DIY is all the rage, but what we think of as DIY today emerged as early as the 1950s. Back then, people began rushing out to buy drills, custom wood and garden rakes. Money was in short supply, so building things yourself was the done thing. These days, DIY isn’t just a question of money (or the lack of it) – it can also be a status symbol. People who’re able to roll up their sleeves and work with their hands are considered self-sufficient and creative by friends and acquaintances. The pandemic reinforced this trend; not being allowed to leave the house meant more time for home improvements.
This is also reflected in the sales figures of Galaxus’s range of DIY products in the EU. «The product range has grown immensely,» says Adrian Burger, Category Business Manager at Galaxus. «Power tools are highly sought-after. Incidentally, customers are increasingly opting for battery-powered tools – even those working as professional tradespeople.» Be it for homes or construction sites, customers are heading online for supplies, no longer shopping solely at brick-and-mortar DIY stores. «Online retailers have an advantage over brick-and-mortar DIY stores in the form of a wide selection of brands and products,» Adrian says. «If I need a new battery for a tool and have a brand in mind that I trust, that’s enough for me to decide to buy it. I briefly check the brand as well as technical specs such as voltage and capacity, then comes the click.» Galaxus.de now has around 300,000 DIY products available for purchase. When gardening products are included, the figure exceeds 400,000. «The range is becoming increasingly attractive to customers, and we’re continuing to expand it,» Adrian says. «There’s certainly still some room for improvement when it comes to data quality – that’s also something we’re working on.»
Online retail involving business customers has recently gained in importance, with an increasing number of Galaxus orders stemming from corporate customers. In the DIY sector, too, professionals are increasingly turning to online retailers, taking advantage of the wider selection and [quantity discounts] where available. Twenty-four per cent of sales in Galaxus’s DIY product category can be traced back to B2B customers. «Those in the construction trades work under significant time pressure. So they order batteries, drills and saws directly to their workshops in order to save on time and transportation,» says Julia Gerwien, Portfolio Development Manager at Galaxus. «Many SMEs don’t have a purchasing department; it’s the owner or master craftsperson who takes care of procurement. They prefer to place orders as conveniently as they would in their personal lives.» Speaking of business customers, you can register to become one here.
