Through July 2012, Build.com will be donating $1,000 a month to one of five select charities. We're asking our Facebook fans to choose which charity receives our donation.

Northern California-based home improvement company uses light-hearted sales contest as springboard for philanthropy

Chico, CA—What began as a friendly battle for sales supremacy soon evolved into monthly donations to charity. Build.com is gearing up for some fun corporate giving.

In Aug. 2011, Christian Friedland, President of online home improvement company Build.com, challenged Pro salesman Gary Clark to a four-hour sales contest, with the winner’s total to be given to charity. Clark rang up $8,000 in sales, which Build.com (No. 80 on Internet Retailer Magazine’s Top 500 List) will split evenly over an eight-month period.

The first beneficiary was Thanks-A-Bunch, which transforms $10 donations into $50 restaurant gift cards for American veterans.

“The donations are important to help show that Build.com has personality and compassion, which can sometimes get lost today,” Clark said. “We also feel that philanthropy is just one significant aspect of our overall company culture.”

For the second donation, Build.com has asked its Facebook fans to choose from five different charities: Habitat For Humanity, The American Red Cross; Rebuilding Together; LIVESTRONG; and Charity: Water. In addition, according to Social Media manager Mario Magliozzi, “with each monthly poll, we’re encouraging voters to submit their ideas for charities worthy of our attention and donation through July 2012.”

While Friedland originally challenged Clark to the sales duel, it was Clark who envisioned the donations—a collaboration that truly defines the culture at Build.com.

“As a company, we’ve been highly successful in our space, and as a result have the opportunity to be generous and philanthropic,” Magliozzi said. “It’s also part of our company culture to be creative and willing to try out new ideas. So when an employee suggests that we consider an idea like this, we listen.”

Build.com offers the most efficient online home improvement shopping experience. The Northern California-based company also has a zeal for helping meaningful causes. In July 2010, Build.com responded to the record-setting floods in Nasvhille, Tenn., and donated $5,000 to the charity Hands On Nashville via Facebook campaign. Build.com has also volunteered at two different building sites for the local Habitat For Humanity chapter in 2010 and 2011.

About Build.com
Based in Chico, Calif., Build.com is innovating the online home improvement retail space. Build.com creates a unique shopping experience by encouraging customers to visit a diverse range of niche stores within its network. Build.com, the second-largest online home improvement company, is among the online category leaders in plumbing, lighting, door hardware and ventilation. For more information on Build.com, visit the company’s corporate site or its Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/BuildDotCom.

Contact: Sean Murphy, Public Relations, Build.com, smurphy(at)build(dot)com and (800) 375-3403, x476.

Chico, CA, Sept. 27, 2011—Build.com offers the most efficient and enjoyable online home improvement shopping experience. The Northern California-based company also has a zeal for helping meaningful causes.

And it’s most gratifying when they do both.

Build.com (No. 80 on Internet Retailer Magazine’s Top 500 List) and its network store FaucetDirect.com have partnered with GROHE to take part in the Hope Flows™ initiative, benefitting The Breast Cancer Research Foundation. The goal, says GROHE’s VP of Marketing Tamara Jurgenson, is to fund a research project for an entire year—which translates into $250,000.

“Everyone knows someone who has been affected by breast cancer,” Jurgenson said. “And breast cancer has deeply affected many in the GROHE family. We are passionate about finding a cure.”

With each purchase of their LadyLux 3 Café or LadyLux3 Plus kitchen faucet, GROHE’s Hope Flows™ program will contribute $25 to BCRF. This amount will help sponsor 30 minutes of research time—hence the initiative’s tagline, “30 Minutes of Research Time, 30 Minutes of Hope.”

GROHE will also donate $10 for every pink Rainshower Icon hand shower sold. These fixtures can be found on Build.com and FaucetDirect.com.

“Many of the people who sell and buy our product are in the group most impacted by this horrible disease,” Jurgenson said. “BCRF has a singular focus on research and is dedicated to preventing breast cancer and finding a cure in our lifetime by funding clinical and translational research worldwide.”

The Hope Flows™ initiative launched April 2010 in participating showrooms and will end Oct. 31, 2011. Build.com joined the initiative Sept. 19, 2011.

“In addition to purchasing a participating GROHE fixture, anyone can make personal contributions directly to the Hope Flows™ website,” said Kaivan Farahmand, the GROHE brand manager for Build.com.

The official Hope Flows™ site can be found here.

