A national research study conducted by Eric Mower + Associates' Contractor Insight specialty reveals that contractors make nearly half of their tool and building supply purchases from big-box retailers.
"Retailers score high for variety and convenience, but that's not the whole story for brand marketers; they must 'see' the customer as a shopper, not only as a contractor. If they don't— and they don't know the shopper's journey or how to align their product in the retail environment— they will not reach full potential in the aisles," said John O'Hara partner and leader of EMA's Contractor Insight specialty.
When it comes to purchasing hand tools, power tools and tool accessories, big-box retailers like Home Depot and Lowe's have an advantage over traditional distributors as the preferred shopping destination. Study respondents cited convenience, range of products and brands, and accessibility as their reasons for choosing their place of purchase.
According to the research, 46% of contractors purchase hand tools, 47% purchase power tools and 49% purchase accessories from big-box retailers; 42%, 35% and 36% purchase hand tools, power tools and accessories from distributors, respectively.
Contractors perceived big-box retailers to have a better variety of products, lower pricing, and greater convenience as a one-stop shop, according to the study. Of the respondents, 63% would prefer to make small-volume purchases at big box retailers.
Those who prefer purchasing through distributors said it was for their customer service (75%), relationships (70%), knowledge (63%) and delivery (54%), all of which ranked significantly higher when compared to retailers. Distributors were also ranked high for having tools for pros, shipping directly to the contractor site and credit arrangements. According to the survey, 80% would make large-volume purchases at the distributorship, especially for plumbers (91%).
The EMA study was administered online to 500 general contractors, electricians, plumbers and HVAC specialists. More than 90 percent of respondents have at least six years' professional experience. BD+C
Related Stories
| May 10, 2012
Chapter 3 How Building Technologies Contribute to Reconstruction Advances
Building Teams are employing a wide variety of components and systems in their reconstruction projects.
| May 10, 2012
Chapter 2 Exemplary High-Performance Reconstruction Projects
Several case studies show how to successfully renovate existing structures into high-performance buildings.
| May 9, 2012
Chapter 1 Reconstruction: ‘The 99% Solution’ for Energy Savings in Buildings
As a share of total construction activity reconstruction has been on the rise in the U.S. and Canada in the last few years, which creates a golden opportunity for extensive energy savings.
| May 9, 2012
International green building speaker to keynote Australia’s largest building systems trade show
Green building, sustainability consultant, green building book author Jerry Yudelson will be the keynote speaker at the Air-Conditioning, Refrigeration and Building Systems (ARBS) conference in Melbourne, Australia.
| May 9, 2012
Tishman delivers Revel six weeks early
Revel stands more than 730 feet tall, consists of over 6.3 milliont--sf of space, and is enclosed by 836,762-sf of glass.
| May 9, 2012
Stoddert Elementary School in DC wins first US DOE Green Ribbon School Award
Sustainable materials, operational efficiency, and student engagement create high-performance, healthy environment for life-long learning.
| May 9, 2012
Shepley Bulfinch given IIDA Design award for Woodruff Library?
The design challenges included creating an entry sequence to orient patrons and highlight services; establishing a sense of identity visible from the exterior; and providing a flexible extended-hours access for part of the learning commons.
| May 9, 2012
Construction Defect Symposium will examine strategies for reducing litigation costs
July event in Key West will target decision makers in the insurance and construction industries.
| May 8, 2012
WDMA and AAMA release window, door & skylight market studies
Historic data for 2006 through 2011 and forecast data for 2012 through 2015 are included in the report.
| May 8, 2012
Study presents snapshot of domestic violence shelter services
Unique partnership of architects and domestic violence advocates brings new strategies for emergency housing.