Many independent home improvement retailers are in their 50s and 60s, and if they haven’t already, they will soon be thinking about who will take over their businesses. The North American Retail Hardware Association (NRHA) 2016 Young Retailer of the …

Americans are forking out more and more cash to care for and entertain their dogs, cats and other pets. In 2015, 65 percent of U.S. households—or 79.7 million homes—owned a pet, according to the American Pet Products Association. These households …

Every customer who walks into your store is an impulse sales opportunity, according to a study conducted by TimeTrade Systems, Inc., which found that 82 percent of consumers purchase more than they originally planned once they’re in a store. In …

The market for selling outdoor power equipment is growing because of consumers’ increasing interest in riding and zero-turn lawn mowers and lithium-ion battery powered tools. In 2014, total retail sales were $10.2 billion in the lawn and garden equipment market, …

Consumer confidence was relatively strong in 2015, but it took a downward turn toward the end of last year that has carried into 2016. This resulted in a decrease of more than 5 percent in the consumer confidence index in …

Many independent home improvement retailers are looking to expand their businesses by adding store locations, which bring new customers, new product mixes and new opportunities. Recent data gathered by the North American Retail Hardware Association (NRHA) shows that more than a quarter of independent retailers plan …

The variance in profit between a typical and high-profit store is $100,000. You have an opportunity to grow your store’s profit by understanding how your business compares to other operations in the industry. “Every business needs to know the benchmarks …

Does your business have a Twitter account? Are you actively using the account? If not, it may be a missed opportunity to provide your customers excellent service. While all social media platforms, such as Facebook and Yelp, can be used …