9 Key Strategies To Growing Your

Hardware Business
RetailTrading
Last updated Oct 11, 2019
Photo credit: Gem

Building your hardware supply business can be an intimidating thing to do especially if you are
unfamiliar with the trade. But perhaps an opportunity to establish one is very obvious that you
don’t want to pass up this chance.

A hardware supply store is expected to cater to the various needs of customers. Whether they’re
building a house, decorating it during renovation work, or simply addressing the inevitable wear and
tear of home or office, a trip to a hardware store is like going to a pharmacy, looking for relief of a
particular sickness. Blown fuse, busted light bulb, or broken pipe? You got nowhere else to go but
the friendly hardware store in the neighborhood.

Keep an eye on your neighborhood

Most of your customers will come from your area, so it’s best to anticipate their needs. Is it near a
subdivision? Maybe everyday household items like electrical supplies, plumbing supplies, locks as
well as kitchen and bathroom accessories.
If it’s near a school, maybe electrical wires, fuse boxes, and fluorescent lamps. If it is near an affluent
neighborhood with large lawns, maybe gardening tools (hose and sprinkler system) are best placed at
the storefront. If it’s in an area with tightly-knit households, maybe sealants and locks are some of
the what customers are gonna look for.
Doing so will make your shop the go-to place for basic needs your nearby customers will likely look
for. Think about the fast-moving items to get the business going (though they have low-profit
margins):

 Steel bars and rods

 Nails
 Cement
 Door hinges
 Roofing nails
 Flooring tiles
 Welding rods
 Plumbing material

Be watchful of your competitors

First, define who your competitors are. Are they other hardware shops even if they don’t sell similar
products? (They are more on construction supplies, and you’re more on electrical accessories and
paint.) Are your competitors established and well-known in town? Although these competitors have
the potential to drive you out of business, cooperation could be a win-win scenario; your shop
complements what they don’t supply and vice versa.

There is little to no point at engaging in a war of attrition on price. The public will benefit the low
prices, but it could be costly to the bottom line of both of your businesses.

Create your niche

You need to develop your core set of products and make them stand out (competitive pricing,
prominent display, and a wider variety of choices). This niche list of products will make your shop
the household name for such products. The selection of these products depends on various variables,
such as your target audience. (What are their main problems you’d like to solve?). Or based on your
competition (which products they are not selling that you might provide?).

Research on worthy suppliers to partner with

Should you choose to be a dealer of hardware items or construction supplies? It’s not just about the
end users and your eventual customers. The earlier part of the supply chain includes your
engagement with your source.
Construction supplies are often arranged in shorter terms (around 30 days) than hardware supplies
(approximately 90 days), so you have a choice between the two types of products. Hardware supplies
might allow you to generate more profits than construction supplies, in which buyers often spend
more time comparing prices between you and the competition.

Expand towards other buying channels

Having a standalone shop may be old-fashioned, but in the Philippines, it’s still a popular way of
selling products (and establishing a relationship with your customers). Also, there are thousands of
hardware products that physical presence is necessary to check the right product model. Customers
often bring a sample of a defective product to try to get the exact replacement.

But this should not stop you from expanding your hardware dealership business online. Set up a
website and display your product line/brochure for easy access on mobile phones without having to
visit the store. Allow visitors to inquire about stock availability and take orders they can pick up at
the store or delivered at their homes.

Having this presence also aids in inventory and customer relationship purposes. You know which
products they purchased so you know what items to secure next time they ask for the same model. It
also allows you to upsell similar, more profitable products.

Develop your online presence

In addition to more alternatives and convenience for customers, ramp up your presence online. That’s
because you cannot rely on your neighbors to be your customers; this segment must be expanded to
others outside of your vicinity.

Not only you’ll provide listing of products, provide tips on things that relate to your products. For
example, you can write a blog post on decoration tips, how to save money on utility costs, and why
you’ll recommend a product you currently sell. Make every effort to solve your current and future
customers’ problems and make use of your online presence to do so.

Don’t forget social media presence where you can showcase individual items on Pinterest and attract
an audience from this platform. Make your Facebook and Twitter profiles active in engaging
customers who may ask questions, offer suggestions, or even rant about the quality of the products
you sell. Doing so makes your business so accessible that customers will begin to trust it more.

Add complimentary value to the products you sell

The relationship with your customers should not end at the moment they made the purchase.
Establish a good rapport with them and offer help as needed. Do they need help with the replacement
of broken electrical wire? Are they looking for plumbers or reliable lipat bahay referrals? Have them
handy. Such partnerships help other partners generate business and return the favor to you in the
future or share a referral fee if this is in your agreement.

Even when customers don’t buy from your shop, your advice and tips regarding construction-related
topics will be valued highly. This value extends to your thought on relevant areas such as say, energy
savings, product evaluation, and others. The important thing is that in whatever capacity you have,
there is that willingness to offer assistance to your customers. At this juncture, customers may be
better known as partners.

Stay in season as possible

Like in a sari-sari store where seasonality adjustment helps generate extra income, the same applies
to the hardware supply business. During the sunny summer season, people might spend time sealing
leaks in their roofs and replace their attic, so a steady supply of Vulcaseal and plywood helps.

During the rainy season, hand shovels and cleaning agents afterward could be in demand.

Serve the community

Companies spend resources on feeding programs, medical missions, or collecting trash from the
beach. Your company should, in your capacity, look back and assist the community that helped
sustain the business. Donating light bulbs for the park, or repainting its benches are good examples of
serving the community. It gives you the chance to reach out to neighbors, learn about their concerns,
and be of help in whatever you can contribute.

Doing so also builds a bond between your hardware business and your community. Folks will
remember what you did, and they’ll remember your store. Going the extra mile in your hardware
business might be the edge you’ll have against the competition.

Conclusion
Building your hardware business requires more than an exploration of the market, such as learning
what your customers want, and keeping a look at your competition. Extending beyond what you do is
equally important. Building a good relationship with your community and reaching out to a broader
spectrum of customer segments sustains the business and earns you a steady stream of loyal
customers, er, partners.