Canadian DIY-ers prefer Home Depot over Canadian Tire

Boston -- A new study from Kantar Retail and TNS revealed that shoppers prefer The Home Depot over Canadian Tire, Rona and other DIY retailers when shopping for home improvement items and do-it-yourself projects.



In the April 2013 survey, Canadian shoppers rated top DIY competitors on a variety of attributes, including assortment, price, service, and community appeals. 





“The Home Depot clearly wins shoppers with its in-store experience in terms of product variety and in-stocks,” said Robin Sherk, director of retail insights at Kantar Retail. “Customer service is also well regarded by The Home Depot’s shoppers,” she added. “Where the retailer falls short is shoppers’ opinion of its support for the community and excitement around deals.” 





In contrast, Canadian Tire’s variety of items and positioning as a “true Canadian store” are two dimensions with which a majority of its home improvement shoppers are satisfied. And, relative to Home Depot, more of Canadian Tire’s shoppers are satisfied with the retailer’s deals and value for the money.



Survey findings revealed that retailer penetration and presence do not equate to popularity. Canadian Tire ranked as the DIY retailer most shopped in Canada ahead of Home Depot, Walmart and Rona. More than 60% of shoppers named Canadian Tire as the store they regularly shop for home improvement and DIY projects. Home Depot and Walmart ranked second and third respectively.