Home Depot and Lowe’s have for decades been two top home-improvement stores in the US.
They stock all things home improvement, including kitchen and bath fixtures, lighting, paint, gardening supplies, and tools. Both stores offer same-day delivery, installation services, do-it-yourself workshops, and store credit cards. They even have similar return policies and will accept most things with or without a receipt for cash or store credit.
Lowe’s has been in business about 30 years longer than Home Depot. Home Depot has 2,284 stores in North America, while Lowe’s has about 2,370.
Lowe’s stores also typically have a few more square feet of space than Home Depot stores. But when Business Insider visited New York outposts of both stores, we found that the Home Depot was significantly larger than the Lowe’s — by an entire floor.
The target market is a notable difference between the two stores. Home Depot tends to appeal more to professionals — like contractors, interior designers, and plumbers — while Lowe’s welcomes a more do-it-yourself crowd. Managing director of equity research at Wedbush Securities Seth Basham told Business Insider’s Aine Cain that professional contracts accounted for 20% to 25% of sales at Lowe’s and 45% at Home Depot.
In addition, Home Depot appears to be the store of choice for millennials. In a Bank of America survey of 1,000 millennials, reported by US News, 64% said Home Depot was their top choice for home-improvement shopping, while 53% preferred Lowe’s.
When visiting the stores, we noticed that Home Depot felt like a massive warehouse, whereas Lowe’s was more like a traditional retailer, with floor displays and bright, clear labels.
Here are some of the biggest differences we spotted at a Home Depot and a Lowe’s in New York City.