Home improvement retailer Lowe’s, ranked Elite in the US500, has grown from a single hardware store in North Carolina to one of the largest in its market in the world. Today, its strategic focus is built on offering best-in-class omnichannel retail experience, using technologies including A and AR to improve services, alongside a loyalty scheme to improve value for members.
Lucius Lowe opened Lowe’s first store in 1921. The company is now one of the largest home improvement retailers in the world. As of 31 January 2025, it employed about 300k staff in the US through 1,748 shops. In its 2024 financial year, it reported net sales of $83.7bn (-3% on the previous year) and reported pre-tax earnings of $9.15bn (-10%).
Five strategic focus areas include building online sales and developing a loyalty ecosystem, alongside improving the customer experience for trade and DIY customers, The Lowe’s website is easy to search, with quick links to categories, departments and popular search terms. Most products can be returned in store or by mail for up to 90 days after purchase, although this varies by item.
On the product page, items are generally illustrated through a choice of images and, in some cases, product videos. Shoppers can easily see how quickly they could collect or have an item delivered. Recommendations include similar items as well as products that would complement the one that shoppers are looking at.
Lowe’s has iOS and Android mobile apps. Users can see whether items are available in store locally, track their online orders, create a favourites list and, for members of the MyLowe’s Rewards or Pro Rewards schemes, they can see their member savings and benefits. A ‘Style your Space’ feature enables shoppers to upload an image of their home to see style and product suggestions, then shop directly based on such those looks and products.
Lowe’s recently introduced AI technology to customers in the form of Mylow, which it says is the first AI-powered home improvement virtual adviser. The service is currently available on Lowe’s desktop and mobile website for MyLowe’s Rewards loyalty members and will offer quick answers to conversational questions as well as all of the steps to take in a more complex DIY project. Announcing the service, Lowe’s senior vice president of technology, Chandu Nair, said: “We’re doubling down with emerging technology collaborators like OpenAI to solve problems for our customers and because we want the home improvement experience at Lowe’s to be a cut above.”
This profile appears in the newly published RetailX US500 2025 report. This first edition assesses the performance of the top 500 ecommerce and multichannel retailers, brands, and marketplaces operating in the US market.
It also lists the subsequent “Challenger 500”. The research aims to provide insights into the US retail landscape, consumer behaviour, and the strategies employed by leading retailers to navigate economic uncertainties and meet evolving customer expectations.
Stay informed
Our editor carefully curates two newsletters a week filled with up-to-date news, analysis and research, click here to subscribe to the FREE newsletter sent straight to your inbox and why not follow us on LinkedIn to receive the latest updates on our research and analysis.