About Build.com
Headquartered in Chico, Calif., Build.com has established itself as an innovator in the online home improvement retail space. Build.com creates a unique shopping experience by encouraging customers to visit a diverse range of niche stores within its network. Build.com is among the online category leaders in plumbing, lighting, door hardware and ventilation. Build.com currently employs more than 250 people and continues to be a pioneer in the home improvement industry. For more information on Build.com, visit the company’s corporate site at corp.build.com or its Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/BuildDotCom.

Contact: Sean Murphy, Public Relations, Build.com, smurphy(at)build(dot)com and (800) 375-3403, x476.

Chico, CA (PRWEB) Aug. 23, 2011—When customers browse Build.com (No. 80 on Internet Retailer Magazine’s Top 500 List) to shop for a Jacuzzi tub, they will now have the industry’s most comprehensive buying guide at their fingertips. Through a collaborative effort with Jacuzzi, Build.com has released “Jacuzzi University.”

This first-of-its-kind, nine-part video series addresses every potential question a Jacuzzi shopper could have. And those questions can add up if someone is shopping for a product as multifaceted as a Jacuzzi tub, said Zak Kerns, Jacuzzi brand manager at Build.com.

“Instructional and marketing videos are common, but rarely do you find media that also targets shopping,” said Kerns. “I looked at the sticking points our customers have while shopping Jacuzzi tubs, and used these as the framework for the video series.

“Jacuzzi University is free of fluff, so watching the entire series only takes about 15 minutes.”

Scripting, filming and editing the Jacuzzi buying guide were all done in-house by the Media Team at Build.com, and the video series can be found by typing  “Jacuzzi University” into the search bar at Build.com, FaucetDirect.com, Faucet.com and YouTube.com.

As North America’s leading online distributor of bathtubs, Build.com has successfully shipped over 25,000 Jacuzzi products in over 10 years. So partnering with Jacuzzi for such a unique series seemed natural.

“Jacuzzi is the worldwide leader in luxury tubs for two reasons. Their tubs are extremely well built, and they offer unparalleled options,” Kerns said. “While words and pictures can tell you this, they only go so far. I wanted to show it.”

And as one might imagine, Jacuzzi has been thrilled with the result.

“It increases their online visibility and goes a long way to illustrate the quality of Jacuzzi products to the online customer base, which is a major hurdle for manufacturers,” Kerns said.

A photo album of screenshots from Jacuzzi University can be seen on Flickr.com on Build.com’s photostream here.

About Build.com
Headquartered in Chico, Calif., Build.com has established itself as an innovator in the online home improvement retail space. Build.com creates a unique shopping experience by encouraging customers to visit a diverse range of niche stores within its network. Build.com is among the online category leaders in plumbing, lighting, door hardware and ventilation. Build.com currently employs more than 250 people and continues to be a pioneer in the home improvement industry. For more information on Build.com, visit the company’s corporate site at corp.build.com or its Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/BuildDotCom.

Contact: Sean Murphy, Public Relations, Build.com, smurphy(at)build(dot)com and (800) 375-3403, x476.

Build.com fielded a four-member team to take part in the Team LIVESTRONG Challenge Davis in July 2011. Devin Van Hout and Jason Childs each rode 105 miles, while John Thomas and Daniel Shipman both rode 70 miles. Together, the four-member team raised $1,070 to go toward cancer research.

Build.com fielded a four-member team to take part in the Team LIVESTRONG Challenge Davis in July 2011. Devin Van Hout and Jason Childs each rode 105 miles, while John Thomas and Daniel Shipman both rode 70 miles. Together, the four-member team raised $1,070 to go toward cancer research.
While continuing to enjoy profitable growth in an unstable economy, online home improvement retailer Build.com (No. 80 on the Internet Retailer Magazine Top 500 List) supports and encourages its employees to take part in extra-curricular sports and fundraisers. Earlier this month, four employees of the Chico, Calif.-based home improvement company took part in the Team LIVESTRONG Challenge in nearby Davis, Calif.

The Davis leg of the three-part cycling series offered distances ranging from 20 to 105 miles. Plumbing brand managers John Thomas and Dan Shipman rode 70 miles, and HVAC category manager Devin Van Hout and plumbing category manager Jason Childs completed the full 105 miles.

“Jason and I have been riding quite a bit this spring and summer,” said Van Hout. “One of his skydiving friends told us about this ride. We decided to gather a group at Build.com and jump on this opportunity to ride in beautiful Davis and raise money for a worthy cause.”

The LIVESTRONG Foundation, formerly the Lance Armstrong Foundation, is dedicated to raising funds for cancer research and providing awareness, educational resources and support for those affected by the disease.

Build.com, the leading online-only home improvement retailer, takes part in fundraising and philanthropic events. In 2010, a number of employees volunteered on two separate builds for the local Habitat For Humanity chapter.

