The holiday season will be here before you know it and homeowners are thinking about ways to spruce up their homes for the season without a huge investment.  Also, many homeowners and even renters are taking on small home improvement …

Consumer confidence continues to be on the upswing, though moderately, according to the Consumer Confidence Index. The index now stands at 103, up from 101.3, in August, according to The Conference Board, a research association that compiles the data. “Consumer …

As 2015 comes to a close, the North American Retail Hardware Association (NRHA) is forecasting a total of 4.2 percent growth for the home improvement industry. Growth for independent hardware stores tops at 4.8 percent, followed by home centers at 4.2 percent and lumberyards at 3.8 percent. This …

Recently, NRHA asked consumers if they made a greater effort in the past year to buy Made in America products. And 53 percent said yes. In the same survey, 59 percent of those consumers also responded that they made a greater effort to …

PRO Group, Inc., has hired a new merchandising manager. The company hired Jeff Styerwalt, whose responsibilities include managing the housewares, lawn and garden, paint and sundries and commodities categories. Prior to joining PRO Group, Styerwalt worked at PRO Build, where he was a senior …

Retailers know what they want their relationships with sales reps to look like, and their participation in a North American Retail Hardware Association (NRHA) study offers insight into their preferences. About 69 percent of home improvement retailers prefer sales reps to …

When retailers are deciding whether to add new products or replace existing lines in their stores, they consider two major factors: wholesaler support of the new vendor, and if the new vendor offers a free or deeply discounted opening order. These …

Did you know that a recent study reveals that 18 percent of independent home improvement retailers’ annual purchasing is done at buying markets? In addition, did you know that more than 50 percent of independent retailers list “learning about new products and programs” …