Home Depot Customer Behavior Trends: Sales, Boycotts & Demographics

If you’ve walked through a Home Depot parking lot lately, you might have noticed more empty spaces than usual. That’s not just a slow Tuesday — it’s part of a shift in customer behavior that has the home improvement giant facing its toughest stretch in years.

Year-over-year net earnings decline (Q3 2024): ~4% ·
Decline in store visits per store (early 2025): 4.2% ·
U.S. comparable sales change (early 2025): +0.2% ·
Key factor cited by customers: Delaying moves and renovations

Seven key facts help frame the broader picture of Home Depot’s position.

Why are consumers boycotting Home Depot?

The boycott movement against Home Depot has grown steadily through 2025, driven by two main currents: political donations and immigration enforcement allegations.

What is the connection to Trump?

• Home Depot’s founders and its political action committee have historically donated to Republican candidates, including Donald Trump’s campaigns. (Yahoo Finance (financial news))
• The company has not issued an official corporate endorsement of any candidate, but the donation record has been seized on by social media activists. (USA Today (national newspaper))
• Boycott calls are amplified on Reddit (e.g., r/Anticonsumption) and Facebook, often tying Home Depot to broader anti-Trump consumer actions. (MSN (news aggregator))

How does the boycott affect sales?

• In July 2025, People’s Union USA organized a nationwide boycott targeting Home Depot along with Amazon and Starbucks. (Greta’s Day (activist blog))
• Home Depot issued a statement denying allegations it cooperates with ICE in immigration enforcement, a key motivation cited by organizers. (TheStreet (financial news))
• A second nationwide boycott, “We Ain’t Buying It,” was scheduled for November 27 to December 1, 2025 (Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday), targeting Home Depot, Amazon, and Target. (Yahoo News (news outlet))

The pattern: boycott actions are concentrated around high-visibility shopping periods and are motivated by political alignment perceptions, not by product quality or service issues.

Who is Home Depot’s biggest competitor?

Home Depot’s competitive landscape has shifted, with its primary rival gaining ground in customer perception even if not yet in total revenue.

How does Lowe’s compare?

• Lowe’s is the direct national competitor, holding approximately 45% of the home improvement market. (TheStreet (financial news))
• In 2024-2025, Lowe’s has been closing the gap in customer satisfaction scores, particularly among younger DIYers. (TheStreet (financial news))
• Traffic data from Placer.ai showed a 26% year-over-year drop in foot traffic at Home Depot’s existing stores in Q2 2025. (Yahoo Finance (financial news))

Are there other significant rivals?

• Amazon competes heavily in tools and building supplies online, especially with pro contractors buying in bulk. (TheStreet (financial news))
• Ace Hardware and regional chains capture the convenience-driven DIY segment, particularly for smaller projects. (TheStreet (financial news))

The implication: Home Depot still commands the biggest footprint, but it is losing the battle for customer loyalty among the next generation of homeowners.

What is the demographic of Home Depot customers?

Understanding who shops at Home Depot helps explain why the recent shifts matter.

What is the typical Home Depot customer profile?

• The core customer is a male homeowner aged 35-64 with a household income over $75,000. (TheStreet (financial news))
• About 60% of purchases come from DIY enthusiasts and professional contractors. (TheStreet (financial news))
• The average transaction value has been declining as customers opt for smaller repairs over full renovations. (TheStreet (financial news))

Are there differences by age or income?

• Millennial and Gen Z shoppers are less brand-loyal and more price-sensitive. They are more likely to compare online prices before stepping into a store. (TheStreet (financial news))
• Higher-income households continue to spend on outdoor living and landscaping, but even that segment is pulling back. (TheStreet (financial news))

What this means: Home Depot’s traditional strength — the serious homeowner who plans a big project — is the very customer now most cautious about spending.

What are the latest trends in consumer behavior affecting Home Depot?

Four macro trends identified by McKinsey & Company directly map onto what Home Depot is seeing in its aisles.

How four trends are reshaping consumer behavior (McKinsey)

• Value-seeking: Customers are trading down to cheaper brands, buying less per trip, and hunting for deals more aggressively. (McKinsey & Company (global consulting))
• Sustainability: Growing interest in energy-efficient products and materials, but often at a lower willingness to pay a premium. (McKinsey & Company (global consulting))
• Digital-first: Online research before in-store purchase is now the norm; Home Depot’s app usage is up, but conversion to big-ticket items is down. (McKinsey & Company (global consulting))
• Experience over ownership: More consumers are renting tools or hiring out projects instead of buying equipment they’ll rarely use. (McKinsey & Company (global consulting))

What is the 7 minute rule and why does it matter?

• Home Depot’s internal “7 minute rule” requires associates to acknowledge and offer assistance to customers within seven minutes of their entering a department. (TheStreet (financial news))
• With fewer staff on the floor in 2025, compliance has reportedly slipped. (TheStreet (financial news))

Does Home Depot support Trump?

The question appears frequently in search and social media, driven by campaign finance records and activist calls.

What is the evidence?

• Home Depot’s political action committee and its co-founders have contributed to Republican candidates, including Trump, in past election cycles. (Yahoo Finance (financial news))
• The company has not made a formal corporate endorsement of any presidential candidate. (USA Today (national newspaper))
• Activist groups have seized on the immigration-cooperation allegation as further evidence of alignment with Trump-era policies, though Home Depot denies any collaboration with ICE. (TheStreet (financial news))

How does this compare to other retailers?

• Similar boycott campaigns have targeted Costco over its DEI policies, and Target over its stance on LGBTQ+ issues. (USA Today (national newspaper))
• Home Depot’s situation is distinct because the donations are tied to founders and PAC, not current corporate policy statements. (TheStreet (financial news))

The catch: the boycott impact on sales is difficult to isolate from the broader economic slowdown, but the narrative damage to Home Depot’s brand among younger, more liberal shoppers is real and lasting.

“Our customers are telling us they’re uncertain about the economy. They’re delaying big moves and renovations.”

— Home Depot CFO, Q3 2024 earnings call (TheStreet (financial news))

“I’m pausing all home improvement purchases until I see where the economy is headed. It’s just not worth the risk right now.”

— Reddit user on r/Anticonsumption (Greta’s Day (activist blog))

“The four trends reshaping consumer behavior are value-seeking, sustainability, digital-first, and experience over ownership. Home improvement is not immune.”

— McKinsey & Company, 2024 report (McKinsey & Company (global consulting))

The convergence of economic caution, political boycotts, and generational preference shifts has created a perfect storm for the home improvement retailer. Home Depot’s management faces a choice: adapt the model toward smaller, faster purchases and invest in digital loyalty programs, or risk losing a generation of customers to Lowe’s and Amazon.

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