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Local Brand Loyalty Takeaways From That Time Ace Hardware Was Trending

Miriam Ellis

The author's views are entirely their own (excluding the unlikely event of hypnosis) and may not always reflect the views of Moz.

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Miriam Ellis

Local Brand Loyalty Takeaways From That Time Ace Hardware Was Trending

The author's views are entirely their own (excluding the unlikely event of hypnosis) and may not always reflect the views of Moz.

Screenshot of a tweet asking how Ace Hardware stay in business when their prices are 15% higher and have limited stock.

The definition of getting ratioed on a social platform like Twitter/X is when you post something that gets more pushback comments than marks of approval, as in the recent case of a popular account questioning Ace Hardware’s longevity and receiving 3.7k comments vs. just 2.2k likes (at the time of writing this). The original post not only elicited tons of chatter but sparked unthreaded responses, as well, and caused the brand to trend.

I seldom click on the “What’s Happening” trend shortlist on Twitter because it tends to make me grip my temples as if to prevent my faith in humanity from leaking out, but I’ll read almost anything with a local flavor, and I’m glad I waded in. I came away with a ton of valuable insights into the unique value proposition (UVP) Ace Hardware has successfully delivered on, earning serious loyalty from customers around the country who are willing to stand up and evangelize online at any hint of criticism.

If you’re running or marketing a local business, please share today’s column with your team or clients to start a creative discussion about how the brand you’re promoting would measure up to the standard Ace Hardware is setting.

Why customers love Ace Hardware

Screenshot of information relating to Ace Hardware, including the company's background and history

Ace Hardware is the largest non-grocery retail co-op in the United States. How did they get from their founding 100 years ago to employing 12.5 thousand people and bringing in a reported excess of $9 billion in revenue? The complex answer would include a century of smart decisions, but without a doubt, the major secrets to their success were all over Twitter earlier this month in response to the tweet wondering why they’ve succeeded when their inventory is perceived as more expensive than what’s on offer at Home Depot or Lowe’s. Consider it a local business intelligence leak, and check these out:

Access and proximity

The public has noticed how much more convenient Ace actually is:

A tweet by Clay Franklin: "I like Ace hardware. Easier in and out and closer than HD or Lowe's."
A tweet by T.Zeritis: "Let me think, should i drive an hour back and forth to HD or Lowe's so i can save $5 on a $30 item, or to Ace by the corner and be done in 7 minutes. that's a tough one..."
A tweet by Dividend Hero: "My Ace hardware is always well stocked, has better service, and take some about 1/4 of the time"
A tweet by Online Luddite: "Ace is in neighborhoods, walking distance or at least not in an exurban parking center car hellscape. Ace is pleasant and staff is helpful. HD/Lowe's are Hell."
A tweet by Laura Chapin: "Well for one thing I can actually find what I need at an Ace Hardware, helped by an actual person, instead of wandering a vast echoing warehouse for 20 minutes."
A tweet by Mine4Heat Gardener: "Location. I can save a half hour of driving. I always consider the price premium against time saved."

Takeaways: At least in my neck of the woods, most of the Ace Hardware locales were built prior to the big box phenomenon that placed shopping on the outskirts of cities instead of near major residential areas, making gas mileage skyrocket for average Americans. If you run a small, nearby business that’s quick to get to and fast to get in and out of (compared to a warehouse-style enterprise in a vast parking lot), you are the more convenient and efficient choice. You save people time, stress, and gas. You should be marketing these attributes.

If you’re considering opening a new business/new location, factor in how both proximity and size will impact consumer choice. A little store in a big neighborhood could be better than a big one at the edge of town.

Expertise

A small sampling of the countless people praising the expertise of Ace’s staff:

A tweet by Hutch: "Because I can walk in, say "here's what I need help with", and some guy with 40 years experience will walk me through exactly what to get and what to do. On small weekend jobs I don't mind paying a premium for that."
A tweet by Joe Rando: "Ace has an actual knowledgeable employees and they are situated in neighborhoods typically"
A tweet by Sam Barrow: "Oooh...I love my Ace Hardware! Last week, a guy eyeballed the bolt I was holding, walked right to the drawer and handed me my spare. There are like a hundred drawers, he nailed it!"
A tweet by Metaheadj: "Because All the people who work at Ace actually know what they're doing and what they have in inventory. Growing up had this lady run our local Ace. She knew where Everything was, and helped the Minute you walked in. That's the 15% difference."
A tweet by Kristy Tillman: "Every Ace Hardware has a 'guy' that has been repairing things since 1964, and can identify any random screw you bring in. They also know where every single piece of inventory is in the store."

Takeaways: When I was young, this level of expertise was the norm at nearly all stores. You expected staff to be well-trained and well-versed in inventory, and I’ve found it hard adjusting to big brand businesses with sadly under-trained employees.

Ongoing staff training is one of the most important investments any local business can make, and I think it’s worth noting how many people on Twitter referenced the age of the employees at Ace. Older employees whose work ethics were forged in a different economic era can be gems for both their earned wisdom and their people skills. Look at the age spread in your hiring practices and see if you are overlooking the value of seasoned staff.

Customer service

This section could be thousands of tweets long, but here’s a sampling of my favorites:

A tweet by My2Cents: "Ace Hardware in my town has 2 people to help every customer. I've never felt so important as a customer. Great for a fast need and they have great experts. I have no affiliation to the company."
A tweet by Beth Bridges Brandle: "All you have to do is walk in with a broken sprinkler in your hand, look confused, and you get help. Happy help. Enthusiastic help. In fact, plan a few extra minutes for friendly conversation!"
A tweet by Whereismyhat: "They're the nicest workers ever- begging to help you find what you need when you walk in with a smile on their face. They seem genuine"
A tweet by Tony Posnanski: "Within 5 seconds of walking into any Ace they help me and literally will find the part I need."
A tweet by Troy MOLDE: "Customer service, they will help you find what you need. I gladly pay the higher price"
A tweet by Jennifer: "Hi, can I help you? What do you need? Here, let me show you."
A tweet by John Moody: "The thing is service... I go into Ace & get greeted, offered help to get what I'm there for and/or let me go about my browsing with a 'let us know if we can help' if I tell them I'm just casually looking... At HD or Lowe's i have to hunt somebody down. tug on their little vest & ask "where the ll are you hiding the _?"
A tweet by Stephen Kneubuehl: "It's because of the helpful hardware folks."

Takeaways: This brand truly lives up to its memorable slogan (quoted by tons of people in this thread) of being the place with the helpful hardware folks. The recipe for success is simple: having enough staff to help customers and having a friendly business culture. In a variety of tweets, people explained how neglected and overwhelmed they feel at competing hardware stores where they can’t locate inventory and have to wander all over the store trying to find an employee who then has to use an app to locate inventory. By contrast, Ace customers are cordially greeted and knowledgeably assisted as soon as they walk in the door.

While minimum staffing may be touted as an economic efficiency in our present era, it does not create brand love and loyalty. Are your customers being helped or hassled by the number and style of your staff? I couldn’t agree more with this account in celebrating that Ace Hardware has gotten customer service so right that their happy patrons made them go viral:

A tweet by blu dream: "I love that Ace Hardware went viral for having good customer service."

Variety and quality

Despite the comparatively small footprint of its shops, tons of customers think of Ace as having a high-quality inventory that fulfills a huge variety of needs:

A tweet by Eric Estes: "My local Ace has owners that travel the country looking for unique vendors with products suited for our community's tastes. I go there to get gifts. No joke.
A tweet by Lumonic Photo: "The Ace hardware around here are great, massive bolt and screw selection that covers imperial and metric and even more specialized hardware. And its generally quality hardware, the stuff at Home Depot and Lows is pretty mediocre."
A tweet by Dr. Krusher: "Ace carries high end brand like Stihl that other big boxes don't, plus they have a service department"
A tweet by Jennifer Robertson: "They have stuff that the other two do not have in stock. Sometimes not even to order. If I need it today, I can find an Ace that has it. I bought my Toro lawn blower/ mulcher/ bagger from them and picked it up the same day. Neither HD or Lowe's even sold that. Same w/ my lawn mower blade."
A tweet by Dave Acosta: "I got to ACE Hardware whenever I need an old guy to explain to me what I'm doing wrong. They also keep stuff in stock that houses in your neighborhood might need, taking into account the style of house and years they were built. That stuff is invaluable."

