Few industries have been spared from adapting to the digital age. Companies that failed to act fast enough got left behind. The home improvement industry, and companies operating therein, are no exception.
Like so many other businesses, those in the home improvement sector have seen a sea change unfold around them. From the small-time contractor to the big hardware stores, adapting to the internet has been an essential aspect of business survival.
The following are five ways the internet is upending the home improvement industry:
Network services
Finding reliable contractors for home improvement projects used to rely almost entirely on word-of-mouth and local advertising. The result was a handful of contractors getting the lion’s share of home improvement jobs. Thanks to online network services, it’s now easier for contractors and potential clients to find each other through customizable searches. For instance, Networx leads helps contractors find jobs while the company’s reviews help individuals find the ideal candidate.
Customer reviews
Unbiased customer feedback was hard to come by prior to the internet. The unfortunate side effect was many home improvement businesses taking advantage of uninformed customers and gullible bidders. Those days are gone thanks to the ability to read online reviews. While nobody should base their buying decisions solely on reviews, it’s a reliable tool for finding the right home improvement products and services.
Cost comparison
The ability to comparison shop online has been a game changing factor across all industries. On the scale of most home improvement projects, the potential savings can amount to hundreds if not thousands of dollars. Stores and service providers have no choice but to match competitor pricing or explain why their prices are higher. With more power in the hands of consumers to determine pricing, home improvement has become increasingly affordable.
More options
For decades, consumers were limited to the home improvement products available in their local stores. From cabinets to flooring to fixtures, it was a logistical challenge trying to order and ship anything else. Due to the quantum leap in shipping logistics in recent years caused by the explosion in e-commerce, home improvement options have expanded to include products from the other side of the world.
Do-it-yourself approach
Perhaps the most dramatic way in which the internet has altered the home improvement industry is the increase in do-it-yourself home improvement resources. From instructional videos to help forums to countless pages of informative blog posts covering all sorts of projects, there’s no shortage of digital content designed to help individuals tackle home improvement projects on their own. While challenging, many people find the experience to be empowering and rewarding, incentivizing further DIY projects in the future.
Is there an industry that hasn’t been permanently altered by the internet? If there is, we haven’t heard of it yet. That includes the home improvement industry. From independent contractors to hardware suppliers and every business entity in between, adapting to the digital age has been necessary—failure to do so risks going out of business.
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