Do it Best

What Do it Best does

Do it Best is a member-owned hardware, lumber, and building materials buying cooperative founded in 1945 and headquartered at the Electric Works campus in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Following the 2024 acquisitions of United Hardware (May) and True Value (November, $153M), the cooperative operates as Do it Best Group with two national retail brands—Do it Best and True Value—serving approximately 8,000 independent hardware stores, lumberyards, and home centers across the United States plus 450+ international stores in more than 50 countries. The cooperative generates revenue by selling products from eight company-owned distribution centers (stocking 65,000+ items with a 97% fill rate) and through drop-ship programs from thousands of vendors, then returns a substantial portion of margins to member-owners via year-end rebates (over $1B paid in the last decade, with roughly 80% in cash) and a 2% weekly cash discount on warehouse invoices.

The platform combines physical distribution, exclusive brands (Channellock, Best Look/EasyCare paints, Home Impressions, Best Comfort, Best Garden), and a software layer including the Retail Pulse analytics platform, Margin Master pricing software, Inventory & Pricing Dashboard, Best Rewards loyalty program, ADpak consumer marketing, Signature Store Design, The Color Bar paint experience, DiBTV training library, and the Pick N Pack ecommerce app. Members access compliant POS systems (Epicor Eagle/BisTrack preferred, plus ECi and Profile Systems alternatives), the doitbest.com ecommerce storefront, and an innovation hub launched in Dallas in January 2026 focused on AI for inventory prediction and SKU code mapping. The cooperative serves small-to-mid-sized independent retailers (typically 1-30 locations) competing against big-box players, with verticals spanning residential DIY, professional contractors, commercial/industrial MRO via INCOM Supply (500+ distributors), and international members with localized assortments and freight-forwarder logistics.

Name

Do it Best

Legal name

Do it Best Corp.

Website

https://doitbestonline.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1945

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Do it Best is a member-owned hardware, lumber, and building materials buying cooperative serving approximately 8,000 independent retailers across the United States and 450+ stores in 50+ countries, distributing products through eight owned distribution centers and a portfolio of exclusive brands, analytics software, and retail support programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hardware, Lumber & Building Materials Wholesale Distribution

NAICS

Hardware Merchant Wholesalers (423710), Hardware, and Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (4237), Hardware Merchant Wholesalers (42371)

SIC

Wholesale-Hardware (5072), Wholesale-Hardware & Plumbing & Heating Equipment & Supplies (5070), Wholesale-Lumber & Other Construction Materials (5030)

akta.pro primary industry

Construction, Hardware & MRO Supply Clubs (Trades/Contractors) (CRAEAEAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Wholesale / Cash-and-Carry Distribution Centers (TLALAEAB)

Keywords

• Hardware cooperative
• Lumber wholesale distribution
• Building materials supply
• Retail support services
• Buying cooperative

Headquarters

HQ city

Fort Wayne

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices14 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Cooperative Member Revenue: Do it Best generates revenue through member purchases from its warehouses and drop-ship programs. Members pay for products ordered through the cooperative, with Do it Best leveraging collective buying power to negotiate favorable terms with vendors. Revenue is derived from the margin between wholesale costs and member pricing, supplemented by year-end rebates based on purchase volume.
2. Vendor Partnership Fees: Vendors participate in Open Buying Day events ($300 non-refundable donation to Do it Best Foundation required) and pay to access the cooperative's member network through various vendor programs and promotional opportunities.
3. Member Rebates and Dividends: The cooperative distributes substantial year-end rebates to member-owners based on their purchases through the co-op. Rebates have surpassed $1 billion in the last decade, with the portion paid in cash regularly representing almost 80% of total member rebate.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Do it Best operates a member-owned wholesale buying cooperative that supplies hardware, lumber, and building materials to more than 8,000 independent retailers in the United States and over 60 countries. Members purchase from eight company-owned distribution centers stocking 65,000+ SKUs at a 97% fill rate, supplemented by drop-ship programs from thousands of vendors, and gain access to exclusive private-label brands, store design services, training, marketing programs, loyalty platforms, and proprietary retail technology such as Retail Pulse, Margin Master, and an AI Innovation Hub.

Product overview

Do it Best is a member-owned hardware, lumber, and building materials buying cooperative offering a comprehensive platform of products and services for independent home improvement retailers. The core offering includes warehouse distribution with 67,000+ SKUs across 8 facilities, complemented by proprietary programs including The Color Bar paint experience, Retail Pulse analytics platform, and DiBTV training video library. Members access exclusive brands (Channellock, Home Impressions, Best Look, Best Comfort, Best Garden), loyalty programs (Best Rewards), and retail services (Signature Store Design, Rental Center, INCOM Supply for commercial/industrial expansion). The True Value brand operates alongside Do it Best following the 2024 acquisition. The cooperative model provides flexible, customizable programs without mandates.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Do it Center: Store design concept launched in 1982 that revolutionized the look of hardware stores with bright colors and signage.
• Channellock
• Home Impressions
• Best Look
• Best Comfort
• Best Garden
• The Color Bar
• EasyCare
• Majic
• Shur-Line
• Margin Master
• Inventory & Pricing Dashboard
• ADpak
• Best Rewards
• Retail Pulse
• Signature Store Design

