News I published 21 April 2022
Targeting professional handymen through consumer channels
Professional brands of construction and installation products and materials may be reluctant to place their brand in purchase channels for consumers, and for good reason. After all the effort to create the image of a professional brand, that image may be damaged when your products are found next to brands for general consumers in a DIY or hardware store. However, those professional brands may be missing out on selling to the numerous European professional handymen that use consumer purchase channels.
European professional handymen are not just remarkably diverse due to the different types of jobs they do, they also use a diverse array of purchase channels to acquire the necessary materials and products. As we found in the research for USP Marketing Consultancy’s 2021 European Handyman Monitor, handymen may spend half of their budget at general building material wholesalers, but the rest of their budget is spent at various purchase channels, including consumer channels.
One fifth of handymen’s budget is spent at consumer channels
More than half of European handymen report to use Hardware stores and DIY stores to purchase products needed for their projects. Pure online shops are used by just over a quarter of European handymen. These shares differ significantly per country though. DIY stores are reportedly used by a whopping 70% of handymen in Germany and the UK, but only by 40% in the Netherlands, for instance. Similar differences can be seen in Hardware store and pure online shop usage.
When looking at the share of budget spent at these individual channels, significant differences can be seen per country as well. 9% of the total budget of European handymen is spent at European DIY stores. In Germany, with the largest share of handymen reporting to use DIY stores, the share of budget spent there is 16%. In the Netherlands, Handymen only spend 4% at DIY stores, but they spend a whopping 12% of their budget at hardware stores.
What differs less per country is the share of budget spent at DIY stores, hardware stores and pure online shops combined. European handymen spend close to one fifth of their budget at these consumer channels. Looking at individual countries, this share ranges from 14% in Spain, to 22% in Germany and Poland.
Consumer channels could be quite lucrative for professional brands
Given the vast number of handymen in Europe, around one fifth of their budget spent at consumer channels is a serious amount of money. Even though there is good reason for a professional brand to avoid consumer channels to uphold its professional image, the above might make them reconsider. If you produce products that are often used by handymen and your professional brand is available in for instance DIY stores, chances are high the handymen shopping there will find and buy them.
The DIY stores are an especially valid example here because they have another characteristic that is important for the multi-skilled handymen. Given the variety of products they use, purchasing those products takes time. Finding many different product groups in one place saves time, and 55% of European handymen state that one-stop shopping is becoming more important. General wholesalers might have that characteristic, but the DIY store around the corner can also be a one-stop shop for many items handymen need.
To find out which products handymen use the most and where they shop for those products in seven major European markets, we refer you to the 2021 report of USP Marketing Consultancy’s European Handyman Monitor.
Read more
16 October 2024 I Henri Busker
The Building Blocks of Prefab: Key Materials
11 October 2024 I Dirk Hoogenboom
Rethinking European Construction: Prefab Trends
24 September 2024 I Jeroen de Gruijl
Blockchain, AI, AR and IoT – Architects’ Outlook
24 September 2024 I Dirk Hoogenboom
Future Developments in Construction Still Far Away
Fresh Insights Await
Our relevant reports
Delve into the newest findings across various market segments, crafted for a cutting-edge overview. Explore our insightful reports, brimming with up-to-date data, trend analyses, and in-depth examinations, all tailored to provide you with a comprehensive understanding of the current market dynamics.
Construction
Home Improvement
Installation
Special reports
Construction
Decision making process Q3 2024
2024 87 pages
Unveil the decision-making processes in the construction industry through the lens of European architects. Discover the factors that influence crucial decisions and the interplay among different stakeholders.
1,850 Euro
Construction
Prefab H1 2024
2024 63 pages
Discover the adoption rate and benefits of prefabrication technology among European contractors in H1 2024. Understand the driving forces behind prefab usage and its impact on project efficiency and cost-saving.
6,300 Euro
Construction
Sustainability 2024
2024 72 pages
Painter Insight Monitor 2024 will focus on understanding the specific needs, preferences, and challenges faced by painters when it comes to sustainable products.
