything else, is rapidly going digital. Present-day home improvement retailers are increasingly serving “connected” shoppers with “connected” merchandise like WiFi-enabled home appliances and electronics.

To explore this market trend and others, mobile research firm Field Agent recently teamed up with Path to Purchase Institute to conduct a series of studies into the shopping behavior and attitudes of almost 2,000 homeowners.

“The home improvement channel is quickly becoming more digital,” said Rick West, co-founder and CEO of Field Agent. “Retailers today are aggressively offering a wider, more sophisticated assortment of ‘smart,’ WiFi-enabled products to a more digital and empowered omnichannel shopper.”

Field Agent’s research culminated in a 20-page report, “Home Improvement Retail in the Digital Age,” which is presently available on the company’s website. The report explores issues ranging from homeowners’ preferred home improvement retailers to the “digital” competition between Home Depot and Lowe’s.

Study highlights include:

• • 80% of homeowners regularly purchase home improvement supplies from Home Depot and Lowe’s – putting the two home improvement centers virtually neck-and-neck.
• • 55% of homeowners say they find the idea of “smart,” WiFi-enabled home appliances and electronics either extremely or very appealing.
• • 43% of homeowners report at least sometimes making their home improvement purchases online.

The full report, “Home Improvement Retail in the Digital Age,” may be downloaded here: http://bit.ly/2d7CGuN.

– Image courtesy of ddpavumba at FreeDigitalPhotos.net