Data Depot
A deep dive into what the “largest home improvement retailer in the world” really knows about consumers
July 2026
Abstract
This study examines how an increasingly data-driven retail business model operates in practice. We collected and reviewed personal information reports obtained by 10 Home Depot customers across four states. These reports, requested through data access rights, provide insight into the types of information the company collects, infers, and shares about individual consumers. This study is based on a non-representative sample of voluntarily submitted reports and is not intended to measure prevalence across the broader population. Rather, it provides an exploratory view into contemporary data practices. A supplementary discussion of relevant factors identified in prior research is included to contextualize how such data collection, inference, and sharing practices may arise.
Questions
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What kinds of personal data does Home Depot collect, infer, and maintain about its customers?
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What mechanisms does Home Depot collect and generate customer data?
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How is customer data used, shared, sold or aggregated within Home Depot's broader commercial ecosystem?
Findings
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The reports reviewed include inferences on household child profiles, including the presence, number, and age ranges of children.
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The reports reviewed show a collection of extensive geolocation data, including IP-based location information, that may or may not correspond to individuals’ actual physical locations.
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The reports reviewed include inferences on a broad range of socioeconomic indicators, including financial behavior, educational attainment, and occupational classification.
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Home Depot documents numerous ways it can collect user information, including through tracking online account activity and/or promotional communications, enrollment in the PRO Xtra loyalty program (for large volume purchasing businesses), or through PRO Referral online accounts (for contractors, workers, and professionals).
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The reports reviewed contain inaccurate information, resulting in profiles that misrepresent individuals and, in some cases, their households and families.
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Home Depot claims to collect, share, or monetize customer information through numerous third-party data brokers, making it difficult to determine how information on customers is obtained.
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Beyond being a retailer, Home Depot operates a contractor marketplace (Pro Referral) that connects customers with independent service professionals and an in-house retail media network (Orange Apron Media) that enables brands to advertise across its digital and in-store channels.