Summertime in North America is traditionally a season of momentum for the home improvement industry. Construction crews take advantage of warm weather to build new homes and offices. Families spend more time outdoors, discovering small projects—a doorknob to replace, pavers …
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Monitoring the Market: June 2020
Monitoring market trends in consumer sentiment, home improvement rates and construction figures can help you anticipate emerging opportunities for your business. Use the tables below to get a deeper understanding of a few of the forces affecting independent home improvement. …
Read More »U.S. Retail Sales Climb 17% in May
Retail sales in the U.S. grew by a seasonally adjusted rate of 17.7 percent in May over April, new data from the U.S. Commerce Department shows. The increase sets a new record for monthly retail growth. Sales at building materials …
Read More »New Data Charts DIYers’ Home Improvement Projects
Since March, The Farnsworth Group and the Home Improvement Research Institute (HIRI) have collected data on DIYers’ and contractors’ home improvement sentiments during COVID-19. The complete report for the organizations’ Weekly COVID-19 Tracker reveals home improvement is on the minds …
Read More »Tractor Supply Co. CEO Details New Ads, Hiring Plans
As part of its continuing Retail Leadership webinar series, the National Retail Federation invited Hal Lawton, president and CEO of Tractor Supply Co., to discuss how his company is adapting to a new retail landscape and quickly shifting customer expectations. …
Read More »Executive Order Causes Concern for California Retailers
An executive order signed into law by California governor Gavin Newsom in April is causing concern among many independent home improvement operators in the state, who say the law is ambiguous and lowers the margins on thousands of common home …
Read More »Next NRHA Town Hall to Focus on Independent Success
The North American Retail Hardware Association (NRHA) is hosting a series of virtual town halls to help independent home improvement retailers across North America as they adapt their operations during COVID-19. These virtual town halls are completely free and are …
Read More »U.S. Unemployment Rate Falls to 13.3% in May
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released a report Friday showing the U.S. economy gained 2.5 million jobs in May, bringing the U.S. unemployment rate to 13.3 percent for the month, lower than April’s unemployment rate of 14.7 percent. Friday’s …
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