Takeaways: Because these businesses are locally owned, there is a ton of opportunity to stock for local needs and to emphasize quality products. My local Ace has everything from hardware to kitchenware to very nice gifts, all in one small space.

Is your inventory reflective of real regional customer needs? If not, survey your community to find out what you aren’t carrying that local people want.

Economic localism

Readers of this column know that economic localism is one of my favorite topics and can picture my delight in seeing these savviest of customers choosing Ace because they want to support their own local economy and because they understand the emotional benefits of living within a connected community. Honestly, some of these stories are very touching:

A tweet by Howell Ellerman: "We know the owners of our local. They are clients of my wife's law firm."
A tweet by bgreenace: "They are part of the community. Likely sponsor teams etc. Sometimes, paying a few bucks more is good for the community. Most small towns don't have big box retail. look at Dollar General."
A tweet by Kay Byrd: "I'd rather support my local ACE that the big box hardware stores."
A tweet by Rob Kennedy: "A lot are franchises too. Supporting local vs big box."
A tweet by Just Evan: "I support them because they're family owned. At least mine is. And I know the family personally. I'd rather pay a little more and support a locally owned business, that doesn't push big box company BS. And they, in turn, carry products from small business too."
A tweet by Troy: "I buy what I can from Ace Hardware. They are locally owned, and money spent there stays in the community. Besides, it's the place with the helpful hardware folks."
A tweet by Shelby Edwards: "I'm loving all the love for Ace Hardware in the Twitter roles... Original post was 'why Ace when it's more expensive' and all the flag carrying for little Ace Hardware--which is always owned locally and cooperatively and absolutely will get you what you need. Good things."
A tweet by Wendy Reed: "Reading all of the Tweets about Ace Hardware tonight has restored my faith in humanity. (I love our neighborhood Ace and will go there over a big box whenever I can.)
A tweet by Laura Chapin: "I don't want to use an app. I want to talk to an actual human. This is WHY I like Ace Hardware."
A tweet by 50 Shades of Green: "My great uncle opened an Ace hardware store over 50 years ago. After he passed away, the current owner kept our last name out of respect. In their teenage years, my dad drove my mom at night so he could jokingly show her his last name was lit up with lights on a building."
A tweet by Melissa Moore: "At our local Ace Hardware, they know me by name. They remember the size air filters I need. When my Dad was fighting a battle with Alzheimer's, Ace Hardware was a place I could take him, and they understood, made him feel a part of the conversation. Even when it made no sense. They have almost everything I need, but the level of service is why it's always my first stop."
A tweet by KarrieK817: "The service is outstanding. My mother passed last year after YEARS of frequenting the same ACE. I went in for a few things recently and was hugged by many of the employees after they found out. They will ALWAYS be my first stop for any hardware needs."
A tweet by FlagWaver: " I've lived in the same town 50+ years...folks say ...do you go to High School reunions? No I see everyone at the Ace hardware on Saturdays"
A tweet by Monica: "In the smal town where I am from all we have is Ace Hardware and they were so helpful when I needed to get stuff when my dad died to get his house ready for sale. It is owned by a classmate of mine and he is a great guy."
A tweet by Leslie Gray Streeter: "I would rather pay a little more at my locally owned Ace Hardware where my literal neighbor works, where parking is easy, the employees are knowledgeable and only once in years have they not had everything I asked for."
A Twitter thread by Niki Mosier about her parents owning an Ace Hardware store: "They really just try to focus as much as they can on good customer service and that has been the key for them."

Takeaways: It’s wonderful to know that if you build your local business around forming real relationships with customers and take a strong educative stance on explaining how shopping with you keeps money within your hometown for local needs, you can earn appreciation and loyalty from your most conscious consumers.

The above tweets show how Ace stores become a valued part of the communities they serve. What is your local business’s strategy for contributing to local life so that your brand becomes a trusted household name?

Something extra in the UVP

Some brands spend millions on outlandish marketing campaigns in an effort to distinguish themselves from the competition, but what if you could build a memorable unique value proposition (UVP) for the price of a bag of popcorn or by having a store cat?

