Building materials marketing firm Venveo and market research firm The Farnsworth Group are releasing new data highlighting how DIY purchase behaviors have changed in the past year. After surveying nearly 1,000 DIYers, the insight into DIY purchasing and shopping preferences can help you strategize to gain more customers throughout the year.

Digital engagement is on the rise.

The firms note DIYers are  buying online for delivery and pickup more often than they were one year ago. Specifically, DIYers are searching for brands that offer curbside pickup and delivery for additional convenience. The firms suggest updating your website and offering the ability to place orders online is a key way to secure these customers. More than 70 percent of the DIYers surveyed expect home improvement brands to have online ordering as an option moving forward.

Product availability is crucial for DIYers.

For DIYers, one of the biggest determining factors in making a purchase is availability. About one-fifth of the DIY respondents say they have tried a new brand of home improvement product in the past year, and 60 percent say the reason for that switch was because the supplier had one brand in stock. The companies recommend maintaining a consistent stock of popular products and communicate supply chain interruptions with customers honestly.

DIYers want to see knowledge in motion.

DIYers have always relied on digital channels for research, and the COVID-19 pandemic has only accelerated that tendency. About 46 percent of DIYers discover new products on suppliers’ or retailers’ websites, and about 42 percent discover new product brands directly in the aisles. More than three-quarters of DIY respondents say they use YouTube to research products. Venveo recommends retailers incorporate new, original content onto their website and social media channels to engage prospective DIYers.