Putting the Improvement (of Product Content) Into Home Improvement
Transforming over 113,021 home improvement products for one of the leading online retailers was a monumental task undertaken in months rather than years (queue the Home Depot theme song). But that's exactly what we achieved for top brands in the "DIY" and "Hardware and Tools" categories for the number one brick-and-mortar retailer in the U.S.A. Top brands were searching for a way to positively affect growth and maintain current sales figures as the market changes. As champions of DIY– it feels like outsourcing catalog needs is the exact opposite of what you stand for. But building a site strategy is like fixing your toilet with no experience. Sure, give it a try, but when the bathroom floods, you’ll have to call the plumber.
The Challenges
Rapid Market Evolution
The online home improvement market faces challenges following a slowing of online growth post-COVID-19. As sales in certain departments transition back to more in-store purchases, there is uncertainty in the state of the online market.
From 2021 to 2022, the conversion rate dipped slightly, and unique visitors nearly halved from 700,000 to 397,899. As the market continues to settle, brands must take initiative where consumers still see value in online sales.
But the market isn’t homogenous. While categories like “DIY” have seen reduction in traffic, others like “Hardware & Tools” have seen rapid growth. Consumers have shifted to purchasing materials in person, but see value in purchasing tools online where it’s easier to find what you need through comprehensive product specs (if you have them).
Artificial Intelligence & Retailer Compliance
As retailers increasingly use AI to refine their search algorithms, keeping products visible and relevant has become a difficult task. It's imperative for brands to keep their product attributes up-to-date and in line with retailer guidelines to ensure higher ranking and visibility. Always remember, search engines run on keywords. Without them, your listing stays hidden.
Solution: AI Attribute Enrichment with AdVonAI
We employed AdVonAI to optimize over 113,021 products, focusing on attributes that resonate most with home improvement enthusiasts. This included enhancing detailed specifications, features, and benefits to align with consumer preferences and search trends.
Sales
The impact on sales was profound, underscoring the effectiveness of targeted attribute enrichment in capturing market share in a competitive landscape.
- “Hardware and Tools” category experience a 3% increase in daily sales just 30 days after deployment
- After 60 days, both DIY + Hardware saw millions in additional revenue
- Despite a decrease in traffic, DIY still say a 13% boost in sales post-enrichment
Discoverability
Product discoverability saw remarkable improvements across both categories. This led to more visibility in search for new keywords, top 10 placements, and paid placement eligibility.
- One category saw nearly 90% increase in top 10 placements putting a large amount of the catalog on the first page for relevant searches
- “Hardware and Tools” saw 9% increase in new search placements meaning they were surfacing for brand new terms
- “DIY” had over 1,200 products become eligible for paid placements, increasing 43% from the previous amount
Retailer Compliance
Adherence to retailer guidelines is crucial for product visibility. By utilizing AdVonAI, we ensured that each product was optimized for retailer algorithms, leading to a significant increase in compliance scores.
- The "DIY" category saw a staggering 1,817.7% increase in items scoring above 90% in quality
- The “Hardware and Tools” category had over 3,500 products reach a 90% retailer quality score or higher
The use of AdVonAI to enrich home improvement product attributes was a game-changer, resulting in remarkable improvements in sales, discoverability, and retailer compliance. By adapting and enhancing product listings to meet consumer and retailer demands, brands were able to thrive in a highly competitive market.
Interested in achieving similar results for your home improvement brand? AdVonAI offers tailored solutions to help you stay ahead in the industry. Book a demo today to learn how you can enhance your product offerings and drive sales.
The Numbers
first-time search placements
more compliant with retailer guidelines
sales lift in 30 days
Solutions Used
Attribute Enrichment
Product attributes are, by definition, the defining feature of products. When consumers are searching, they do so by attributes. Size, weight, durability, number of pieces, etc. These are what consumers use to find products, whether through organic search, or through filtering on an online retailer. AdVon uses AI and human-in-the-loop verification to make sure that all your data is utilized so that the most products meets the most purchasers.
PDP Content Enhancement
Enhance visibility and searchability of category specific search. Lead high intent buyers into longtail opportunities that lead to the products they want, the first time. In years past it was often too time intensive and expensive to build campaigns with this level of detail. AdVon optimizes whole catalogs in days not weeks or years.
Optimizing category pages and individual product listings improves search engine rankings, making it easier for customers to discover products. Capture "new-to-brand" customers, as well as increasing repeat purchases with content reaches your target audience.
Catalog Audit
An Advon catalog audit pulls out all the information needed to diagnose and treat your catalog. We look at the number of missing attributes, and taxonomy shortcomings to determine where consumers are falling through the cracks. Don't lose more customers due to bad data.
Flywheel Digital
Don’t let your marketplace get lost in the competition.
Create happy shoppers. Our solution ruthlessly removes content complexity in your marketplace so you don't have to. Unlocking value for retailers and brands on the digital shelf.