And during last year’s floods in Nashville, Tenn., Build.com pledged to donate $1 for every new fan it garnered on its Facebook page during June 2010. The company contributed $5,000 to Hands On Nashville, a non-profit helping those in Nashville and the surrounding areas.

According to the Sacramento Business Journal, the Team LIVESTRONG Challenge Davis attracted 1,400 participants from 36 states and nine countries and raised $880,000. The Build.com team raised $1,070 to go toward cancer research. The two remaining stops in this year’s Team LIVESTRONG Challenge are Philadelphia (Aug. 20-21) and Austin, Texas (Oct. 15-16).

Childs, a skydiving enthusiast, said riding with the Build.com team alongside Gravity and Gears (led by his skydiving friends) was a definite highlight of the day.

“Even when I was struggling, they stayed with me and we all finished together,” Childs said. “I personally loved the finish when the Build.com team all rode together four-wide. It was a great moment.”

A photo album of the event can be seen on the Build.com photostream on Flickr.com here.

About Build.com

Headquartered in Chico, Calif., Build.com has established itself as an innovator in the online home improvement retail space. Build.com creates a unique web experience by encouraging customers to visit a diverse range of niche stores within its network. Build.com is among the online category leaders in plumbing, lighting, door hardware and ventilation. Build.com currently employs more than 250 people and continues to grow and pioneer in the home improvement industry. For more information on Build.com, visit the company’s corporate site at corp.build.com or visit its Facebook page.

Contact: Sean Murphy, Public Relations, Build.com, smurphy@build.com and (800) 375-3403, x476.

Chico, California-based company augments its jump up Internet Retailer’s Top 500 List with 150,000 Facebook fans

Chico, CA (PRWEB) June 15, 2011—A year after ramping up its social media presence, Build.com, Inc. has built a large community of brand zealots. From a considerable following on Twitter to hundreds of videos featuring product reviews, quick tips and design ideas on its YouTube channel, the company’s biggest social media splash has come on its Facebook page, surpassing 150,000 fans last month.

This milestone comes on the heels of Build.com’s ascent up the Internet Retailer Magazine Top 500 List to No. 80. Build.com Social Media manager Mario Magliozzi says that engaging customers on a social level to encourage word-of-mouth promotion loyalty and driving brand awareness remains absolutely vital to social media success.

“For many companies, getting involved in social media is a requirement to avoid missing out on sales opportunities or customer service requests that may otherwise go unnoticed,” he said.

While individuals (musicians, actors, athletes) seem to amass thousands of fans much easier, convincing Facebook users to become a fan of a brand is far more challenging. But Build.com has prospered through the use of tools like TweetDeck and HootSuite, as well as Google Analytics and Adobe/Omniture. And working with talented Design and Media teams, instead of using the expertise of outside agencies, has helped to drive Build.com’s success.

“Working in-house, alongside highly skilled Design and Media teams, has helped drive our success,” Magliozzi said.

Build.com has also realized the power of cause marketing in social media. During last year’s deadly floods in Nashville, Tenn., the company pledged to donate $1 for every new Facebook fan it earned during the entire month of June 2010. This experiment paid huge dividends, as Build.com donated $5,000 to Hands On Nashville, a local non-profit committed to helping those in Nashville and the surrounding areas.

According to Magliozzi, this is the type of engagement Build.com envisioned for its Facebook fans—not just direct product pitches for, say, faucets or when sales begin and end.

“Our community enjoys responding to thought-provoking questions about relevant topics,” he said. “We’re also focused on providing a place where our community can discover, learn about and engage with our key vendors and brands that we sell.”

About Build.com
Headquartered in Chico, Calif., Build.com has established itself as an innovative and prominent presence in the online home improvement retail space. Build.com creates a unique web experience by encouraging customers to visit a diverse range of niche stores within its network. Build.com is among the online category leaders in plumbing, lighting, door hardware, and ventilation. Build.com currently employs more than 250 people and continues to grow and pioneer in the home improvement industry. For more information on Build.com, visit the company’s corporate site at corp.build.com or visit its Facebook page.

Contact: Sean Murphy, Public Relations, Build.com, smurphy@build.com and (800) 375-3403, x476.

Northern California company passes behemoth Lowe’s to become second largest online home improvement retailer

Chico, CA (PRWEB) May 9, 2011—Build.com, Inc. has jumped up on the Internet Retailer Magazine’s latest Top 500 rankings to No. 80, surpassing home improvement giant Lowe’s to become the second-largest online home improvement retailer.

The 17-spot jump marks the fourth consecutive double-digit leap for the Chico, Calif., based company. Vice President of Marketing Brandon Proctor credits the success to the entire 250-member team of Build.com.

