Traffic and sales are up, but retailers continue to be tough competitors, according to Supply House Times' exclusive
survey of wholesaler showrooms.
No surprise here. As predicted in Supply House Times' 1994 showroom study, the home center/do-it-yourself retailer has surpassed other wholesalers with showrooms as the single most serious competitor for business, based on responses to this year's survey.
The survey finds that 59.5% of respondents see home centers/DIY retailers as their toughest competitors vs. 33.5% who cite other wholesalers with showrooms. Home centers/DIY retailers were cited as primary competitors by only a slightly lower percentage than those who said wholesalers with showrooms in each of the last two surveys, published in 1994 and 1997.