REMODELING’s sister publication, PROSALES, recently conducted an online survey of nearly 500 remodelers nationwide and found that:
- Respondents scored pro dealers’ service an average 8.63 points on a 1-to-10–point scale but rated their local warehouse home center at just 5.30
- 55% of respondents said their preferred pro supplier could sell even more goods if they lowered prices
- 26% of respondents said their local independent dealer should offer a broader range of products
- 25% want online ordering
- 19% want the ability to pick up purchases before/after regular store hours
- 62% prefer to communicate with their local supplier by visiting the store
- 40% prefer to use e-mail when requesting or receiving quotes
- 33% would rather go to the store in person
The PROSALES survey collection was managed by The Farnsworth Group, an Indianapolis–based strategy consulting and market research firm in the home improvement, construction, and building supply industries.
A separate Farnsworth Group survey — of 400 builders, remodelers, and builders/remodelers in the U.S. — conducted in November 2010, found a paring down of suppliers, optimism for growth in the construction industry, and a growing preference for digital communications.
