**San Antonio, Texas**: The Ace Hardware Spring 2025 Convention revealed strategies for boosting holiday sales, showcasing record revenues and innovations in merchandising and supply chain management. Executives highlighted the importance of differentiation and digital transformation in sustaining independent retailers amidst fierce competition.
During the Ace Hardware Spring 2025 Convention, held from March 4 to 6 at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas, the atmosphere was distinctly festive with Christmas trees and holiday decorations adorning the venue. This setting underscored Ace Hardware’s objective to enhance holiday sales as the company gears up for the upcoming festive season. The convention featured a series of presentations where company executives, including President and CEO John Venhuizen, discussed various growth strategies, innovations, and supply chain improvements aimed at supporting independent retailers.
Venhuizen announced that Ace Hardware had achieved record revenues of $9.5 billion and retail sales exceeding $23 billion in the previous year. Stressing the resilience of independent hardware stores, he remarked on the critical nature of differentiation in an intense competitive environment. “We face the biggest, best-funded competitors in retail, yet year after year, we continue to grow because of the strength of our independent store owners,” he stated.
An important highlight from the convention was the presentation of data supporting Ace’s Pinnacle performance programme, which Venhuizen noted has substantially inspired store-level success, indicating that stores participating in the programme consistently outperformed their counterparts not engaged in it. He further urged store owners to leverage digital transformation and product differentiation as essential tactics for maintaining long-term sustainability.
As part of the promotional and seasonal emphasis, the convention showcased a dedicated section for holiday products that included a life-sized snow globe, attracting both children and adults alike. Venhuizen drew comparative lessons from other retailers like Walgreens and CVS, whose lack of adaptation to market changes led to significant declines in their business areas. He reflected, “Differentiate or die” remains the central takeaway.
The event proved significant for retailers attending the convention as they explored new product offerings and connected with various vendors. Alfredo Garduno from Webster Ace Hardware highlighted the importance of these interactions for staying attuned to industry trends, noting a particularly innovative weed trimmer that can attach to the wheel of a push mower. Similarly, Janet Colwell from Colwell Electric Hardware expressed her excitement in discovering a compact fire extinguisher specifically designed for kitchen emergencies, underscoring the event’s role as a hub for product exploration.
Venhuizen also shared insights into Ace Hardware’s adoption of generative AI technology to facilitate training for associates, aiming to enhance their product knowledge and confidence in customer service. In addition, Chief Marketing Officer Kim Lefko delineated Ace’s digital marketing advancements and reported a notable 15 per cent increase in online sales in 2024, attributing these gains to strategic digital investments and the Local Lift Max initiative aimed at improving local store visibility.
Lefko also outlined enhancements to Ace’s delivery capabilities, including partnerships with third-party providers to increase local delivery fulfilments, thus ensuring a more efficient service for online orders. She affirmed Ace’s focus on leveraging technology to connect with customers effectively, saying, “Ace’s strength is in its ability to connect locally.”
Senior Vice President of Merchandising Brian Wiborg elaborated on Ace’s merchandising strategy centred on exclusive product lines. Significant investments are planned for Christmas-themed items, with a “no-risk” system in place, allowing stores to return unsold inventory. Wiborg also announced the introduction of exclusive brands, such as Maui Jim and Oakley, under a new Sun and Shade category, aimed at attracting premium outdoor gear consumers.
On the supply chain front, Rick DiMaio, Executive Vice President and Chief Supply Chain Officer, discussed ongoing enhancements within the distribution network, highlighting a new 1.5-million-square-foot facility opening in Kansas City, Missouri. This new centre is poised to bolster delivery speed and reliability for Ace stores nationwide. Aiming for a 100 per cent fulfilment rate without damages, DiMaio noted progress in achieving a 95 per cent on-time delivery rate and the implementation of automated systems intended to improve overall operational efficiency.
The convention, bustling with activity, gathered a large crowd of retailers keen to absorb insights from Ace’s leadership and discover innovative products designed to prepare for the forthcoming holiday sales season.
Source: Noah Wire Services
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