The changing home center customer

T HE PROFILE of the typical I home center shopper keeps changing. In the'80s, the contractor customer became a do-it-yourself customer. Now in the '90s, the do-ityourselfer is changing from male to female.

More single parent homes with a woman at the head, more women delaying marriage and setting up separate households and more women living alone as divorcees or widows are partially responsible for the rise in feminine do-it-yourselfers. But

Timbers to 8O'- Fabrication t' Assembly

Poles t' Piling to l4O'

Complete Engineering Staff and Fabrication Facilities

TREATMENTS:

Ties 6 Timbers.- Bob Gilsdorf

Poles t' PilingChad Niedermeyer the uncertain econorRy and changes in the way do-it-yourself stores are designed and merchandised contribute to the trend, according to Mark James, vice president of marketing at Builders Square.

He describes his typical woman customer as between 25 and 55 years old, well educated and time pressured. If she is married, both she and her husband work.

Accustomed to shopping in bright, attractive grocery stores and department stores where merchandise is arranged in logical patterns ac-

Story at a Glance

Some storcs see double digit increase in women customers.. demographics, uncertain economy, upgraded home centers spark trcnd...why easy to shop, attractive surroundings enoourage women to buy.

cording to use and relationship, women expect the same in a home center, according to merchandise studies. Neat, well organized, accessible, attractive, clean, light and airy are some of the words women use to describe their expectations.

Catering to women, stores are improving their signs, adding wider aisles, easy to handle carts, better lighting, more colorful, attractive decor and sharper merchandising.

Home improvement clinics, d-i-y books and instructional videos are part of the scheme of catering to the female trade. Although many women are extremely proficient, some want advice on how to do the repair or project they have in mind. A store with salespeople able and willing to talk them through the job rates high with most women shoppers.

Giving women customers support is profitable for the store. "She'll begin with several lowkey projects," James said, "like fixing a faucet, installing a dimmer switch or putting up shelves." When she discovers there's no mystery to it, she'll think of the money she saved and tackle a more complex job. From simple jobs, some have even advanced to adding rooms or remodeling kitchens, he added.

Creating a positive environment in a store helps women feel at ease about doing a job. Stressing the logical steps of most repairs, the fact that they don't require great strength, the pleasure of accomplishment and the money saved gives her confidence to buy the materials and tackle the project.

Although the list of repairs and projects undertaken by women includes everything from plumbing to installing tile, many store managers find that they are especially interested in projects that make their home more attractive or simplify their at-home tasks.

"We're putting much more emphasis on decorative projects, more decorative merchandise such as furniture and lighting," James explained. "And we have a much more comprehensive special order program that can help the consumer spend less than she would in a traditional specialty store."

Women favor adding shelving and storage space. "We have all kinds of kitchen and laundry room storage equipment," he added. "When she can put things away, the house looks neater and it's easier to keep clean."

Even women who don't intend to do the job themselves are shopping in home centers more frequently, selecting materials for jobs which their husbands or a professional will do for them. The majority of home repairs and projects are instigated by the woman who lives there, analysts claim. (7o7\

Treated Screws

A full line of coarse-threaded power driver screws has been developed for use on decks and other outdoor projects by Parker Metal Corp.