Characteristics of the DIY Consumer

The DIY movement continues to grow at a very rapid clip.

Crochet needles and yarn

Founded in 2006, Venveo is a Virginia-based digital marketing agency specializing in the building materials industry. In 2015 the firm released its first-ever survey focused on DIY consumers, and it recently completed a follow-up survey with over 850 DIYers from around the country. Here are some of the trends they cite:

  1. DIYers value quality and they’re not afraid to spend more for it, so long as they understand the costs. Seventy-one percent say that quality is more important than price, while two thirds say they create a budget and stick to it. Respondents often choose to DIY so they can spend more on the product and less on labor. 
  2. DIYers are comprised of all age groups, led by ages 31-40 (26%), 21-30 (24%) and 51-60 (19%).
  3. The vast majority of DIYers start their project by researching online (78%). Nine out of 10 watch how-to videos on YouTube during an actual project, while 41 percent use Pinterest to find ideas for their next project. Eighty percent of DIYers use their phone to research projects.
  4. Brand loyalty hardly exists anymore. Just one percent of respondents say they research a project based on brand alone, while 63 percent don’t care about the brand at all. 
  5. 65% of DIYers are willing to pay more for sustainably sourced materials—especially if there’s a story to tell alongside the product.

While some trends were surprising and others were obvious, here’s the biggest takeaway of all: the DIY movement continues to grow at a very rapid clip. Check out the complete report at venveo.com. PM