Lowe’s launches DIY-U online

Report from Kansas

FROM KIDS WORKSHOPS TO VANITY INSTALLATIONS, A VIRTUAL RESOURCE

Lowe’s rolled out DIY-U, described as a do-it-yourself ecosystem that brings live, on-demand and home improvement skill-building into a modern and personalized era.

“We are making sure that support and a DIY community is available where, when and how people most want it: Instore, live and interactive online, or online on-demand,” said Marisa Thalberg, Lowe’s executive vice president, chief brand and marketing officer.

With planned developments ranging from sharing virtual high fives with fellow workshop participants, to earning badges for project completion, Lowe’s said it hopes to gamify DIY with a new level of peer support to create a space where homeowners and families can share their passions.

Lowe’s will offer three types of experiences that allow consumers to participate how and where they want each month: Two livestreams for up to 1,000 registrants each; an in-person kids workshop helping children ages 5-12 learn DIY skills and techniques that instill confidence; and two adult in-person workshops in all stores nationwide.

Virtual workshops will be hosted by Lowe’s employees. The workshop experiences will also allow customers to shop and add supplies to their cart in real-time and receive live answers to project questions from Lowe’s experts.

Initial DIY-U topics include:

A Bathroom Refresh You Can Do

Yourself (How to Install a Vanity).

Kids Workshop: Shoot the Moon (Build a Game to Compete for the

Highest Score).

Make Your Home Office Work for You (How to Wallpaper a Room).

“We believe this is going to be the ultimate DIY resource that is informative, fun and motivational for everyone,” said Thalberg.

Lowe’s DIY-U is putting the “shop” into “workshop.”