5 Takeaways From the Global DIY Summit
By Craig Webb
Nearly 1,200 retailers, manufacturers and industry leaders from more than 50 countries gathered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, June 16-18 for the 2026 Global DIY Summit to discuss the trends shaping home improvement retail around the world. While many sessions focused on global markets, several carried practical lessons for North American independent retailers. From Do it Best’s efforts to introduce the True Value brand to younger consumers to discussions about artificial intelligence, innovationand changing competition, here are five takeaways from this year’s summit.
1. DO IT BEST LOOKS TO THE NEXT GENERATION
One of the summit’s biggest North American stories came from Do it Best Group CEO Dan Starr, who outlined how the company is refining the True Value brand following its acquisition of the retailer in late 2024.
Research conducted by Do it Best found that while True Value enjoys exceptionally strong brand recognition among Baby Boomers and Generation X, awareness drops significantly among Millennials and Generation Z. That prompted the company to rethink how it presents the brand without changing the values that define it.
In his keynote speech “Reinventing a Legacy Brand for the Next Generation,” Starr said younger consumers respond strongly to authenticity, buying local and individuality. Those insights helped shape True Value’s “Your Project, Your Way” campaign featuring actor and woodworker Nick Offerman.
Rather than relying on broad advertising campaigns, Do it Best is taking advantage of highly targeted digital media that reach younger consumers through the channels they already use. The company’s first objective is increasing brand awareness among younger homeowners before measuring long-term effects on retail sales and average ticket.
Despite the updated messaging, Starr emphasized that the campaign remains grounded in Do it Best’s culture of supporting independent retailers and the communities they serve.
2. AI IS RAISING THE BAR FOR CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE
Artificial intelligence was a discussion point throughout the summit, but speakers focused less on the technology itself and more on how it changes customer expectations.
Consumer experience consultant Ken Hughes argued that AI will make good customer service commonplace, meaning retailers must find new ways to create emotional connections with customers. He pointed to IKEA’s experience retraining support staff into design specialists for customers with more complex projects rather than relying solely on chatbot interactions.
Hughes also described future applications for which people could upload a photo of a room and receivecustomized renovation ideas, complete product lists and installation videos tailored specifically to their project. His message was that AI should strengthen relationships rather than replace them.
3. TEMU’S EVOLUTION BEARS WATCHING
Several presenters urged retailers to pay close attention to Temu’s next phase of growth.
According to digital retail analyst Ed Sander, the company’s strategy is evolving beyond deeply discounted imported products toward private-label merchandise informed by purchasing data gathered from hundreds of millions of users worldwide. The initiative is expected to begin with approximately 4,000 SKUs before expanding significantly over time. Sander suggested Temu’s direct relationships with millions ofmanufacturers provide an advantage in quickly identifying trends and bringing new products to market.
For independent retailers, the discussion served as another reminder that competition continues to change rapidly, making differentiation through service, expertise and local relationships increasingly important.
4. INNOVATION REQUIRES TIME—AND PERMISSION
Experts Chris Heemskerk of The Innovation Alliance and Raha Been of 3M challenged retailers to rethink how they approach new ideas. Heemskerk argued that leaders spend too much time optimizing today’s business and too little exploring tomorrow’s opportunities.
He encouraged companies to dedicate time, space and resources specifically for innovation. Both speakers emphasized that creating a culture of innovation requires leadership support, structured processes and a willingness to experiment. The principal takeaway: Innovation rarely happens by accident. It must become part of an organization’s everyday culture.
5. NEW OPPORTUNITIES CAN COME FROM UNEXPECTED PLACES
Several sessions challenged retailers to think differently about growth opportunities. Ken Hughes suggested retailers could better serve renters by promoting landlord-friendly home improvement products and expanding offerings such as tool rental and project planning assistance.
Sustainability also remained a prominent topic throughout the summit. The “Make It Zero” initiative, supported by dozens of manufacturers and retailers, announced a goal of increasing the recycled content in plastics used in DIY products to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions across the industry. Meanwhile, city officials from Amsterdam shared how repurposing building materials—including reusing approximately 1 million bricks each month—demonstrates how collaboration and creative thinking can reduce costs while improving sustainability.
Although the topics ranged from branding and artificial intelligence to private-label competition and environmental initiatives, the Global DIY Summit delivered a message that the retail landscape continues to evolve, and independent retailers who remain curious, embrace new ideas and maintain investments in customer relationships will be the dealers best positioned to adapt to whatever comes next.
Craig Webb is president of Webb Analytics, a consultancy and information provider for building material dealers. For more, please visit Webb-Analytics.com.
