Home Improvement

Market Track compared retail circular advertising in March 2016 vs. March 2015 and noted trends occurring across top retail chains.

Lowe’s Home Improvement had denser March print circulars with twice the ads per page and nearly 80 additional ads per drop. Lowe’s shifted the Spring Black Friday sale to the 3/31 drop; up from first week of May 2015.

Home depot did not counter this shift through print, but promoted Spring Black Friday on their website.

Home Depot’s is touting improved omnichannel capabilities and an innovative product offering as its seventh annual “Spring Black Friday” sales event gets underway.

Sears Holding Corp. is making a timely expansion to its seamless “Meet With An Expert” service as it looks to engage with shoppers this spring.

Sears has extended its “Meet With An Expert” service introduced last fall to its lawn and garden department. The free service allows online shoppers to schedule in-store appointments with experts in specific product areas.

Lowe’s Companies Inc. is expanding its use of augmented and virtual reality to help customers truly “visualize” home improvement projects.

Whirlpool Corp. will bring its Maytag brand of appliances to 600 Best Buy stores this month rounding out what was already an extensive offering.

Maytag brand products will hit the sales floor at 600 Best Buy stores in mid-April and also be sold online, the retailer said. The move expands Whirlpool’s assort at Best Buy which already includes the leading appliance manufacturer’s Whirlpool, KitchenAid and Amana brands. Best Buy also offer appliances from LG, Samsung, Frigidaire, Bosch and Electrolux.

Ace is the place with the helpful hardware folks and now the retailer is extending its classic motto to the digital realm.

As an independently-owned retail cooperative, Oak Brook, Illinois-based Ace Hardware Corp. operates more than 4,400 stores and a distribution network of 14 retail supply centers (RSCs) across the U.S. The company leverages this physical footprint to help meet the needs of online shoppers.

Sears, Kohl's and The Home Depot are among the retailers that have earned 2016 Energy Star awards from the EPA for leadership in sustainability efforts.

Each year, the Environmental Protection Agency honors a select group of organizations that have made outstanding contributions to protecting the environment through superior energy efficiency. Whether a first time Partner of the Year winner, or a Sustained Excellence winner, these small and large organizations from across the country are leading the energy efficiency movement.

Kohl’s, The Home Depot and Sears Holdings have all been honored with 2016 Energy Star Partner of the Year — Sustained Excellence Awards from the Environmental Protection Agency for leadership in sustainability efforts.

KOHL’S: Kohl’s was recognized for its continued leadership in protecting the environment through superior energy efficiency achievements. It is the fifth consecutive year that the retailer has been recognized with the Energy Star Partner of the Year – Sustained Excellence Award.