Innovation in do-it-yourself retail: An empirical study on generation x among professional craftsmen and consumers

Abstract

The strong trend towards innovations in the Romanian DIY market brought about by increased offer diversification and renewal, the hectic pace of accommodation and business centre construction in big cities and the increased interest in refurbishing houses and facades prompted the authors to conduct an exploratory study on the representatives of Generation X: those equipping a house or apartment, individual entrepreneurs using their own labour force to refurbish properties for resale, small-scale craftsmen supplying themselves with the necessary materials for this work, together with representatives of construction, real estate and interior design companies. The objective of the study is to determine how innovation in wide-area DIY retail is perceived by Gen X, be they individual consumers, entrepreneurs, small-scale craftsmen, or company representatives. The results reveal significant managerial implications which retailers should consider when defining and modifying their strategies for approaching and processing the market.