Survey shows who’s being helpful

A survey conducted by Tennessee-based research firm Consumer Specialists looked at do-it-yourself home improvement attitudes with a focus on the impact on COVID-19.

A sneak peek provided to HBSDealer revealed what you might expect. When contractors talk about home improvement, DIYers listen.

With more than 600 consumers weighing in, contractors were seen as the most helpful source of information for DIYers embarking on home improvement projects.

“The results for Contractors and Using a Search Engine were significantly higher than for Store Personnel, Manufacture’s Websites and Retailer Websites,” said Fred Miller, president of Consumer Specialists.  The homeowner’s level of concern about COVID-19 did not impact these results meaningfully.

Miller said it was surprising that store personnel, with their ability to answer questions and demonstrate how products work, failed to score higher than a general web search. And retail web sites finished fifth out of five possible answers. "It’s clear that retailers can up their game and add important value to the purchase process," said Miller. "If consumers get their information via a web search and enter the store knowing what they want/need, the transaction becomes a commodity based on availability and price."

Consumers were asked: “Based on your experience, how would you rate the helpfulness of the home improvement information you have received from these sources?” Responses ranged from 1 (not at all helpful) to 5 (extremely helpful).

Here are the mean results: