Home Depot buys Chem Dry

Does that include the GTA????

I just saw my first HD ad in the val pak...but it's for steam..

3 rooms + hall $79

5 room package + hall +13 steps $129

It's going to be a rough year... because GTA people are loyal to price..

CD doesn't get much out here because the price is WAY too high

I don't underestimate the influence that HD will have on our industry.  As said HD sells compounding interest.  You can bet that the HD marketing people are keeping a good eye on our discussion groups to help plan stategies for their success.  Let me give you and them something to think about.

1.  Offer free cleaning or for $19.95 with the purchase of carpet - this introduces their service in-home.  Some who try it, no matter what the quality is will continue to use them, which is what they want.  Don't forget that you don't have to pay for 55 months. lol.  BTW, the free would only apply to the carpets they installed and not the rest of the house.

2.  Offer at an added fee at the time of puchase of the carpet cleaning on a scheduled basis over a period of 3 years with the purchase of x amount of carpet (that must be installed by them too - I've seen their installs, let's hope that they clean carpets that bad too)

3.  HUGE advertising exposure with high quality advertising colatteral that promotes their CC services in most all the print they deliver - Absolutely nobody other than HD or Sears can afford that kind of exposure.  Bright orange CC vans - pretty hard to miss!

4.   Just wait for Shaw and the rest of them run to kiss HD a$$s.  They will change their tune to suit HD.

Previous attempts by carpet mills to get into the cleaning business failed by HD is a mass retailer that can deliver a unified message to buyers becuase they are retailers, not manufacturers or distrubutors.

Our salvation is most all of us can consistantly deliver a higher standard of work.  Now more than ever is the time to be focusing on higher end residential work. 

Agree or disagree, HD will absolutely change the shape of our industry and probably for the better for independents.

Pilediver is correct...

Home Depot cleaning will force the independents to offer a better cleaning service. Most Chem-Dry operators utilize RX-20 cleaning.

Most independents would never invest into an RX-20.

How would you prefer to have your carpet cleaned if you were not in the cleaning business?

Advertising RX-20 cleaning compared to wand cleaning is like hoe-ing your garden as opposed to using a rototiller. And with Home Depot's budget they could very well put it over.

So if you feel the need to kick it up a notch talk to Kleen Kuip.

You are absolutely right cleanex.

Mrs. Housewife could care less what you use until someone with a large advertising budget comes up with a groupy "BUZZ" word method that forces her to want it because her neighbour wants it.

It's what sells Beamers.