America’s Favorite Home Improvement Store Might Surprise You

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Home Depot and Lowe’s might be the best-known home improvement retailers in America, but neither is the favorite of consumers.



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That honor goes to Ace Hardware — again.

Ace ranked No. 1 for overall customer satisfaction in J.D. Power’s 2020 Home Improvement Retailer Satisfaction Study, marking the 13th time in 14 years that the retailer outscored the competition.

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The 2020 study was based on a survey of more than 2,600 customers who had purchased home improvement-related products from a home improvement retailer in the prior 12 months.

The overall customer satisfaction scores are based on five factors:

  • Merchandise
  • Price
  • Sales and promotions
  • Staff and service
  • Store facility

Speedy service from friendly, knowledgeable staff is key. Christina Cooley, director of the @Home practice at J.D. Power, explains:

“The one-on-one engagement a customer has with the retail staff continues to be the largest driver of overall customer satisfaction with home improvement retailers. Now, more than ever, customers are looking for the guidance they need — but they’re also looking to get in and out of the store quickly.”

All of the retailers included in J.D. Power’s 2020 study, and their scores, are:

  1. Ace Hardware: Overall customer satisfaction score of 844 out of 1,000 points
  2. Menards: 841
  3. Lowe’s: 838
  4. True Value: 832
  5. Home Depot: 827

The average overall customer satisfaction score this year was 834, meaning True Value and Home Depot scored below average.

Ace Hardware also has a leg up when it comes to savings. Its loyalty program landed the chain a spot in our story “10 Retailers That Give You Rewards on Every Purchase.” As we report:

“Sign up for Ace Rewards, and you’ll get 10 points for every dollar you spend. Accumulate 2,500 points, and you’ll earn a $5 reward. You also receive member-only offers.”

But if you prefer to shop at one of the titans of the home improvement store industry, we’ve got you covered with “6 Tips for Savvy Shopping at Home Depot and Lowe’s.”

Are you earning as much interest on your savings as you could be? Grow your savings faster with banks offering rates that are significantly higher than the national average! Find the best rates and start earning more interest on your savings by using the Money Talks News savings and CD account comparison tool.

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First it was toilet paper and hand sanitizer. Then it was baking supplies and hair dye.

The pandemic lifestyle is upending shopping trends, lifting grocery prices and surprising even manufacturers and retailers.

Americans apparently have moved on from essentials to a comfort phase of pandemic spending. Many things enjoying an uptick in sales recently seem to be things that are designed to make us feel better and fill our time at home.

Here’s a look at several categories whose sales have soared during the coronavirus pandemic.

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Clothing

To say the pandemic had a profound impact on retail shops would be an understatement. By the fourth week of March, retail traffic was down 98% according to Vogue Business, which quotes Prodco Analytics, Cowen & Co. and Bloomberg Intelligence. However, people still want to liven up their wardrobes, and they are turning online to do it.

Online sales at Target, for example, have soared 141% compared with the year before, and NPR notes that Target shoppers have begun to shift to clothing and home goods purchases.


Beauty products

People may not be out socializing, but they apparently still want to look their best. Beauty products are among the top five nonessential purchases being made during the pandemic, according to WalletHub. Its survey found 13% of shoppers say they are spending on this category.

Skin care company Tula saw a 400% spike in April sales compared with the year before. While spending is up, shoppers seem to be shifting their dollars away from specialty retailers such as Sephora and Ulta and buying on Amazon instead, Vogue Business says.


Electronics

Twelve percent of the people WalletHub surveyed said electronics were among the nonessential items they were buying during the pandemic.

It’s not hard to speculate that some of those purchases might be upgrades to home equipment for remote workers and students. Still others might be new electronics for improving the viewing experience of streaming services and video games.


Toys

Kids need to be entertained during long days at home, and 5% of people surveyed told WalletHub that they’re spending money on toys.

Art supplies, board games and puzzles have also been hits among online shoppers. In March, 26% of the U.S. internet users polled by the American Association of Advertising Agencies said they planned to buy toys or arts and crafts supplies during the pandemic.

Puzzle maker Ravensburger had a 370% increase in sales in March. As the weather heats up, one company is reporting a 50% increase in sales of outdoor recreation equipment such as playsets, trampolines and basketball hoops.


Exercise equipment

Gyms and fitness centers were initially shuttered in many states during the pandemic, which led people to move their exercise routines to their homes.

In March, 15% of internet users surveyed by the American Association of Advertising Agencies said they planned to spend more on streaming exercise classes and equipment.


Knitting supplies

Knitting seems to be a popular choice for people seeking a hobby to fill their time in quarantine.

We Are Knitters, an international online seller of knitting supplies, saw its U.S. sales rise 270% in March, Vogue Business says.

At one point, the company sold 8,000 knitting patterns in a 48-hour period. Its sales of beginner knitting kits for children have grown 750%.


Seeds

As people focus on cooking food at home, many are also looking at growing their own — and seed companies are scrambling to meet customer demand.

On a normal day, Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds in Mansfield, Missouri, would have about 1,000 orders. But, on March 30, the company received 10 times that number. It was the biggest sales day in the business’s 22-year history, owner Jere Gettle told BBC News.

His business isn’t alone. Burpee Seeds, a top supplier of seeds for home gardens, even had to temporarily halt new purchases to clear its backlog of orders.

Are you earning as much interest on your savings as you could be? Grow your savings faster with banks offering rates that are significantly higher than the national average! Find the best rates and start earning more interest on your savings by using the Money Talks News savings and CD account comparison tool.

It’s not the usual blah, blah, blah. Click here to sign up for our free newsletter.



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