๐ช๐ต๐ฒ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป ๐๐๐ฒ๐ป๐
Retail in Real Time โ January 9
Earlier this week I wrote about what I saw at Loweโs from a seasonal transition perspective. This visit on Wednesday felt like the next chapter.
The seasonal space had largely been reimagined into a Bath Sale Event, anchored by a full wall of toilets priced from $109 to $199. Good, better, best. Clear pricing. Clear intent.
Surrounding that core were supporting categories: shower heads, faucets, vanities, and cleaning supplies. An interesting adjacency sat nearby with a new vegetable and flower seed shipper, quietly signaling that spring thinking is beginning to surface.
The message was simple: new year, new projects.
What I Saw
The bath focus makes sense conceptually. As the calendar flips, people start thinking about what they want to tackle next. A bathroom refresh is often on that list.
What gave me pause was the scale. The assortment in the space felt relatively narrow for such a prominent placement. It meets some customers exactly where they are, but it may leave others unsure of what comes next.
Across the floor and along the racetrack, the story expanded.
Corrugate shippers introduced a broader Loweโs Deals Event: flashlights, headlamps, tire gauges, pliers, utility knives, and wireless speakers. Discounts reached 50%, making this a legitimate value-driven moment.
The deals were real. The question was timing and cohesion.
Why It Matters
This is a strong example of how retailers are trying to activate the reset, not just clear the past season.
The bath event is focused and purposeful, but narrow. The broader deals event adds energy, and value yet feels somewhat disconnected in the store.
Thereโs also an execution reality here. When resets take longer to land, the message to customers can feel unfinished, even when the strategy itself is sound.
I couldnโt help but wonder if parts of this program would have landed with even more impact during the holiday run-up, when traffic peaks.
What Other Retailers Can Learn
โข Seasonal transitions need cohesion
โข Big category statements work best when supported by depth
โข Value events feel strongest when timing, traffic, and storytelling align
โข Execution speed matters. The faster a reset comes together, the more traffic it captures
Closing Thought
Loweโs is clearly experimenting with how to turn the post-holiday reset into something more active. This bath-led approach will resonate with some customers immediately. The opportunity is broadening the story and accelerating execution, so more shoppers feel included in what comes next.
If you missed my earlier piece, Iโll link it in the comments.
How I Can Help
I work with retailers to connect space planning, merchandising strategy, and seasonal transitions so resets feel intentional, shoppable, and timely for how customers are actually thinking.