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That’s the power of the home improvement surge. Net new downloads for Home Depot, Lowe’s, and Menards’s mobile apps increased 69% to reach record highs in April, per Apptopia.
April is to home improvement what December is to penguin pajamas: the biggest month of the year. Typically, around 30% of annual sales come from springtime renovation projects, per Fortune. Peek at the graph above, and you’ll notice previous download spikes during deck-building season.
So why the extra spike now? Consumers are “diverting funds away from travel and entertainment to focus on spring home improvement projects,” IHS Markit economist James Bohnaker told Newsday. Stores like Home Depot and Lowe’s have remained open, but shoppers are using contactless app options like curbside pickup or delivery to finish that kitchen backsplash safely.
Why it matters: Home improvement’s online arm has been under construction for ages. Home Depot’s e-comm overhaul plan, revealed in 2017, didn’t show any progress until this February. Lowe's online renovation is best described as unfinished. Still, DIYers under stay home orders aren't waiting for the perfect app to finally repaint the garage.