Keith Johnston, Business Development Director at DART Tool Group, highlights how joined-up merchandising captures missed revenue.
In the builders’ merchant sector, customer loyalty has never been the issue. Tradespeople return week after week, often heading to the same branch at the same time, following a rhythm that’s almost habitual.
But while the visits are reliable, the baskets they build during those visits aren’t always complete, and the category that often gets left behind? Power tool accessories.
Despite being a core part of every tradesperson’s working day, tools and accessories are frequently bought elsewhere. For example, a roofer might come in to pick up battens and breathable membrane but head to a specialist supplier or online retailer for a utility knife and spare blades. Similarly, a groundworker might grab ducting and gravel boards but bypass the trowels and trenching shovels.
It’s not because they don’t need them. The issue is that many simply don’t see what’s available while they’re in the branch, and more often than not, the problem isn’t the product selection, but how it’s presented.
Tools, particularly hand tools and accessories, are frequently located away from the primary materials or core purchase areas. They might be tucked in a back corner, buried in a cluttered aisle, or squeezed into an underwhelming bucket display near the checkout. So even if the range is there, it’s not necessarily where the customer’s attention is focused when they’re in buying mode.
That disconnection has a real cost. Tools, especially accessories and consumables like blades, tapes, levels, and bits such as drill bits and driver bits, represent a high-margin opportunity for merchants. When those products aren’t visible, accessible, or connected to the materials being purchased, they’re left on the shelf, and the revenue walks out the door.
Smarter merchandising strategies
It’s easy to assume that if customers aren’t buying tools in-store, it’s because they’ve already got what they need. But tools wear out, go missing, get lent out, or simply aren’t where they should be when the van is loaded up.
Tradespeople are always replacing or upgrading, often on the fly. The key is to make sure they see what they need when they’re already in buying mode, not three hours later when they’re at another supplier.
This is where joined-up merchandising can deliver real impact. It starts by recognising how tradespeople shop, which is usually quickly, with purpose, and always focused on the job they’re tackling that day. They’re not browsing aimlessly, they’re solving a problem and looking for specific materials to get the work done.
When a carpenter walks in for timber, that moment presents a valuable opportunity to highlight relevant tools like a new saw or drill bit set. Similarly, if they’re picking up cement boards, it makes perfect sense to position screwdrivers or hole saws nearby so they’re seen.
However, for this strategy to work, tools need to be placed in a meaningful context, not relegated to a separate section that’s disconnected from the rest of the shopping journey. A smarter merchandising approach links tools directly to the tasks tradespeople are there to complete.
This means placing essential accessories and must-have items right alongside the core product lines they relate to. It also means using clear signage, task-based displays, and well-timed counter prompts to help customers make those connections in the moment.
Capturing every sale opportunity
One highly effective tactic in joined-up merchandising is the use of stand profiles, or compact displays that showcase tools and accessories directly relevant to the core materials customers have come in to buy. These stands are a simple yet powerful way to add value to every invoice, especially when customers are purchasing low-margin, high-volume materials. By positioning best-selling and frequently needed items on these profiles, merchants can encourage additional purchases that might otherwise be missed.
Stand profiles can also be based on actual purchasing data, meaning the products featured can be regularly updated, swapping out slower-moving items that gather dust for fast-selling essentials. This dynamic approach keeps the offer fresh, relevant, and profitable, providing a revenue boost without overwhelming the customer or cluttering the store.
Wayfinding plays an equally crucial role. If tools are hidden or hard to reach, they become an afterthought, but if they’re part of the flow, clearly signposted and surfaced at key decision points, they become a natural part of the purchase. A subtle reminder, whether it’s a display of blades near plasterboard or spirit levels near the timber racks, can nudge customers toward buying what they already know they need.
The opportunity isn’t limited to big-ticket items. The purchase of power tools generally requires more planning, but smaller accessories, maintenance tools, and site essentials are often bought spontaneously, or urgently, as distressed purchases.
For example, a tradesperson might damage their wood-cutting saw blade on hidden nails in a timber and urgently need a replacement. At that moment, online sellers can’t help, so they head to the nearest merchant. These lower-cost items add up fast and carry strong margins, but only if they’re visible and well-merchandised.
Customer data can also help inform better merchandising decisions. Understanding what customers buy, and in what combinations, allows merchants to build smarter displays which reflect actual trade behaviours.
Staff awareness is also a vital part of the equation. When front-line teams are confident about the tool ranges available, and trained to spot complementary opportunities, they can engage more effectively.
Making tools part of the task
Ultimately, tools should not be a separate afterthought. They’re an integral part of a tradesperson’s day and should be an integral part of the merchant’s merchandising strategy. When merchants make it easy to find, choose, and add the right tools, they don’t just capture more revenue, but they deliver more value to their customers.
The idea of the one-stop shop still holds power, especially in an age where time is tight and convenience rules. But, it only works when everything the customer needs is visible, accessible, and well presented. Merchants who take a more connected, project-led approach to tool merchandising can turn every routine visit into a richer one, for both the customer and the business.
