Hardware Retailing The Industry's Source for Insights and Information
Many homes across the country have home improvement projects that have been started but not yet completed. In a survey of more than 700 U.S. homeowners conducted by Black and Decker, 52 percent have an unfinished home improvement project. In fact, 41 percent of those surveyed have two or more projects yet to be completed.
The types of projects that tend to go unfinished are mostly room improvements, such as repairs, maintenance or updates and upgrades. Secondly, improvements in regards to walls like painting, putting up shelves or plastering are going unfinished.
Time and money are the top two reasons most homeowners do not complete their projects. “Skill-level/Not sure how to complete the project” was ranked third in reasons why homeowners have not yet completed certain projects, with 32 percent of respondents choosing this answer. Additionally, over 45 percent of respondents feel challenged by home improvement projects, leading to their incompletion. Retailers can use this to their advantage. Having the ability to teach basics or answer customers questions on projects is sure to increase return customers.
To ensure you customers are getting all of their questions answered, consider hosting demonstrations or DIY sessions to provide customers hands-on experience so they can finish their project with a sense of satisfaction rather than frustration.
To read more about the survey, click here.
