Home Depot buys a big roofing company; is that good or bad for you?
Last month's column addressed the phenomenon of little mom-‘n-pop stores successfully competing against famous giant chains in a variety of retail businesses ranging from sandwich shops to pet supplies to bookstores. The subject hits closer to home with the recent news that Home Depot has agreed to acquire Installed Products USA (IPUSA), an installer of residential replacement roofing. IPUSA will become part of Big Orange's At-Home Services group, which provides installation services for "buy-it-yourself-but-do-it-for-me" customers.
Gulp. It's one thing to wax philosophical about competition by pointing to businesses that have nothing to do with roofing. It's quite another to confront a real-world situation. Do I still abide by the title of last month's article and continue to say, "Competition is good for you"?