Thanks for Visiting!

Register for free to get the full story.

Sign Up
Already have a Placer.ai account? Log In

Home Improvement Somehow Still Hot

by 
Shira Petrack
 on 
August 11, 2021
Home Improvement Somehow Still Hot

The home improvement sector thrived during the pandemic – and at first glance, that run seemed to be over. Critically, this was less an indictment on the success of the sector’s leaders than a testament to the heights reached during the pandemic. 

So how has the summer treated the sector?

Looking Back at 2020

While Tractor Supply continued its impressive growth streak – with visits in July up a whopping 29.7% compared to July 2020 – year-over-year foot traffic at Home Depot and Lowe’s has been down over the last three months. 

But, again, given the exceptional nature of 2020’s home improvement visit numbers, a year-over-year comparison provides a skewed picture of the sector’s 2021 performance. Measuring the difference in visits between this year and last can only tell us whether the sector is still growing at the frenetic 2020 pace – not whether home improvement is holding on to its COVID gains. And even in this skewed view, the year-over-year gaps are shrinking, showing just how strong the sector is performing.

Consistent and Steady Year-Over-Two-Year Growth

Instead, comparing 2021 visits to pre-pandemic 2019 visits provides a better sense of the sector’s health – and the year-over-two-year comparison shows that visits were up every single month and for each of the three sector leaders compared to the same month two years ago. In July, the last full month for which data is available, monthly visits compared to 2019 were up 12.8%, 16.0%, and a massive 55.4% for Home Depot, Lowe’s, and Tractor Supply, respectively.

The consistent increase in monthly visits compared to 2019 indicates that COVID brought a lasting increase in foot traffic to home improvement stores. If current trends continue, the pandemic may well improve the home improvement sector’s positioning for years to come.

Regional Gains Across the Country 

What’s particularly impressive about home improvement’s performance is its consistency across regions. Comparing monthly visits to home improvement leaders across the four most populous states in the nation – California, Texas, Florida, and New York – shows that visits were up every month, for every brand, and in every state analyzed. 

These are enviable numbers, and prove that the home improvement growth spurt is no fluke. Over a year after the pandemic ignited a home improvement shopping spree, customers across the country are still consistently flocking to home improvement stores in higher numbers than they were pre-COVID. 

Home Improvement Visits Incorporated into Weekday Routine 

The foot traffic increase seems driven – at least partially – by an increase in weekday visits. The proportion of weekday visits in June and July 2021 increased at all three brands, while the share of weekend visits fell compared to the same period two years ago – with no discernable impact on median visit duration. So while more visits are happening during the week, these visits are not typically any shorter than the median pre-pandemic visit. This could reflect an increase in construction and building professionals visiting these stores as part of their workday due to an overall increase in home construction in 2021

But it can also mean that more amateur builders are visiting home improvement stores as part of their regular weekday routines – whether to get materials for their current DIY project or just to see what’s new. And with the historic increase in home sales in May and June and the expected corresponding increase in home renovation projects, home improvement shows no signs of slowing down. 

Will monthly visits to home improvement stores continue to outperform 2019? Will Tractor Supply keep up its impressive run? 

Visit Placer.ai to find out.

Get 3 brand & industry
breakdowns every week

Subscribe to the newsletter

Great! Prepare your inbox for data-driven insights...
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Get a Demo

Please enter your first name
Please enter your last name
Please provide a valid email
Please enter your email
Please enter company name

Thanks for reaching out!

