At the Fall 2023 Convention, Ace Hardware is ready to launch a new program called Yard Rx in 2024, aimed at enhancing the lawn and garden shopping experience. The program will be customizable and provide customers with lawn and garden products tailored to their specific needs.
During the opening general session of the event, which was held Sept. 19-21 in Orlando, Florida, president and CEO John Venhuizen spoke on the importance of promises, both making and keeping them and attracting new customers. The Yard RX is one of those solutions. This program will offer discounts on bulk purchases of lawn and garden products at the start of the season. He also highlighted the company’s plan to augment its digital marketing strategy, which is expected to increase relevance to customers, improve economics for owners, and create irresistible value propositions for customers and employees. Furthermore, Venhuizen proposed the Ace Home Services program, which will offer a wide range of home repairs, installations, and other services related to Ace’s products.
Venhuizen emphasized the importance of trust and promises in the company’s brand. He also cited Ace’s high overall satisfaction index score among major home improvement retailers in the J.D. Power 2023 U.S. Home Improvement Retailer Satisfaction study. In his speech, Venhuizen offered three promises to the retailers: Increase relevance to customers, improve economics for owners, and create irresistible value propositions for customers and employees. To fulfill these promises, Venhuizen stated that Ace will aggressively pursue enhanced digital marketing, which he called “an escalator to success.” He also noted the success of Ace’s Digital Plus program, which has led to a 90 percent increase in consumer spending at Ace stores.
In addition, Mike Rowe, host of Dirty Jobs and founder of mikeroweWORKS Foundation, was a guest speaker. During a question-and-answer session, Rowe shared his experiences and career path, echoing Venhuizen’s theme of trust. Rowe emphasized the importance of making modest promises and keeping them, a philosophy he has applied throughout his career.
During the convention, Ace showcased their emphasis on grilling and outdoor living with a very impressive outdoor grilling demo area which offered many free samples and The Greenhouse, an area featuring lawn and garden vendors. The event included 70 new vendors.
About Ace Hardware
Ace Hardware is the largest retailer-owned hardware cooperative in the world with over 5,700 locally owned and operated hardware stores in approximately 60 countries. Headquartered in Oak Brook, Ill., Ace and its subsidiaries operate an expansive network of distribution centers in the U.S. and have distribution capabilities in Ningbo, China; and Santa Catarina, Mexico. Since 1924, Ace has become a part of local communities around the world and known as the place with the helpful hardware folks.