“There’s no one thing or one person that helped us achieve these results,” Proctor said. “We have an amazing culture and an incredible team of smart, motivated individuals who are constantly innovating and finding a better way.”

Build.com founder and President Christian Friedland started the company in 2000 as FaucetDirect.com selling plumbing products online. The company gradually added a network of stores over the ensuing years, and after a record-breaking 2009, Build.com’s online sales for 2010 eclipsed $240 million, a 46 percent increase over the previous year.

With the continuing uncertainty plaguing many economic sectors, Build.com has remained ahead of the curve with their marketing strategy, product selection and pledge to providing the best buying experience for consumers choosing to fix up their homes rather than move.

“While the overall number for new housing construction are dismal, we’ve seen a positive trend in the repair and remodel market,” Friedland said. “To our benefit, much more of this purchasing is now being done online.”

The Build.com Network of Stores includes FaucetDirect.com, LightingDirect.com and HandleSets.com, as well as PullsDirect.com, VentingDirect.com and VentingPipe.com.

About Build.com

Headquartered in Chico, Calif., Build.com has established itself as an innovative and prominent presence in the online home improvement retail space. Build.com creates a unique web experience by encouraging customers to visit a diverse range of niche stores within its network. Build.com is among the online category leaders in plumbing, lighting, door hardware, and ventilation. Build.com currently employs more than 250 people and continues to grow and pioneer in the home improvement industry. For more information on Build.com, please visit the company’s corporate site at corp.build.com or visit its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/BuildDotCom.

Contact: Sean Murphy, Public Relations, Build.com, smurphy@build.com and (800) 375-3403, x476, or Brandon Proctor, VP of Marketing, brandon@build.com and (800) 375-3403, x537.

Chico, Calif. (PRWEB) Oct. 6, 2010—Build.com, Inc., No. 97 Internet Retailer Top 500 Guide, announced today the appointment of David Berman as executive vice president.

In addition to his direct responsibility for sourcing, vendor brand development and business development, Berman will hold a key role in helping to strategize the next stage of growth for Build.com, the leading online merchant of home improvement products.

Berman was co-founder and CEO of Decorative Product Source (DPS), the industry’s first online merchant of decorative home products until 2009, when its relationship with Build.com changed via their now-common parent, UK-based Wolseley PLC. Prior to that, Berman was a principal and CEO of Ral Supply Group, a multi-branch wholesale distributor and two-time winner of the “Wholesaler of the Year” award by Supply House Times magazine.

“Our whole team is thrilled that David has agreed to return to an active role within Build.com,” said Chris Friedland, President of Build.com. “His industry experience with all the channels of distribution, his industry relationships, his record of innovation and his ability to see future trends make David a key participant in developing and executing the strategic plan for our next stage of growth.”

Build.com is the most successful online merchant of plumbing, lighting, door hardware and ventilation products, and is currently the third-largest home improvement products merchant online. Build.com maintains its corporate headquarters in Chico, California.

About Build.com

Headquartered in Chico, Calif., Build.com has established itself as a groundbreaking and prominent presence in the online home improvement space. Build.com creates a unique web experience in the way it encourages customers to visit a diverse range of “niche” stores within its network. Build.com is among the online category leaders in plumbing, lighting, door hardware and ventilation. Build.com currently employs more than 250 people and continues to grow and pioneer in the home improvement industry. For more information on Build.com, please visit the company’s web site at www.build.com or visit its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/BuildDotCom.

Contact: Sean Murphy, Public Relations, Build.com, (800) 375-3403, x476.

Northern California online home improvement pioneer will donate materials and dedicate a day of volunteering to help with a “build”

Chico, CA (PRWEB) Sept. 27, 2010—Build.com, Inc., No. 97 Internet Retailer Top 500 Guide, announced today that it would help Habitat For Humanity of Butte County (Calif.). It will contribute $2,500 worth of products to a three-room, one-bedroom house in south Chico. Then, on Oct. 2, 2010, nearly 100 Build.com employees will donate their time to the actual building of the home.

Habitat For Humanity of Butte County spokeswoman Darlene Giampaoli said that even with grants, volunteer labor and donations, estimated building costs for a home are $45,000 per house. So, every donation, whether it’s cash, product, or manpower, is greatly appreciated.

“Habitat For Humanity of Butte County benefits when local organizations get involved because we see the initial benefit with volunteers helping us with the build,” Giampaoli said. “But we also see a residual benefit as volunteers have a positive experience and tell their friends. Public awareness increases and, in turn, we see more volunteers and more donations.”

