NPD Stat of the Week: Female purchase power
Nearly half of the U.S. population made a kitchen and bath home improvement purchase online or in stores in 2020, and women accounted for more than half of those buyers.
According to Checkout information from The NPD Group, women were more likely to buy kitchen and bath products than lawn and garden, paint, hardware, or other home improvement products. Last year, women accounted for nearly 60% of kitchen and bath products sold online, and 52% of in-store sales.
In 2020, eCommerce accounted for 28% of kitchen and bath improvement sales but, with few exceptions, both online and in-store purchases of the products grew by double-digits across all U.S. regions. During the pandemic, with many home improvement retailers remaining open, some consumers told NPD that they would visit home improvement stores more often once COVID-19 restrictions were lifted. While there is little differentiation between the kitchen and bath products purchased online versus in stores, women were much more likely to purchase kitchen cabinets in stores, while making more showerhead and faucet combo purchases online.
The rise in home improvement market purchases by women also tracks with higher rates of home purchasing by women in 2020. According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), single, female buyers accounted for 19% of the homes purchased in 2020, the highest it’s been in 10 years. The median age of single, female repeat home buyers is 59. According to NPD’s Checkout information, women age 55 and up spent the most on annual kitchen and bath home improvements, while women age 18 to 24 posted the largest annual spending increase.
“Marketing efforts need to reflect the leading role women of all ages are playing in home improvements, and engage them accordingly,” says Joe Derochowski, vice president and home and home improvement industry advisor for The NPD Group. “It is incumbent upon retailers to get innovative and make a stronger connection, fostering the consumer’s loyalty as they continue to address current and evolving lifestyle needs throughout the home.”
