Thanks to an iffy recovery following the Great Recession the great rise of Amazon, consumers have honed their price-comparison skills. That’s helped make commodities out of products in just about every category — a situation that leaves price as the great differentiator. But garden and home improvement stores have largely been spared.
The reasons for that are both psychological and practical. The psychological: Many home owners don’t see spending on their homes as a luxury or discretionary purchase, but as an investment.
