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Subscribe to RSSHome Depot has long been known as the no-frills bastion of tools, lumber and other products that appeal to the tool belt-wearing set. Now, it’s going for the softer side.
The New York Times reports that Home Depot is hoping to attract more women who are into things like redecorating, and it has recruited none other than Martha Stewart to help with the effort.
The home improvement retailer now carries a line of Martha Stewart Living products, and it also is sprucing up areas that might appeal to women looking for window treatments or other products.
“For years, we’ve always had a bad — I don’t want to say a bad reputation. It’s more that people look at our business and think it is male-oriented, dominated,” Gordon Erickson, the senior vice president for merchandising and décor at the Home Depot, told the New York Times. “Fifty percent of our customers are female. We need to offer her products that she wants.”
Readers, what do you think: Will Martha Stewart make women want to shop at Home Depot? Or does the effort seem like it is pandering to women who wear tool belts? Leave your comments below.
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Home Depot can go screw off! My wife ordered a toll shed to be built thru them by a local contractor. They delivered all the materials without notifying us and forged my wife's signature on the delivery acknowledgement. We were out of town and a neighbor called us to tell us alot of material was on our lawn. We called Home Depot up and told them the materials were one week too early and to have them picked up. In the process of all this my car(parked in out driveway) was hit in the bumper and damaged. When we brought this to the attention of the Home Depot location the shed was ordered they said they had no involvement in what had taken place. We asked them who forged my wife's signature on the delivery agreement because 1. It is not her signature and 2. she would not have wanted the materials delivered one week before the contractors were going to start and 3. We were out of town. Three years later nothing has happened except we do not shop at Home Depot. May they go out of business.
NOOOO Keep Martha out of the Man-Mall
I'm wondering if any of these people have been in HD or Lowes lately? Male dominated? Not where I live. I'd say on any given day you'll find plenty of women in the store buying all manner of items. The problem isn't in the store it's in the top level male execs idea of who their customer base is. Sure they get a lot of contractors which tend to be male but their retail customers are hardly male dominated. I know women who love the HD and Lowes.
The problem is Home Depot needs to get with the program and out of the 19th century.
I happen to be a chick who wears a tool belt and I like my Home Depot just the way it is thank you very much. My only suggestion, if they want to draw more female customers, is to carry a decent line of router tables.
Pandering!!! I don't need to spend more for Martha Stewart stuff. I need good advice and cheap prices.
Home depots...cadering to Homosexuals....will adventually..cause them to Bankrupt. As at least 85% of Americans...are NOT Homo's Take or leave it...but its good advice
I love, love, love home improvement stores, and spend a great amount of time and money in them. I think Home Depot's idea to bring in Martha Stewart products to attract women is ridiculous. I would rather see products from hosts of DIY Network, or HGTV. At least they actually know what they are talking about. I don't need some over indulged, over payed, pompous ex convict trying to sell me products that are over priced.
So glad that Lowes didn't lower their standards..Guess I will remain a "lowes girl".
Jim your closed minded and need to learn how to spell. As a gay man I love doing construction and working with power tools. Like the lady said, "carry better table saws". Home Depot's problem is not that they cater to a certain demographic, it's because their stores are a disaster. There's crap sitting around everywhere making it difficult to get around the store. Lowes is just neater and better organized.
my wife mona works for home depot , and she is all for it
Martha Stewart! Yuk!
Sears has Martha Stewart labled colors in their paint section. Other stores, I can't remember their names, have Martha Stewart linens and home decor items. Has it helped them with their sales? Probably not. I have never bought anything that is Martha Stewart.
The Home Depot customers,, in my humble opinion would be better served having the products being sold , displayed with parts and tools along with the instructions to install. Knowledgeable sales people would also be a great asset. Martha woud be helpful if she were any of the above.
I am a woman, and I love to shop at HD. I do most of the home improvements in our house. I am the one who wears the toolbelt, for sure! Where ever there are raw products with which to do and create with, those are my favorite places to shop.
However, having Martha's lines of items there is NOT an incentive for me. That is all about style over substance, in my opinion. And, that is not what I go to HD for.
What I would like to see is for one of the big chains to make available the more ecology mindful products that are becoming available. I see all the time these new products that are created from recycled items and new technology. Just try and find these products at a brick and mortar store! Yes, you may find that they have a few token types of items, or that you may be able to procure some by special order, but they are not readily available.
The home building and home improvement markets are one of the most waste producing industries to be had. If we can find better, more simple, and more sustainable ways to provide for our comfort and shelter, I am all for it.
Martha is all about style, most of it unattainable for the majority of folks. No matter how many rooms they paint Martha's shade of blue, they are still living in the cluttered mess of yesterdays sensibilities, house design, and old fashioned building techniques.
Until Martha designs a living space that is sustainable, and easily cleaned by a centrally located water hose and a drain in the middle of the house--I will not be running up a bill at HD with her branded products. Meanwhile, I DO shop there because it is close to my house and when something needs attention, I don't have much choice but to go out and get whatever it takes to make it right.
I do check out the Habitat for Humanity resell shops. There are some great bargains there! Now, I would LOVE to see what Martha could do with that!
One thing that is important to me is to be able to buy good, yet lightweight tools to use. I am not going to be working the trades or building a house, but I want quality tools to suit my purpose. The really heavy building jobs I will leave to the big guys. I will, however, build my own deck, a small one. Now, if Martha wanted to come over and help........she could add some style to my substance. And, please don't make my lightweight tools pink! OH,no! Please don't let Martha anywhere near them!
All this article means is that Home Depot has now learned what Lowe's has previously learned , and successfully implemented.
If I wanted HD of Lowes to be more "women oriented" I would go to JoAnn of Michaels instead.