Showerheads, by the numbers

Channel analysis
There’s good news in the nation’s showers. After flat sales in the 12 months ended July 2011, showerheads began to heat up, eventually beating the performance of last year by 12.4% and the year before by 10.6%. Consumer research from The NPD Group also showed specialty stores as the fastest-growing channel.

Product attributes
From next to nothing, rainfall/drencher showerheads increased to 7.1% of market share in the 12 months ended July 2012. The most common type: “handheld with massage,” at 20.7% penetration. Chrome is the leading finish for all showerheads, as shown below.

Demographic analysis
The young millennials have charged into the lead among age groups purchasing showerheads, just barely surpassing the 45-to-54-year-old group. Meanwhile, the gender of the buyer has turned increasingly masculine in each of the past two years.

Purchase motivators
Price leads the list of motivators among the reasons to shop at a specific retailer, and also as the motivator for the actual purchase once in the store, where features are a close second.

Methodology: NPD data are based on monthly tracking of more than 30 home improvement-related categories and 30,000 opt-in consumers.

 *2012 data reflects the period August 2011 through July 2012.

**Key: WHC: warehouse home center; MM: mass merchant; DS: department store;
SS: specialty store; HS: hardware store

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