Consumers are taking on more projects.

• Position: Do-It-Yourself - Brief Article

Although The Wall Street Journal published a sensationalized story in 2001 that proclaimed "The Death of Do-It-Yourself," industry research does not support that theory. Scott Wright, editor and associate publisher of Do-It-Yourself Retailing, cites research from Home Improvement DATA that shows more than 90% of Americans are continuing to make do-it-yourself purchases and 65% of homeowners are still personally tackling DIY projects.

Investigating both of these numbers is important because the real issues facing the home improvement industry are its viability and long-term health, Wright maintains. For example, a non-project-oriented homeowner could purchase dozens of DIY products throughout the year and never complete even a minor maintenance project. According to Wright, nearly 80% of consumers plan to do as many or more DIY projects this year. He said there also is no evidence that sales begin to stagnate as baby boomers age, noting that homeowners over the age...