Ace Hardware and Menards Lead DIY Customer Experience in 2025 Market Force Study
MARKETING
The Market Force 2025 Home Improvement Benchmark Study report shows brand-by-brand rankings across CX, loyalty, trust, and key drivers.
According to the Market Force Information 2025 Home Improvement Retail Benchmark Study, the crown for the best customer experience doesn't belong to the giants with the most square footage, but to the brands that prioritize helpfulness and trust.
Ace Hardware and Menards have emerged as the clear leaders in Customer Experience (CX) scores, signaling a shift in how DIYers choose where to spend their weekend budgets.
The "Helpful" Advantage
While Home Depot and Lowe's continue to dominate in total purchase share, holding 45.9% and 31.8% respectively, they are losing ground on the emotional factors that drive long-term loyalty.
Ace Hardware, living up to its "Helpful Place" moniker, topped the charts in assistance availability (55.8%) and overall satisfaction with help received. Meanwhile, Menards stood out for its store layout, product variety, and price competitiveness, outperforming national rivals in areas where shoppers typically feel the most frustration.
“This year's results show that great experiences still beat great advertising,” said David Murray, Senior Director of CX Strategy at Market Force Information. “Shoppers reward brands that make their lives easier.”
The Trust Gap
The study highlights a growing "Trust Gap" in the big-box sector. On the Customer Loyalty Index (CLI), Ace (4.61) and Menards (4.54) both edged out Lowe’s (4.50). When it came to brand trust specifically, Menards (4.38) took the top spot, leaving a sizable gap over its larger competitors.
The message from consumers is clear: scale and convenience (the "Home Depot advantage") still drive the initial visit, but service and confidence determine whether the customer returns for the next project.
What DIYers Want in 2026
The study, which surveyed over 1,000 U.S. consumers, found that the "Do-It-Yourself" and "Do-It-For-Me" segments are both looking for the same three things:
Price Transparency: Frustration with hidden costs and confusing layouts remains high.
Ease of Navigation: Shoppers are increasingly fatigued by massive warehouses where finding a single bolt requires a 15-minute hunt.
Individualized Service: Consumers value a service-defined experience over a transaction-defined one.
Experience is the New Real Estate
For years, Home Depot and Lowe's won by simply having a location on every corner. But in 2026, experience is the new real estate. As David Murray noted, "If there's a Menards in town, shoppers are noticing the difference."
For brands in the retail space, the lesson is universal: you cannot take your footprint for granted. If you win on price but lose on service, you are essentially "renting" your customers rather than "owning" them. To win the battle for the 2026 consumer, smaller retailers should double-down on their service-first model, while large retailers must find a way to humanize their scale. In the Trust Economy, the brand that helps the most, wins the most.