| A comprehensive study of 2000 consumers who | | | | consumers enter and in which do they actually |
| shopped and made purchases from Home Depot, | | | | purchase? In this regard, Home Depot has slipped; |
| Lowes and Menards Big Box stores in 2006 has | | | | Lowes and Menards have improved over the |
| just been completed by Minneapolis, Minnesota | | | | previous study. In fact, Menards is the highest |
| based building materials research firm Market | | | | rated chain for the entered / actually purchased |
| Resource Associates, Inc. (MRA) | | | | category. When consumers go to Menards, they |
| Consumer respondents had to shop in at least 2 | | | | know and find what they want. Slippage can be |
| of the chains to qualify for participation and were | | | | caused by consumers not finding the items they |
| not paid anything for their cooperation. The | | | | were looking for, as well as not being able to find |
| out-bound telephone protocol was administered to | | | | assistance from store associates, among other |
| 56 markets within the 48 contiguous United | | | | reasons. |
| States between July and October of 2006. The | | | | As lumber and related items tend to define the |
| markets and resulting quotas were selected | | | | Big Box home improvement chain, a loss was |
| based upon housing activity in 2005. Further, the | | | | noted at all chains in the number of lumber |
| results of this latest study were compared to | | | | purchasers from the 2004 to the 2006 studies. |
| results from the same study undertaken two | | | | Home Depot had the largest decline, followed by |
| years ago. | | | | Menards and then Lowes. |
| In the 122 page comprehensive report, the 3 | | | | In another category noted for larger projects |
| competitors are rated on 29 different product | | | | ¡V rough electrical ¡V Home Depot lost |
| categories to determine which types of | | | | over 40% of its previous purchasers, to Lowes |
| consumers shop for which types of materials at | | | | losing 23% and Menards experiencing no change. |
| which chains. The 3 chains are also rated against | | | | One must ask if consumers are becoming less |
| 11 very specific attitudinal criteria. These criteria | | | | involved in larger projects where these two |
| include but are not limited to: | | | | product types would play a heavy role, or are |
| ,,« The store is the absolute best value for | | | | they seeking other venues for their purchasing? |
| my money | | | | Generally, as the housing market declines, which is |
| ,,« The store is the place I get the most | | | | true of many areas studied, larger Do-It-Yourself |
| useful help when I need it | | | | projects flourish as homeowners tend to add on |
| ,,« The store values me as a customer | | | | or fix up their existing homes. This is not seen as |
| Also studied was¡K which chains do | | | | the case from the data presented. |