| As of the writing of this article, the trends are | | | | 2) Merchandising and in-door procurement of |
| significant when do-it-yourself consumers tell us | | | | structural building materials was better at Lowe's |
| where they shop and where they actually make | | | | than either Home Depot or Menards, in this |
| their purchases especially for larger ticket items | | | | researcher's opinion. Adjacent displays for selling |
| relative to Home Depot, Lowes and Menards. | | | | and finding related needed items to accompany |
| Menards, a family owned Midwest chain of Big | | | | the main purchase category was best at Lowe's, |
| Box stores, continues to have the highest ratio of | | | | worse at Home Depot. The self serve yard at |
| those consumers who indicate they not only shop | | | | Menards for lumber and structural building |
| the store, but also actually purchase the items | | | | materials is cumbersome, and the layout continues |
| they shopped for. | | | | to be confusing. |
| When the other two giants in Big Box building | | | | 3) When it came to designing decks and supplying |
| materials retail, with more of a nationwide | | | | material lists to consumers, there seemed to be |
| presence, customers are studied, it is clear Lowe's | | | | less help at Menards, but the process at all 3 |
| is the place shopped and Home Depot is the | | | | retailers was cumbersome, even with deck |
| purchase venue. | | | | designing software - used directly by consumers |
| These trends were first uncovered about 8 years | | | | and / or provided by in-store personnel. In this |
| ago, and seem to be holding in the same trend | | | | researcher's opinion, the notion of folks making |
| more recently. | | | | appointments to design decks or leaving |
| There could be a number of reasons for the | | | | construction lists behind and only being given a |
| indicators, but presented are a glimpse of this | | | | lump-sum price annoys potential customers. |
| author's newer on-site, in-store observations. | | | | 4) In the cabinetry area, Home Depot and Lowe's |
| Actual product estimate acquisition and shops | | | | are similar in help and understanding of the |
| were conducted for this process in the | | | | customer's needs, however Home Depot seems |
| departments listed. All opinions expressed are | | | | to answer direct technical questions and |
| those solely of this researcher and not statistically | | | | understand lay out and design slightly better than |
| relevant, since not every location of each retailer | | | | Lowe's. Menards in this category seems to lag, |
| was shopped. But, in this researcher's opinion, the | | | | both from an assortment and a "friendly, we can |
| shops further solidified the quantitative, statistically | | | | help you" position. Few designers were familiar |
| relevant trends gathered in previous studies. | | | | with formaldehyde off gassing specifically as it |
| Shops were conducted from coast to coast over | | | | related to their lines of cabinetry. |
| the past 9 months. | | | | 5) The most knowledgeable sales associates for |
| 1) The level of in-store customer service is higher | | | | doors and windows are at Menards, then Lowe's, |
| in many visited Lowe's locations than in the same | | | | then Home Depot. Many technical questions were |
| visited city Home Depot locations. When visiting | | | | incorrectly answered by all three retailers at |
| those cities with all 3 retailers, including Menards, | | | | every store visited. Fenestration is an area where |
| the people employed by Menards, especially in | | | | all three could use some training. Only in-stock or |
| lumber and other building materials used in | | | | displayed items were tested in this category. |
| construction, were easier to find, more helpful and | | | | As part of this series, the shops will continue into |
| easier to ask questions of than both Home Depot | | | | the future, with sporadic articles as they become |
| and Lowe's. Wait times for help in this category | | | | available in all departments of all three Big Box |
| were more favorable at Menards. Technical | | | | retailers. The opinions expressed in this article are |
| questions were answered more times correctly | | | | the author's opinions only and should not be |
| at Menards, then Lowe's, then Home Depot in the | | | | construed as an endorsement of any retailer. |
| structural building materials category of goods. | | | | |