The Rise and Rise of DIY
Go to any DIY store on a bank holiday weekend, and you’ll see countless DIY enthusiasts collecting what they need for their latest project. DIY has been popular since the 1950’s, and it continues to grow and grow.
The difficulties in the housing market have led to people staying put and improving their current homes rather than moving to a new house, and the growth of YouTube and its instructional videos on how to do pretty much everything have inspired many to start their own projects.
This is great news for you if you run a DIY, hardware, or trade store. The most important thing in any business is to know your customer, and the average DIY customer is no exception. So why do people do DIY and what do they want from your business?
DIY: The facts
People don’t just do DIY to save money
While many people take on projects to save a bit of money, a Mintel survey found that people generally do DIY because they enjoy it.
People value good quality products
Because people tend to enjoy doing DIY, they are likely to be less concerned about prices of products, because they want something good quality to enhance their enjoyment of their chosen project, so remember that people won’t mind paying a bit more for quality.
Plenty of women are getting in on the act
Sisters are doing it for themselves, literally. Even though may people think that DIY is a man’s game, nearly 50% of DIYers are female. How to videos and online training have made it more accessible than ever, so play to this new and growing crowd.
People of different ages do DIY for different reasons
People aged between 24 and 54 tend to do DIY because of life events, such as buying their first home, or starting a family.
People aged 55 and over tend to concentrate on household repairs and preparing their home for when they get older.
People who do DIY like to personalise things
It’s not just about doing projects by yourself, it’s about putting your stamp on something, whether that’s creating a unique design feature, or tiling your bathroom with beautiful feature tiles. If you are an independent business, offer customers something unique, that they can’t get at one of the big chain DIY stores.
Today’s DIYers use phones and tablets to search for the products they need
People who have decided to do a DIY project look at product reviews and search for what they might need mostly on smartphones and tablets. Make sure your website is easy to navigate and more importantly, is compatible with phones and tablets.
Today’s DIYers are really into video tutorials
88% of DIYers watch tutorials online before they start a project. More buyers will purchase products from a company who offer extras like ‘how to’ videos.
DIYers today are more environmentally -conscious
Consumers today want to buy products that are produced sustainably and can be swayed towards ethically sourced products. If your timber is sustainably forested, say so.
DIY Trolleys
So today’s DIYers are diverse, they’re armed with knowledge, and they want products that are built to last but that are sustainable too. Even though they may research the materials and products they need online, most people will inevitably need to visit a DIY store. And when they do, you want them to be able to find the products they want, get good advice, and have something convenient to load their purchases onto. DIY trolleys will also really help your staff rotate stock or move often large or bulky items around easily, safely, and efficiently.