The premise of this interview is what appears to be a pretty grim outlook for many independent retailers out there. Think about it: competition from the big box home improvement players is getting more rigorous and their service is improving every day. The percentage of millennials in the marketplace is growing all the time and online sales in the coming years are expected to grow exponentially. That means online players like Wayfair, Amazon, BuildDirect and others are gaining share on a regular basis with online floor covering sales pegged to go in only one direction: up.
Oh, and then there’s the shop online, pickup-at-the-store concept as offered by Home Depot and others. On top of that, many independents are growing. Some are buying competitors, gaining critical mass and becoming imposing competitors. Then there’s the in-home players who are always difficult to compete with.