Dealer EDUCATION
More Learning = More Earning
Are You Attractive to Women?
A n emerging trend is significantly changing the land-
scape of the independent retail paint and hardware in-
dustry in North America. Remarkably, this matter has
nothing to do with the economy or the housing market, which
are obviously key factors in recent broad sales declines in
many paint and home improvement stores.
While most everyone is obsessing on
housing and economic metrics, some
independent stores may be underesti-
mating a sea-change in the composition
of their existing and potential customer
base. Seemingly overnight, women are
now the dominant influence in home-
improvement purchase decisions.
Certainly, many of you were aware
that women were becoming more ac-
tive in DIY projects and decision mak-
ing. However, new data from the North
American Retail Hardware Associa-
tion, who kindly provided the metrics
communicated in this article, indicates
women now influence 80 percent of all
DIY or home-improvement purchases.
80% Is a Big Wake-Up Call
The research indicates that an impor-
tant dynamic is taking place in the DIY
arena. Three-fourths of U.S. women age
25-49 say they are doing more home im-
provement projects now than five years
ago, and 80 percent intend to tackle at
least one home-related project in the
next year. This is an important develop-
ment for many paint and decorating re-
tailers, and now you understand why it
is vital for you to be attractive to women!
Women Expect Great Service
Think you offer great customer ser-
vice? Think again. If you are like me,
you may not shop much at the upscale
76 July 2008 P D R
department store, Nordstrom. Yet, all of
us should. The research tells us women
expect Nordstrom-quality service, but
they rarely find it anywhere else. In fact,
97 percent of women expect good cus-
tomer service everywhere they shop.
And if you provide that service for them
they will become loyal customers and
come back. Guess how many will not go
back if they receive bad customer ser-
vice? 80 percent. So, we know 80 of
every 100 women influence home im-
provement purchases and 64 of those 80
will never return to your store if they ex-
perience bad service not to mention that
94 percent will tell their friends about the
bad experience as well. In short, there is
a huge benefit for catering to women by
offering excellent customer service.
Differentiate Yourself
The upside to delivering exception-
al service is that you will differentiate
By Mike Beaudoin National Sales Manager for
Paint Sundry Brands
yourself from the many retailers who
simply no longer understand how im-
portant service truly is. How can you
afford to offer superior service? The
bigger question may be how you can
afford not, yet take comfort in knowing
83 percent of women actually spend
more on goods and services in a store
when great service is provided.
So let’s define what great customer
service is. As a paint and decorating re-
tailer, you do not need to install a spa or
hire a pianist to appeal to female DIYers
(Some Nordstrom stores do, however.).
In fact, many of the things women want
are fairly straightforward and unlikely
to scare away your male shoppers. First
of all, women want expert advice from
a knowledgeable, caring employee. So
make employee education and cus-
tomer care a top priority.
What Women Want
More than men, the research tells us
women appreciate the ability to cus-
tomize products. They like to know
someone is available to help them load
their goods into their vehicle. They are
more likely to request installation ser-
vices, and women make-up a good por-
tion of the growing Do-It-For-Me
(DIFM) market. Yet, don’t patronize fe-
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male shoppers or assume they cannot
do a project themselves. In fact, when a
toilet is running, 52 percent of women
now roll up their sleeves and fix the
problem themselves. More than one-
third install their own ceiling fans. Giv-
en that information, how much more so
do you think women are handling the
home paint and decorating projects?
Most of us understand men are gen-
erally transactional shoppers (get in, get
stuff, get out). This can be true for fe-
males; however, women generally are
more relational shoppers. In some ways,
it is like they are forming a friendship or
connection with a retailer. When com-
fortable in that relationship, they browse
longer and buy more. Interestingly, the
research also indicates women are more
likely to ask for help from female hard-
ware store employees. One may sur-
mise this has something to do with con-
necting and relating as well.
Time Is Precious
Seventy-five percent of women are
willing to pay a little more for a prod-
uct which saves them time. Your em-
ployees and your signage should clear-
ly communicate the productivity and
convenience aspects of high-margin,
professional-grade products. If the
benefits are meaningful, women will
pay more to save time.
Surprising Housing Data
By the end of this decade, the head
of household in 31 million U.S. homes
will be a woman. Today, single women
are buying homes at twice the rate of
single men. Within the first year of
homeownership, single women home-
owners spend $9,000 on home im-
provement projects. Even with the cur-
rent housing crunch, these are trends
worth noting, as they reveal a new real-
ity in our changing social landscape.
Attract New Customers
Many paint dealers are looking for
innovative solutions to minimize the
ugly impact the economy has had on re-
tail sales in the first half of the year. The
second half of this year may be the per-
fect time to transform your retail estab-
lishment into a clean, brightly lit, well-
merchandised facility staffed by knowl-
edgeable employees who deliver ex-
ceptional customer service. Adjust to
the new reality and position yourself for
success now, so that women may find
you very attractive indeed as the econ-
omy improves. ■

“ ”
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Circle Reader Action No. 21