Maytag Retail Venues Receive New Look
Maytag wanted its stores to focus on end benefits and lifestyle, creating an experience distinct from the traditional presentation of the appliances in rows.
Maytag retained Fitch, Worthington, OH, to develop the in-store design and graphics system. Fitch broke the product mix into color-coded categories surrounded with lifestyle segments. Consumers are able to test the appliances. If, for instance, a dishwasher is said to be the quietest dishwasher available, consumers can actually try it out to hear for themselves.
The graphics system maps out the way Maytag wants its customers to respond. Initial communication might be as simple as one word. Progressively, the messages become more specific and technical.
Other details of the store include an area for cooking demonstrations promoting premium products such as Jenn-Air. There are video presentations throughout the store, as well as sensory details relevant to a category, such as the sounds of a dinner party.
Annual Movers Spending Survey
In time for 2000's move season, movecentral.com, an internet provider of move related services, has released results of this annual mover spending survey. The survey revealed that the vast mover market spends significantly on move-related items during the 90-day "hot period" surrounding a move. The three key months before, during and after a move represent a major marketing opportunity.
During 1998 and 1999, 17 million Americans (about 16% of the population) moved, spending $20 million on move-related goods and services. Homeowners spend an average of $9,400 on purchases; renters spent $3,700. Movers spent significantly on appliances; 72% of homebuyers and 85% of renters purchased a computer within 30 days of moving companies. The survey also tracked on-line usage: 23% of movers researched real estate sites, 18% researched appliances/furnishings and 6% researched electronics, computers and banking services on-line.
Home Improvement Budgets Up 5%
Americans plan to invest more money to fix up their homes this year, according to the fifth annual American Express Retail Index on home improvement. The 2000 survey found that household budgets for home improvement projects outpaced the nation’s economy, rising to an average of $2,288, a 5% gain over 1999.
While the number of Americans planning home improvement projects remained steady at 39%, the survey found that more Americans are undertaking multiple projects, as well as those which require bigger budgets such as kitchen and bathroom remodeling and landscaping. ‘Change in personal taste’ was the main reason for tackling larger home improvement projects for 50% of respondents. Other reasons given include: mandatory maintenance (32%), a desire to increase their home’s resale value (9%), and the need for more space (7%). Additionally, the survey found that 70% of consumers said they planned to handle home improvement projects on their own, up from 67% in 1999. To find the needed materials, 65% said they would shop at home improvement stores, including Lowe’s and Home Depot. Other shopping destinations include: hardware stores (19%), department stores (16%), gardening stores (13%), lumber yards (11%), home decorating stores (10%), specialty shops (9%) and home furnishing stores (8%). Some 79% of Americans plan to pay for their home improvement projects with cash, up from 69% in 1999. Other popular ways to finance home projects include tax refunds (15%), credit/charge cards (13%), home improvement loans (9%), a company bonus (6%), mortgage re-financing (2%) and family loan (2%).
RTA Furniture Industry Reports $2 Billion In Sales From Three Channels
The ready-to-assemble (RTA) furniture industry chalked up $1.9 billion in sales for 1999 across three key retail channels, according to NPD HomeTrak, a service of Port Washington, NY-based marketing information provider. Office furniture accounted for 53% dollar share of those sales, with entertainment-related furniture capturing 23% in 1999.
Of the three retail channels tracked by NPD HomeTrak (mass merchants, office superstores and electronics specialty stores), the mass merchant channel led the race for dollar share, capturing 50% of NPD’s reported RTA dollars for 1999. The office superstore channel, garnered a 37% dollar share of total RTA furniture sales. Electronic specialty stores claimed 13%.
Report On Do-It-Yourself Craze
Home improvement is now a hip leisure time activity for women, according to a new Home Depot/Yankelovich Partners study.
Among the survey respondents, 37% of women said they would prefer to spend their weekend leisure time working on a home improvement project, such as gardening or painting, rather than shopping in a mall (28%). Women are largely tackling projects to enrich the home’s interior/exterior decor. The most popular projects for women are painting, gardening or landscaping and wallpapering. Other projects include tiling a floor, installing ceiling fans, lighting fixtures and window treatments.
Several factors are driving women’s increasing interest in home improvement projects. More than 57% of single women now own their own homes. In married households, women are the primary decision-makers regarding home decor. In addition, a growing economy and profitable careers mean more money to spend on such projects.
Robotic Mower Features Hands-Free Cutting
The Auto Mower, a battery-powered lawn mower, is being introduced to revolutionize the lawn and garden marketplace.
The Husqvarna Auto Mower is designed to keep lawns neatly trimmed throughout the growing season with minimal human assistance,” said John Bailey, Business Unit Manager, Husqvarna, based in Charlotte, NC. “All that’s required is the installation of a boundary wire and some initial pre-programming.”
Moen Debuts ExactTemp Thermostatic Shower Valve
Moen has launched the ExactTemp thermostatic residential shower valve, the keystone of Moen’s new vertical spa system. Moen’s new vertical spa experience is a collection of upscale showering components that combine to create a customized spa experience in the shower.
The vertical spa features Moen’s new ExactTemp shower valve, the first residential thermostatic valve that allows each shower user to dial-up his or her own consistent personalized water temperature.
Dream Passages Display
DISPLAY PRODUCER: Harbor Industries, Inc.
14130 172nd Avenue, Grand Haven, MI 49417
The Dream Passages Display was developed for Shaw Industries Carpet Division.The unit is made of real wood to give it the high-end furniture look. Carpet is no longer a commodity item but rather a design element and Shaw was looking for a means of presenting carpeting in an environment that shows fashion and style. The unit presents the consumer with 8 different style cards and each style card has 12 color swatches. The cards are displayed on a wire structure housed within the armoire. The samples are lit from above.
Toro EZ Arc Blimp
DISPLAY PRODUCER: Small Wonder Inflatables Inc.
1941-F Friendship Drive, El Cajon, CA 92020
This Toro EZ Arc Blimp with Danglers, announced the introduction and availability of "new" adjustable sprinkler heads for small turf applications. The inflatable blimp prominently displayed the Toro name screened on the side of this eye-catching blimp. The blimp is produced with 0.2mm silver metallic PVC with diecut chip board danglers.
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