MarketWatch> reports that Home Depot, “responding to long-time criticism that its warehouse environment was simply too rough for many women,” is opening two new test stores this month that are designed to romance the woman shopper who enters the store.
“Big professional construction products like lumber and building materials will make way for bath and kitchen showrooms that are more extravagant and carry more products than those in the traditional Home Depot.
“There's also a bigger section concentrating on home organization. The new products, for example, will give color to the home's interior design, as will other home improvement items for products such as doors and windows.”
“Big professional construction products like lumber and building materials will make way for bath and kitchen showrooms that are more extravagant and carry more products than those in the traditional Home Depot.
“There's also a bigger section concentrating on home organization. The new products, for example, will give color to the home's interior design, as will other home improvement items for products such as doors and windows.”
- KC's View:
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Doesn’t exactly sound like a Home Depot. Not that this is a bad thing, but it sounds like a different store.
The stated goal is to “romance” women shoppers, but I’m not sure this is going to work, mostly because it seems to work against the retailer’s strengths while putting to much emphasis on areas that could fairly be described as its weaknesses – like customer service.
Besides, there’s a faint whiff of condescension about this project. I could be wrong, but there is a hint of it somewhere.
