Do it Best builds a better path to purchase

The challenges of modern retail are building every day. Not only are customer expectations rising, so are the competitive pressures from well-funded online competition.

At Fort Wayne, Indiana-based Do it Best, the writing has been on the wall since even before the pandemic-induced surge in home improvement spending: Simply operating a functional ecommerce website isn’t enough anymore. Either step into the big leagues, or risk being left behind.

“Gone are the days when it’s OK to just put up a sign in your store, calling out your website,” says Allison Flatjord, who took on the role of vice president of ecommerce in January.

Flatjord is one of the architects of Do it Best’s new plan—part local, part global—for a platform that’s built to win. Among the features:

• Member microsites are integrated with doitbest.com, with back-end tasks handled by the co-op’s experts;

• Unique merchandise and rewards capability online;

• A pay-as-you-go, no-initial-cost structure;

• Profit from ship-to-home product sales at doitbest.com will go to the nearest participating store, even if that store had nothing to do with the sale.

In the report, HBSDealer takes a deep dive into the ambitious program, with insights from some of the co-op’s early adopters, as well as the leadership team who are bringing the platform to life.