Why The Home Depot Is One Of The Most Innovative Companies Of 2017

In 2016, the Home Depot delivered an estimated $90 billion in annual revenue—and it did it without opening a new U.S. big-box store in the past three years.

“Our economic engine used to be driven by new square footage,” admits CFO Carol Tomé. Her orange-aproned crew shifted away from that model by integrating digital and in-store shopping, paying particular attention to products that tend to be unfriendly for e-commerce.

Customers who crave in-person advice can now order via the website but pick up at a retail location, or select items in-store and buy online from smartphone-wielding sales associates. “We had to invest in the experience that our customers wanted,” Tomé says.

This article is part of our coverage of the World’s Most Innovative Companies of 2017.

A version of this article appeared in the March 2017 issue of Fast Company magazine.