Home improvement shoppers do their homework before they set foot in a store. The J.D. Power 2019 Home Improvement Retailer Satisfaction Study found that 41 percent of customers research or shop online before making an in-store purchase, and the habit now reaches across every retail category. Fleet managers order work truck parts through web catalogs, furniture buyers compare listings from home, and weekend DIYers check product specs on their phones while standing in the aisle. The pattern holds whether a customer is using an online parts store for work trucks or a neighborhood hardware site: shoppers who research first arrive with questions, and the retailer that answers them wins the sale.
The scale of online research before store visits
The study surveyed customers of the largest home improvement chains and found that online research is now a standard step in the buying process. Among all customers, 41 percent said they had either researched or shopped online before visiting a store. That group is large enough to shape store staffing, inventory, and display decisions, because those customers return to the store with specific products and specific questions in mind.
Mobile access pushed the behavior further. A customer standing in a parking lot can check whether a store stocks a second color, compare two brands of cordless drills, and read a review before the doors open. The website becomes the first shelf the customer sees, and the store becomes the second.
Who researches before buying
The research habit is not limited to younger shoppers or to complex projects. It covers routine purchases, seasonal projects, and big-ticket remodeling alike. Customers check prices, compare brands, read reviews, and confirm stock before they drive to the store, and they carry those expectations into every aisle.
- 41 percent of customers research or shop online before a store visit
- Online researchers spend more per year than store-only customers
- Retailer websites are the most used information source, but not the most satisfying
- Assistance within two minutes lifts satisfaction by 67 points
A market worth $420 billion
Total sales for home improvement products in 2019 were expected to reach $420 billion, a 5 percent increase over 2018. A market that size leaves room for chains and independents alike, but only for retailers whose websites meet shopper expectations. Retailers that treat their web presence as a selling channel see the payoff in store traffic, and the same logic shows up across building-product retail: companies that build a sales force that drives equipment rental growth turn a modest customer base into repeat revenue, and stores that build useful content turn web visitors into repeat foot traffic.
What online researchers spend
Customers who shop or research online before visiting a retail location spend an average of $620 more per year than customers who only visit the store. The gap comes from several behaviors: online researchers compare more products, plan larger projects, and arrive ready to buy rather than to browse.
The math adds up quickly at store level. A store that serves 5,000 online-researching customers a year carries an extra $3.1 million in annual spending from that group alone, which is why even modest website improvements can pay for themselves within a season.
Where the extra spending shows up
The difference shows up in project-sized purchases: deck materials, flooring, appliances, and tool purchases. A shopper who has already narrowed the options online spends less time wandering the aisle and more time at the register, which also shortens checkout lines for everyone else.
Planning the web investment
Independent dealers watch this pattern closely. Veteran retailers that open a dedicated online store to serve their existing customers show how a focused web presence extends a local brand beyond the counter and feeds store traffic at the same time. A catalog of accurate products, clear pricing, and pickup options turns the website into the first employee a customer meets.
Where retailer websites fall short
Retailer websites are the most popular source of information for online shoppers, yet satisfaction with them trails other channels. Satisfaction for shoppers who visit a home improvement retailer website is 821 on a 1,000-point scale, below manufacturer websites at 832, image and video sharing sites at 843, and social networking sites at 869. The gap matters because the website is where the largest share of customers start.
The five factors behind satisfaction scores
The study measured satisfaction by examining five factors, each of which maps to a concrete part of the store and web experience:
| Factor | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Merchandise | Product selection, quality, and availability across store and web |
| Price | Pricing transparency and value compared with competitors |
| Sales and promotions | Offers, seasonal pricing, and coupon usability online |
| Staff and service | Assistance speed, knowledge, and follow-through |
| Store facility | Layout, cleanliness, and ease of finding products |
Funding the fix with better forecasting
Website improvements are a budget decision, and retailers that project web traffic and conversion alongside in-store sales find the money to fund them. The practice of sales forecasting drives smarter budgeting in construction and retail alike, turning a vague goal like a better website into a line item with a measurable return. Track visits, conversion, and average ticket by channel, and the case for spending writes itself.
Speed of assistance changes satisfaction
Response time is one of the largest levers on satisfaction. Two minutes is the maximum amount of time a home improvement retailer can take to assist a customer; when staff meet that threshold, satisfaction rises by 67 points. The study also found that retailers provide assistance within two minutes for just 26 percent of customers, a decline of two percentage points from the previous year.
The two-minute clock runs in every channel. In store it means a staff member greets a customer who looks lost; online it means chat and phone queues answer before a shopper clicks away. Retailers that staff for the busy hours and route web questions to trained associates close the gap fastest.
Staff knowledge as a differentiator
Speed matters little if the answer is wrong. The ability of staff to consistently and thoroughly explain product features separates top performers from the rest of the field, and it is a strength that online-only retailers cannot copy. A customer who trusts the explanation today returns for the next project.
Training for consistent answers
Retailers build consistency with written product guides, hands-on training, and photography that shows real detail. The same principles that help sellers attract buyers when they photograph used furniture for online sales apply to product pages for every item in the store catalog: clear images, honest condition notes, and specs that answer the questions shoppers actually ask.
Closing the online-offline loop
The retailers ranked highest in the study, Ace Hardware and True Value with a shared score of 840, followed by Lowe’s at 834, Menards at 833, and Home Depot at 823, share one trait: they treat the website as part of the store. Product pages, local stock information, and staff assistance all point back to the same goal of helping a customer finish a project.
Steps that connect web research to store sales
- Publish accurate product pages with specs, images, and local availability
- Answer questions quickly, in store and through web chat and email
- Train staff to explain features the way the website describes them
- Track web visits by product and compare them with in-store sales
- Refresh seasonal content to match the projects customers research
Reading the signals customers bring in
Customers also arrive with questions about energy efficiency and sustainable materials. The link between household consumption and housing and climate goals shows up in the products people ask about, from insulation to windows, and retailers that answer those questions online and in the aisle hold an edge. Research on how wealth drives carbon emissions ties housing choices directly to the materials and systems shoppers now compare before they buy.
An action plan for retailers
The study data points to a short list of moves that pay off regardless of store size: measure the online-to-store path, cut response time, and make product knowledge consistent across every channel.
Priorities for the next quarter
- Set a two-minute target for customer assistance and track it weekly
- Audit product pages against the five satisfaction factors
- Use web analytics to stock what online researchers search for
- Publish buying guides that walk customers through complex purchases
Category pages and buying guides that answer real questions work the way specialized stores explain how to buy baby furniture online: store types, safety checks, and budget planning laid out in order. A customer who finds those answers on a retailer’s site comes back for the next project, and brings the next purchase with them.