Operations

As the holiday seasons roll around, make sure your operation is ready to attract customers and keep them shopping in your store with these promotional ideas. Thematic Sets: Connect related products. Instead of just stocking holiday lights, display them with …

Bringing the entire independent home improvement channel together for two days of education, networking and fun under the Florida sun at the JW Marriott Grande Lakes in Orlando, the 2026 Independent Home Improvement Conference sent attendees home with practical takeaways …

The Foundations of Retail Program courses led by the North American Hardware and Paint Association (NHPA) help managers and key employees understand the essential concepts of leadership, personal development and merchandising. Built with flexibility for busy schedules, these online courses …

Buying a new home requires purchasing various items to outfit the new space, including appliances, furniture, decor items, renovation tools and other home accessories. According to recent data from the National Association of Home Builders’ Consumer Expenditure Survey, buyers of …

Succession planning can be hard, uncomfortable and awkward. I have been through the succession planning process personally and have advised others as they navigated ownership transitions. Every situation is unique, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach. While I have a …

Looking at how fellow independent home improvement operators are performing throughout the year gives retailers in the channel a benchmark to make improvements to their own operations. Since 2022, the North American Hardware and Paint Association (NHPA) has partnered with …

Thanks to an uptick in consumer spending, an increase in traffic and a boost in profit opportunities in a short window of time, the holiday selling season—Halloween, Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Christmas—is especially important for ending the year …

By Jim Robisch While I was at the North American Hardware and Paint Association’s 2026 Independent Home Improvement Conference, which was excellent by the way, I heard hardware and home improvement dealers discussing a wide range of critical issues. Gen …