Your store may host events already, but are any of them catered to your professional plumbing customers? A-1 Irrigation Do it Best Hardware in Valley Center, California hosts a customer appreciation day once a year for their plumbing customers along …

To get a better understanding of what retailers do at buying markets and what some of the best practices are, Hardware Retailing magazine looked at what three retailers do before, during and after buying markets in its February issue. In addition to …

When it comes to technology, retailers are increasingly saying they plan to spend money on wireless networking, point-of-sale software, Wi-Fi, mobile POS devices, digital signage and other tech options. The information comes from Innovative Retail Technologies, which conducts an annual study asking a …

The challenges of finding and keeping excellent employees are obstacles to running a business smoothly. As an owner, you can choose inventory, set prices, plan promotions and organize events, but you can’t make employees show up to work or force them to provide excellent customer …

About 64 percent of American adults own a smartphone of some kind and 3-D printers are going mainstream, reflecting the trend that more consumers are using electronic gadgets and gizmos on a daily basis. There are converters to charge smartphones …

A recent study shows that more than half of people who renovate their master bedrooms also expand their closets. Houzz, an online home improvement community, surveyed more than 1,500 people who completed a bedroom renovation or decorating project in the past 12 months, …

An independent home improvement store’s success is dependent on its employees, who can differentiate a local business from the big boxes with the excellent customer service they provide. However, customer service is an increasing focus for the big boxes, and …

In the January issue of Hardware Retailing, editors spoke with professional plumbers and retailers who service these customers. One of the points made by the pros is that it is important for home improvement stores to make pros aware of their …