Although four in 10 shoppers think home improvement stores are aimed at men, British women are the biggest spenders, splashing out over £300 a year

New research released today by Barclaycard reveals a rise in females doing it for themselves as one in six women (16%) are visiting DIY stores more often than they did two years ago – compared to only 13% of men. Females are also increasingly flexing their DIY muscles, as 26% consider themselves to be more handy at DIY than they were 24 months ago.

However, despite an increase in female DIY shoppers, the new research revealed that 43% Brits think that home improvement stores are aimed at men. What’s more, over half (55%) believe their marketing is too male-targeted.

When it comes to the shopping trip itself, over a third of women (34%) say they do not enjoy going into DIY stores, and 19% state they would not take their child along with them, as they find it too stressful – suggesting there are ways businesses can enhance the in-store experience to make it more accessible for all.

The findings come as Barclaycard reports that 8.8 million Brits are expected to make DIY purchases this Bank holiday weekend, with spending set to top £1.27 billion and an average £145 per transaction.

Despite often being regarded as a traditionally male-dominated domain, British women spend on average £303 a year on DIY purchases, or £30 more than the average amount spent by men (£273).

A fifth of females (19%) now claim to do more DIY than their partner, with one in 10 (11%) putting this down to relying less on others to help with their home improvements. The influence of social media also plays a part, with 15% of women doing more DIY because they’ve been inspired by interior trends on Pinterest and Instagram.

According to Barclaycard, shopping lists this Bank holiday weekend will likely be similar to the items purchased most frequently all year-round, which show women and men tackling many of the same DIY projects. Paint, wallpaper and painting & decorating items are in the top five, as are items for sprucing up the garden such as plants, flowers, seeds or seedlings, and gardening tools.

The most popular DIY and home improvement purchases made in the last 12 months

Retailers have a further opportunity to widen their appeal to all audiences by following the most popular suggestions from DIY enthusiasts. Both men and women would like to see an increase in special offers (28%), more affordable products (21%) and better home delivery options (16%). A quarter of shoppers (26%) said they would also take part in more DIY if there was technology – such as augmented or virtual reality – to help them visualise how the improvements would look in their own home.

Barclaycard director of strategy Anita Liu Harvey said: “It seems the next generation of women are taking an increasingly active role in DIY, with some even more involved than their male counterparts. From social media inspiration to rolling up their sleeves and taking on the responsibility themselves, the research suggests the purchasing power currently lies firmly with women.

“As such, this presents a significant opportunity for retailers to nail it when it comes to providing a tailored customer experience for both their male and female DIY enthusiasts. Whether it’s adding more home delivery options or harnessing the latest technology, businesses should be looking at ways to broaden their offering to appeal to this wider interest.”