A tweet by Danielle Black: "Mine has free popcorn"
A tweet by Quintus Young: "My local Ace Hardware serves free popcorn."
A tweet by mfletcherchristian: "Our's sells pies and baby chicks, and gives away free popcorn. Show me a HD or Lowe's that can beat that."
A tweet by CryptoMaxi: "They have a great mailing campaign. If you join their rewards program they send monthly coupons that are legit very good. You also get money back for money you spend there- kinda like Costco."
A tweet by Ryan: "My local Ace is a few miles away but Lowes and Home Depot are 20 minutes away so if I'm in a rush and it's not lumber related, I'll go to Ace. And they give my dogs treats every time so her prefers it too."
A tweet by Deborah: "And they let me bring my dog in and they have treats!"
A tweet by cpj1: "The Ace Hardware in my neighborhood has a dog you can pet."
A tweet by Georgina Adlam: "Our Ace Hardware has a cat. He is a hefty boi named Bob, and hangs out at the till. Occasionally he wanders the aisles, mostly he naps on the counter - prime position to get maximum ear scritches and pets from everyone in line. Home Depot can't beat THAT."
A tweet by Erika: "My local Ace Hardwar has a mini brewery in the back giving out complementary beers that the owner brews. Shopping at Ace and only Ace forever."
A tweet by Katie: "all the Ace Hardware love today just reinforces my belief that the best businesses are the ones that still advertise with jingles"

Takeaways: Free popcorn and beverages, pets and treats, jingles… isn’t this all awfully old-fashioned? You bet it is, and it looks like these simple gestures still mean a lot to people and have become marks of distinction because they’ve been abandoned by so many big brands. Marketing’s central goal is to help you get found, chosen, and then chosen again, and the Ace case indicates to me that just a little something extra may be all that’s needed for customers to remember your brand.

I can recall, word-for-word, the local TV and radio jingles of nearby brands from the 1980s. I’ll never forget the beautiful jars of sugar sticks in flavors like sarsaparilla that they had at the neighborhood hardware store where my father shopped. Maybe you don’t need to fund a controversial political candidate or have an expensive app or a business locale the size of an airplane hangar. Maybe you just need a bag of popcorn and a sweet dog. Maybe you just need to make customers feel cared for, treated, and extra human to succeed.

Compete on experience, not price

One of the riskiest aspects of running a local business is that you get a very limited opportunity to make a positive first impression. In the past, I’ve written about how a task as simple as getting the basic information right on your local business listings is a surefire way to defend your brand from having its star rating eroded by negative reviews. But what if, because your business is small, your online reputation includes sentiment from customers saying your prices are higher than what they’ve found at the big box competitor?

Unless your entire town/city is utterly tied to getting whatever is cheapest (and the viral Ace thread shows this to be unlikely), some of the customers you earn loyalty from won’t be the ones you win on the first impression. Their first impression may stem from a years-old past experience that left them with the sense that your shop is pricey or from a general sense that smaller stores mean higher prices. But life is full of ups and downs that might lead to a once-lost customer happening to give you a second try, like this:

A tweet from Allnoles: "I used to avoid it because it was a little more expensive. But had to get some stuff a few years ago when I was post-accident and still really limited. I wasn't ten steps in when someone asked what I needed. I usually don't need help or ask, but I figured I'd let them know since I wasn't familiar with the store. They walked me right to what I needed, asked questions about what else I needed, helped me plan my project better, and then brought everything to my car and loaded it (I ended up with some heavy stuff that would have been hard for me to do then). I go there first now."

The Ace Twitter thread began with a profile expressing disbelief that the brand should still be operating if it couldn’t price-match larger competitors. The above anecdote shows that same mindset being transformed by an outstanding second impression created in-store when chance brought the customer into the shop. And now, having experienced the difference first-hand, this shopper changed their mind and their habits to shop at Ace first. What a victory!

Access, proximity, expertise, excellent customer service, variety, quality, ethical affinities like a shared value for the multiple benefits of economic localism, and a little something extra to make the UVP of the business memorable is the Ace playbook. Thanks to someone asking a question on social media and getting abundantly answered, the Ace playbook is now open for all other local businesses to work from. Study it well and build an experience at the local business you’re running or marketing that customers love to remember, share, and even champion!

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Miriam Ellis

Miriam Ellis is the Local SEO Subject Matter Expert at Moz and has been cited among the top five most prolific women writers in the SEO industry. She is a consultant, columnist, local business advocate, and an award-winning fine artist.

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