When it comes to the image of DIY stores, shopping experience is most important

In the eyes of customers, the shopping experience is the most important aspect when judging a DIY store and its image. In a survey for the European Home Improvement Monitor in eleven countries, 48 per cent of those asked gave this aspect as the most important. "This is good news," emphasised Dutch corporate consultants USP Marketing Consultancy, who regularly carry out surveys.

In the ranking of the five most important image aspects, the quality of products at 19 per cent and attractive pricing at 16 per cent reach places two and three. In contrast, with a larger difference, these are followed by service and advice (9 per cent). The authors of the study emphasise that the image aspect of sustainability has the weakest value at 7 per cent - even though this subject is getting a lot of attention in public.

According to the survey from the third quarter of 2021, the following DIY stores have the best image in the overall rating: Leroy Merlin, Castorama, Hubo, Praxis and Brico. However USP emphasises that in terms of strategic image building, it is less about the overall assessment and more about which image aspects really are important to the customer. If some aspects are considered separately, for example, B&Q and Gamma would come under the top 5 in Europe.