Hurricanes lead to shutdowns, work and sales

The hurricanes that swept across America’s south-eastern regions have made a considerable impact on the retailers in the region. Wal-Mart, for example, had to temporarily shut down hundreds of stores, mainly in Florida and Alabama, as the result of storm damage. A total of 16 home improvement stores belonging to Lowes were hit, and Home Depot was also forced to close down an unknown number of outlets.
On the other hand, though, the home improvement chains and independent hardware dealers have been registering a great increase in demand for plywood or particle board, as well as other materials such as nails and screws, all products that people were using to try and board up their windows and doors. Home Depot and Lowes have both sent hundreds of employees to the stricken areas to help with the selling and delivery of emergency materials. Home Depot diverted more than 1 000 employees from other areas to help out in its 130+ stores in Florida, and Lowes sent 450 extra members of staff to their 65 stores in America’s sunshine state. The DIY stores are expecting an increased level of demand for products necessary for repair and renovation work once the storms have subsided.