At first glance, DIY retail seems like a business built around products.
Paint. Power tools. Lumber. Garden supplies.
But according to Joost de Beijer, CEO of Intergamma, that’s not actually what customers are buying.
Speaking live from the Vusion Podcast Studio at the Global DIY-Summit 2026 in Amsterdam, de Beijer offered a simple but powerful observation:
“The good thing about DIY is that you’re not selling a product. You’re selling a solution.”
It’s a perspective that helps explain not only how Intergamma approaches retail, but also how the Dutch DIY market differs from much of the rest of the world.
Because when customers are buying solutions rather than products, everything changes. Store formats, omnichannel strategies, content creation, customer service, and even sustainability efforts all begin to look different when the goal is helping someone complete a project rather than simply make a purchase.
Why DIY Retail Looks Different In The Netherlands
One of the most interesting parts of the conversation centered on the unique characteristics of the Dutch market. Unlike the United States, where large-format home improvement stores often serve expansive suburban homes and oversized yards, Dutch consumers operate in a very different environment.
Homes are smaller, gardens are smaller, and consumers place a much higher premium on convenience. According to de Beijer, many Dutch shoppers consider a 20-minute drive too far to travel for a DIY purchase. As a result, retailers have built dense store networks with smaller locations designed to be close to where customers live rather than serving as destination shopping experiences.
That difference shapes the entire market. Retailers must think carefully about accessibility, proximity, and convenience because customers expect solutions to be available quickly and close to home.
Selling Solutions Requires Different Thinking
For de Beijer, what makes DIY retail special is that customers rarely enter a store simply looking for a product. Instead, they arrive with a project, a problem, or a goal they want to accomplish.
Maybe they’re painting a room, installing new window coverings, refreshing a garden, or tackling a home repair. The products matter, but only because they help deliver the desired outcome. Success comes from helping customers find the right solution, not necessarily selling the most products.
That mindset naturally elevates the role of expertise within the store. Associates aren’t simply stocking shelves or processing transactions. They’re helping customers make decisions, validating plans, and giving shoppers confidence that they’re approaching a project correctly. In many cases, that reassurance is every bit as valuable as the product itself.
Nearly Every DIY Project Starts Online
While stores remain incredibly important, de Beijer noted that the customer journey increasingly begins online. Dutch consumers are highly digital, and most DIY projects start with research, inspiration, and planning before a shopper ever visits a store.
Customers expect retailers to provide information, educational content, project guidance, and product recommendations that help them understand what they need and how to complete the job successfully. Retail websites have evolved beyond digital catalogs and become important planning tools.
For Intergamma, the goal isn’t simply to drive ecommerce sales. The digital experience exists to build confidence and help customers move forward with a project. Whether that ultimately results in an online order, an in-store purchase, or a combination of both is secondary. What matters most is helping the customer progress toward a solution.
The Future Of Omnichannel Is About Connecting Experiences
When discussing omnichannel retail, de Beijer emphasized that stores remain one of the company’s most important assets. Rather than viewing digital and physical retail as separate channels, Intergamma sees them as complementary parts of the same customer journey.
Today’s customers often begin researching projects online, gathering information and narrowing down options before stepping into a store. The next challenge is creating a seamless transition between those digital interactions and the in-person expertise available at the store level.
Imagine a customer researching flooring, lighting, or paint at home and then arriving in a store where an associate already understands the project they’re working on. That type of continuity creates a more personalized experience while helping customers feel more confident in their decisions.
For de Beijer, omnichannel success isn’t about choosing between digital and physical retail. It’s about connecting them more effectively.
Using Stores As Fulfillment Assets
Another notable takeaway was how Intergamma leverages its store network to support fulfillment. While many retailers continue to rely heavily on centralized distribution centers, Intergamma increasingly uses stores themselves as local fulfillment hubs.
This approach is particularly valuable in DIY retail, where products are often large, bulky, and difficult to transport. Items like lumber, plasterboard, and other building materials benefit from being located closer to the customer.
By using stores as fulfillment points, Intergamma can improve convenience, reduce delivery times, and better utilize its existing physical footprint. It also reinforces the idea that stores are no longer just places where transactions occur. They serve as inventory locations, service centers, fulfillment assets, and sources of expertise all at the same time.
Sustainability Is Becoming A Long-Term Growth Driver
Sustainability was another major theme throughout the discussion. While consumer interest in sustainability has fluctuated in recent years as economic conditions and global events have shifted, de Beijer believes the long-term trend remains intact.
Customers increasingly want products and solutions that help them reduce energy consumption, lower water usage, improve efficiency, and minimize environmental impact. Intergamma sees those needs not only as an opportunity to serve customers but also as an important long-term growth driver for the business.
The company is investing in more sustainable assortments while also helping customers better understand how sustainability can benefit their homes and wallets. In many cases, the most compelling sustainability solutions are also practical and cost-effective solutions.
Building Sustainable Change Slowly
One of the more pragmatic parts of the conversation focused on execution. While many companies establish ambitious sustainability goals, de Beijer stressed the importance of moving at a pace that customers and organizations can realistically support.
Intergamma has built dedicated sustainability teams, established targets for category managers, and gradually increased the percentage of sustainable products within its assortment. Rather than attempting dramatic overnight transformation, the company is focused on steady, measurable progress.
That approach recognizes an important reality: customers ultimately determine how quickly change occurs. Retailers can lead, educate, and provide options, but adoption still happens over time. Sustainable growth requires patience, consistency, and long-term commitment.
The Bigger Takeaway
At a conference filled with discussions about AI, digital transformation, and technological innovation, de Beijer’s comments served as a useful reminder of a fundamental retail truth.
Customers don’t wake up wanting products.
They wake up wanting outcomes.
They want a finished room, a repaired home, a beautiful garden, or a completed project. The products simply help them get there.
The retailers that understand this distinction are often the ones that create the strongest customer relationships because they focus on solving problems rather than selling inventory.
Products can be copied.
Solutions are much harder to replicate.
The Bottom Line
The future of DIY retail isn’t about selling more products. It’s about helping customers complete projects more successfully.
That requires a combination of digital inspiration, trusted expertise, convenient fulfillment, and increasingly sustainable solutions that deliver value both today and in the future.
Intergamma’s strategy demonstrates how those elements can work together. Stores remain essential. Digital experiences continue to expand. And the retailers that successfully connect the two will be best positioned to serve the next generation of DIY customers.
To catch more conversations from the Global DIY-Summit 2026 in Amsterdam, follow Omni Talk Retail on LinkedIn or listen wherever you get your podcasts.
Thank you to Vusion for supporting Omni Talk Retail’s live coverage from the Global DIY-Summit 2026, and thank you to our listeners for joining us during the event.
Be careful out there,
Chris Walton and the Omni Talk Team
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Omni Talk® is the retail blog for retailers, written by retailers. Chris Walton founded Omni Talk® in 2017 and have quickly turned it into one of the fastest growing blogs in retail.