Retaining the new cohort of DIYers

The Covid-19 crisis has cultivated a new generation of DIY customers. Faced with spending more time at home, 12.5 million British households said that they were planning a DIY job at the start of lockdown. Crucially, those aged 16 to 24 were more likely to be doing DIY for the first time, saying they did not have the time (25 per cent), or the funds (30 per cent), to 'do it themselves' in the past.As the UK takes its first tentative steps back to 'normal', how can DIY retailers retain this new cohort to ensure a healthy future for the sector?

Perhaps one of the clearest takeaways from the pandemic is that the DIY sector needs to look again at its online infrastructure. With non-essential shops closed in the early weeks of lockdown, DIYers were limited in how they could acquire necessary supplies - in fact, 80 per cent said they would buy materials online if they could. This sudden demand took some retailers by surprise, and customers complained about long virtual queues as a result. Non-specialist suppliers, from Amazon to grocers and bargain stores, were able to capture a share of online spend, using well-established logistics systems to service orders at low cost.
Now, we don't expect this incredible online demand to continue. We know that most home-improvement shoppers still want to touch and feel products before purchasing and that physical stores and knowledgeable staff remain important. In fact, big DIY stores and garden centres saw a sharp increase in footfall when they started to reopen in the days leading up to 1 June. As a sector based on fewer, larger stores, the main players have been able to adapt quickly to social distancing and safety guidelines and were rewarded with pent-up demand and long queues of shoppers.
But lockdown has served as a reminder for how new, in particular younger, customers like to shop. And it has signalled that retailers need to invest in enhanced digital platforms to support their bricks-and-mortar outlets. Are they doing enough to capitalise on the popularity of interiors and home-improvement content on sites like Pinterest and Instagram, and allowing people to move seamlessly between scrolling for 'inspo' and making a purchase? Young shoppers expect to see wallpaper on an influencer's wall, and have it land on their doorstep the following day.
Of course, there's a balance to strike between online and offline. Large out-of-town stores are more suited to social distancing and to what will, almost…