Products and services

• The Color Bar

Quantifiable outcome

• 8-58% sales increase for stores completing Signature Store Design Program
• +11 more outcomes

Named customers21 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

AI capability4 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Sherwin-WilliamscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 June 2026Long-term strategic partnership combining Do it Best Group's brand ownership and retailer relationships with Sherwin-Williams' manufacturing depth and innovation. Do it Best retains ownership of EasyCare and Best Look paint brands while Sherwin-Williams assumes manufacturing and acquired Majic and Shur-Line brands. Exclusivity preserved for Do it Best and True Value retailers.
• EpicorcoreTechnology or IntegrationPreferred POS vendor partnership offering Eagle and BisTrack systems to Do it Best members. Partnership provides next-level service capabilities for point-of-sale systems essential for running profitable businesses.
• Margin MastercoreTechnology or IntegrationSoftware partnership helping members maximize inventory margin potential through analysis, management, and retail price change capabilities. Enables weekly price changes, what-if scenarios, and unlimited support.
• Paint Sundries Solutions (PSS)coreTechnology or IntegrationExclusive partnership providing Do it Best members access to thousands of additional paint supply SKUs including regionally popular items and customized assortment planning.
• Nick OffermanminorGTM or Marketing PartnerActor Nick Offerman featured in True Value brand awareness campaign supporting the brand relaunch with national marketing reach.
• SB MowingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerInfluencer partnership as part of True Value 'Sponsor of Grass' campaign extending brand reach through social media and content marketing.
• Synchrony HOMEminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCredit card program allowing members to offer promotional financing. Provides flexibility to choose from extensive financing promotions daily, with marketing and periodic offers funded by Synchrony.
• BIG EAST ConferenceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTrue Value brand partnership as Official Hardware Sponsor of BIG EAST Conference generating nearly 58 million broadcast impressions for brand awareness.

Scale indicators27 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Ace Hardware: Ace Hardware is the largest direct competitor to Do it Best, operating as a member-owned hardware cooperative with ~5,800+ stores across the US and internationally, similar buying-power model, exclusive brands, and similar target member profile of independent hardware retailers. Both compete head-to-head for new member recruitment and end-consumer brand recognition.
• Orgill: Orgill is the third major US hardware/LBM cooperative and Do it Best's most direct head-to-head competitor in wholesale distribution to independent hardware retailers, lumberyards, and home centers. Orgill operates similar distribution centers, vendor programs, and member services targeting the same SMB independent customer base.
• 84 Lumber: 84 Lumber is a major independent lumber and building materials dealer with 250+ locations primarily serving professional contractors. Do it Best's LBM division directly competes for the same independent lumberyard and pro-contractor customer segment, with several Do it Best board members (Russ Kathrein) having previously led at 84 Lumber.

Broad incumbents

• Builders FirstSource: Builders FirstSource is the largest publicly traded US distributor of lumber and building materials, serving both pro contractors and large homebuilders. It represents a much larger, publicly-capitalized competitor in the LBM space where Do it Best competes via its lumber/building materials dealer members.
• US LBM: US LBM is a major private equity-backed national distributor of building materials serving independent lumberyards and pro contractors. It competes with Do it Best's LBM division for member recruitment and serves overlapping end customers in residential and commercial construction.
• Home Depot: Home Depot is the dominant big-box home improvement retailer (~28% market share) and the primary competitive threat Do it Best's independent members face. Do it Best's core value proposition is helping members compete against Home Depot's scale, supply chain, and marketing reach.
• Lowe's: Lowe's is the second-largest big-box home improvement retailer in the US and a direct competitor to Do it Best member stores for DIY consumers, contractors, and home improvement category spend. The cooperative's positioning is partly defined by enabling independents to compete against Lowe's national footprint.
• W.W. Grainger: Grainger is the largest US distributor of MRO (maintenance, repair, operations) supplies, serving industrial and commercial customers. Do it Best's INCOM Distributor Supply division competes in the same MRO space, with Grainger representing the broad incumbent against which INCOM positions itself for independent distributors.
• Fastenal: Fastenal is a major publicly traded distributor of industrial, safety, and MRO supplies with thousands of US locations. It competes with Do it Best's INCOM industrial/commercial distribution network for the same B2B MRO end-customer segment.

Emerging players

• McMaster-Carr: McMaster-Carr is a privately held industrial supply company known for exceptionally broad SKU coverage and rapid shipping - a benchmark for what Do it Best's distribution technology and inventory ambition aspire to enable for independent industrial/MRO distributors via INCOM.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/doitbestcorp
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/doitbest
• Facebookfacebook.com/doitbestcorp
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/about
• Instagraminstagram.com/doitbestcorp

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Do it Best