Brandon Proctor, VP of Marketing at Build.com, sees this as an opportunity to help those less fortunate in Butte County, even when the economy remains a bit wobbly.

“In the economic storm we’re still weathering, it’s important now, more than ever, to reach out and help those in need. We’re grateful to have the means to do so,” Proctor said. “It’s important to us to help out whenever we can, and it’s even more personal when we’re able to support the needs of our local community.”

About Build.com

Headquartered in Chico, Calif., Build.com has established itself as a groundbreaking and prominent presence in the online home improvement retail space. Build.com creates a unique web experience in the way that it encourages customers to visit a diverse range of “niche” stores within its network. Build.com is among the online category leaders in plumbing, lighting, door hardware, and ventilation. Build.com currently employs more than 250 people and continues to grow and pioneer in the home improvement industry. For more information on Build.com, please visit the company’s web site at www.build.com or visit its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/BuildDotCom.

Contact: Sean Murphy, Public Relations, Build.com, (800) 375-3403, x476.

Build.com ties Nashville flood relief efforts to social media and donates $1 to Hands On Nashville for every new Facebook fan in the month of June

Chico, CA (PRWEB) July 13, 2010— Build.com, Inc., No. 97 Internet Retailer Top 500 Guide, announced it will donate $5,000 to the flood relief efforts in Nashville, Tenn., and the surrounding areas through Hands On Nashville. Build.com, a one-stop shop for a wide range of home improvement categories, met its goal of 5,000 new fans on its Facebook fan page for the month of June, and will donate $1 for each of those fans to the Nashville-based non-profit organization.

“The response we received from our efforts was not only successful, but it also inspired many other businesses and organizations to do the same,” said Brandon Proctor, Build.com’s Vice President of Marketing. “Our hearts go out to the people of Nashville, and we hope to be able to continue to assist in such causes in the future.”

Triggered by a lack of media coverage of the Nashville flood, Build.com felt compelled to help the victims in some way. Through an expanded commitment to social media—Facebook, Twitter and YouTube—Build.com was able to achieve what it set out to do. It also tapped into the power of social media, and realized this is only the beginning.

“Social media is both the voice of Build.com and gives our customers and non-customers a voice, as well,” Proctor said. “Social media will continue to give us the opportunity to convey our company’s commitment to creating the best buying experience in home improvement. Lastly, it will help us to inform people that they have another choice when shopping for their home improvement needs, and that we care about that.”

About Build.com

Headquartered in Chico, Calif., Build.com has established itself as a groundbreaking and prominent presence in the online home improvement retail space. Build.com creates a unique web experience in the way that it encourages customers to visit a diverse range of “niche” stores within its network. Build.com is among the online category leaders in plumbing, lighting, door hardware, and ventilation. Build.com currently employs more than 250 people and continues to grow and pioneer in the home improvement industry. For more information on Build.com, please visit the company’s web site at www.build.com or visit its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/BuildDotCom.

Contact: Sean Murphy, Public Relations, Build.com, (800) 375-3403, x476.

Northern California online home improvement pioneer will tie donations to Facebook followers throughout the month of June

Chico, CA (PRWEB) June 1, 2010—Build.com, Inc., No. 97 Internet Retailer Top 500 Guide, announced today that it has pledged to make a donation to the flood relief efforts in Nashville, Tenn., and the surrounding areas. The one-stop shop for a broad number of home improvement categories will contribute $1 for every follower it receives on its Facebook fan page until June 30, up to $5,000.

“This is something we feel compelled to address,” said Brandon Proctor, Build.com’s Vice President of Marketing. “We’re doing well as a company, but I think it’s important that we’re able to give back to our community and our nation when people are in need. Our success is due to the people of this country, and we want to help them too.”

Build.com has been growing its online presence through a number of social marketing channels, and is proud to call this its first fundraising effort through such channels. With the reach of its social media channels—such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube—Build.com is hoping to set a positive example for other American companies.

“The end result, I would hope that this inspires more people and organizations to contribute and to feel the need to help the people of Nashville,” Proctor said.

About Build.com

Headquartered in Chico, Calif., Build.com has established itself as a groundbreaking and prominent presence in the online home improvement retail space. Build.com creates a unique web experience in the way that it encourages customers to visit a diverse range of “niche” stores within its network. Build.com is among the online category leaders in plumbing, lighting, door hardware, and ventilation. Build.com currently employs more than 200 people and continues to grow and pioneer in the home improvement industry. For more information on Build.com, please visit the company’s web site at www.build.com or visit its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/BuildDotCom.

Contact: Sean Murphy, Public Relations, Build.com, (800) 375-3403, x476.