10,815 Euro
Construction
Importance of branding & branding funnels 2024
2024 62 pages
This report offers a comprehensive overview of importance of branding and branding funnels with a specific focus on European handymen. Brand behaviour is covered for each country, showing purchasing power, differences regarding quality, sustainability, online shopping, innovation-habit and private labels,
8,400 Euro
Construction
Future of construction Q2 2024
2024 82 pages
Explore the evolving future in construction sector among European architects in Q2 2024. Delve into the factors driving material preferences and the impact on construction aesthetics and sustainability.
1,850 Euro
Construction
Trends in material usage Q1 2024
2024 102 pages
Explore the evolving trends in material usage among European architects in Q1 2024. Delve into the factors driving material preferences and the impact on construction aesthetics and sustainability.
1,850 Euro
Home Improvement
European Garden Monitor
2023 43 pages
Explore the European Garden Monitor, a comprehensive platform dedicated to garden health monitoring in Europe. Access valuable resources and expert advice today.
12,000 Euro
Home Improvement
Purchase channels Q2 2024
2024 90 pages
The European Home Improvement Monitor offers valuable insights on purchase channels in the European home improvement industry, examining the evolving preferences and behaviors of consumers across traditional retail and emerging online platforms.
3,150 Euro
Home Improvement
Sustainability Q1 2024
2024 81 pages
Delve into sustainability trends in the home improvement sector in Q1 2024. Discover consumer preferences and the shift towards eco-friendly home improvement solutions.
3,150 Euro
Home Improvement
DIY versus DIFM Q4 2021
2024 113 pages
This report is a must-have if you’re in the home improvement industry. It provides a wealth of information on the behaviour of DIY and DIFM consumers, their motivations, and the factors that influence their purchasing decisions.
3,150 Euro
Home Improvement
DIY or DIFM Q4 2023
2024 70
Explore the prevailing trends between DIY and DIFM in Q4 2023. Understand consumer preferences and the factors influencing their choice between DIY and DIFM.
3,150 Euro
Home Improvement
Branding Q3 2023
2023 93 pages
This report offers an extensive overview of the home improvement industry, with a focus on branding and the most popular brands within different categories. Within this report, you will gain insights into how customers perceive home improvement brands and what motivates them to buy certain products.
3,150 Euro
Installation
Branding Q3 2024
2024 74 pages
Discover the power of branding in the home improvement sector. Explore how strong branding influences consumer preferences and purchase decisions.
3,150 Euro
Installation
Prefab Q3 2024
2024 119 pages
This report offers a comprehensive view of the installers’ involvement and needs regarding prefabricated electrical installations.
3,150 Euro
Installation
Smart & Connected Products Q2 2024
2024 120 pages
This report provides a comprehensive view of the attitudes of installers toward smart building solutions, specifically among electrical installers and their clients. In the report, you will find insights into the installers' experiences with installing smart products and the willingness of end users to invest in such solutions, as well as their motivations and pain points.
3,150 Euro
Installation
Smart and connected products Q2 2024
2024 129
This report provides a comprehensive view of the attitudes of installers toward smart building solutions, specifically among HVAC installers, plumbers and their clients. In the report, you will find insights into the installers' experiences with installing smart products and the willingness of end users to invest in such solutions, as well as their motivations and pain points.
3,150 Euro
Installation
BIM Q1 2024
2024 84 pages
The European Mechanical Installation Monitor report provides a detailed analysis of the plumbing and HVAC industry. This report specifically focuses on BIM adaptation in the industry.
2,650 Euro
Installation
Sustainability Q1 2024
2024 99 pages
The European Electrical Installation Monitor report provides a detailed analysis of the sustainable solutions in the installation industry. This report specifically focuses on sustainability aspects in the industry.
3,150 Euro
Special reports
European Sustainability Report 2024
2024 51 pages
This report provides in-depth insights based on triangulation of key market information and data as well as data from USP Marketing Consultancy’s key monitors that are carried out year in, year out. The focus of this report is on the most important stakeholders within the construction industry, namely architects, contractors, electrical and HVAC installers within The United Kingdom, The Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Poland, France, Italy, and Spain.
3,950 Euro