One of our experts will be in touch soon

Try Placer.ai Free
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Pent-Up Demand Ahead of October Sales Events
4 Strategies Retailers are Using to Drive Traffic to Their Venues
5 Key Regional Grocery Players Impressing in 2023
Upscale Kitchenware Trending Up
Costco Finds More Room for Growth
Four C-Store Chains Making an A-Grade
National Parks + Outdoor Summer Activities
Diving Into Darden: Summer 2023 Update
The Summer Event Effect
Messi: Massive in Miami
Looking Back on Back to School 2023
The Anchor Recap: August 2023
Placer.ai Office Index: August 2023 Recap
Placer.ai Mall Index: August 2023 Recap
Placer.ai White Paper Recap: August 2023
Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte Strikes Again
Big Scoop: We All Scream For Ice Cream
Sports Away: Lululemon & Nike’s Momentum Continues
Summer Visits Heat Up For Recreation and Outdoor Gear Chains
No CSS overwrite - July 2023 Office Index Recap
Staging - August 2023 Mall Indec
Mid-Atlantic Grocery Deep Dive
Experiential Chains Heating Up This Summer
Petco Goes Big by Going Small
Ulta Beauty: Leading the Discretionary Pack
Discount and Dollar Chains Continue to Thrive
Summer of Sports: DICK’s Sporting Goods and Hibbett Sports
Off-Price: Succeeding Into Summer
The Anchor Recap: July 2023
Superstores Maintaining Pandemic Gains Amidst Economic Headwinds
2023: Home Improvement at the Halfway Point
July 2023 Office Index Recap
Placer.ai Mall Index: July 2023 Recap
widget test
The Taylor Swift Visit Lift
Southwestern Grocery Dive
July 2023 White Paper Recap: Halfway Point Review & Quarterly Index
Yum! Brands: Driving Dining Visits
Slurpees and Summer Movies Stimulate Consumer Foot Traffic
Cool Beans: Summer Coffee Update
Checking In on Back to School 2023
Crocs and New Balance Tip The Scales
Burger Bliss: Shake Shack and In-N-Out Stacking Visits
Chipotle & McDonald's Continue to Reign Supreme
Vibenomics and Placer.ai Partner to Enhance Retail Media In-Store Measurement
California Grocers Here We Come!
Marriott’s Different Audiences
Bonchon and Kura Sushi Thrive in the Fast-Casual Scene
A Shoe In: Footwear Climbs to the Top
Cheers! Raising a Glass to Beverage Retail
Placer.ai Office Index: June 2023 Recap
Placer.ai Mall Index June 2023 Recap – A Turn of the Tide and a Dive into Open-Air Lifestyle Centers
Local Kitchens: Redefining the Restaurant
Unlocking Urban Insights: The Value in Manhattan’s Employees
Ohio State Parks On The Rise
How is Inflation Impacting the High-Income Shoppers?
Five Fast-Growing Dining Chains
What To Expect From Prime Day and July Sales Events in 2023
The State Of Fashion: How Are Apparel Retailers Faring in 2023?
2023’s Latest Dining Success Story: GEN Korean BBQ House
The NBA Finals: A Location Intelligence Perspective
Moving the Market: The Impact of Domestic Migration on Housing Costs
Post-Pandemic Museum Update
The Darden-est Things
The Enduring Demand for Urban and Suburban Retail
Leveraging Data to Evaluate the Impact of Municipal Investments
Trader Joe's Success Amidst Food Inflation and Changing Consumer Behavior
Placer.ai Office Index: May 2023 Recap
Fitness at its Fittest: Staying Strong in 2023
Movie Theaters, Off-Price, and Home Improvement: May 2023 Recap
Placer.ai Mall Index - May 2023 Recap
What’s Working for Bath & Body Works?
Why Are Specialty Grocers Thriving in 2023?
The CAVA Craze: A Location Intelligence Perspective on the Mediterranean Marvel
How Will Primark’s US Expansion Impact Target?
All Eyes on Eyewear
Northwestern U.S. Grocery Dive
Return of the Lunch: Salad Chains Are Thriving
Retail Media Networks – Off the Beaten Track
Bet Your Bottom Dollar: Discount and Dollar Stores Drive Foot Traffic
Ulta & Lululemon: Discretionary Spending On The Up
The Score After Q1: Sporting Goods Chains
Who Uses NYC Airports: Biting Into The Big Apple’s Main Transport Hubs
Off Price: Strength in The Face of Retail Challenges
Visits Improve for Home Improvement
Walmart, Target & Wholesalers in Q1 2023 – The Return of Mission-Driven Shopping?
Department Store Roundup: Q1 2023
Placer.ai Office Index: April 2023 Recap
Placer.ai Mall Index, April 2023 – A Rebound on the Horizon?
How Will Bed Bath & Beyond’s Bankruptcy Impact the Retail Space?
Buffet Restaurants: Filling Up on Foot Traffic
Thrift Stores: Vintage Visits Drive New Age in Apparel
The Windy City: A Hub of Post-Pandemic Opportunity
Diving into Dining Traffic - Q1 2023
Bring On The Joe
A Dollar (or more) For Your Thoughts: Five Below and pOpshelf
Dining Out With The Cheesecake Factory
Retail Foot Traffic Recap – March 2023
Digging Into 2023: McDonald’s and Chipotle Update
Placer.ai Office Index: March 2023 Recap