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Two independent retailers described using Rundoo’s AI assistant to streamline routine tasks and improve operations during a webinar hosted by the North American Hardware and Paint Association and Rundoo. The retailers said faster checkout and less time spent on mundane work can help them compete with larger chains, but the report provides no quantified productivity or sales results.
Two independent home-improvement retailers said they are using Rundoo’s AI assistant to streamline everyday operations, including checkout and time-consuming routine tasks, during a webinar hosted by the North American Hardware and Paint Association and Rundoo. Their accounts describe potential ways technology can help independent stores compete with big-box retailers, though the report provides no measured results for productivity, sales or costs.
Ashmore Paint president Bradley Strayer and B-Town Plumbing and Electrical Supply owners Jason and Tilenna Hill joined Rundoo CEO Nick Hershey to discuss their use of the company’s AI tools. The webinar focused on automating everyday work, streamlining store operations and supporting business decisions.
Strayer said Rundoo enables his store to serve customers more quickly at checkout than its previous point-of-sale system. He framed that improvement as a competitive advantage, alongside the ability to price merchandise competitively through buying groups. His comments describe the store’s experience; the report does not provide checkout-time comparisons or independent performance data.
The Hills said the tools reduce time spent on mundane tasks, leaving them more time to support employees. They said better-supported employees can, in turn, provide stronger customer service. The source report does not specify which tasks were automated, how many hours were saved or what the system costs.
How Faster Service Could Help Independents
Independent retailers often compete with large chains that have substantial technology resources. The examples shared at the webinar suggest that faster checkout and fewer hours spent on routine work may help smaller businesses improve service without requiring staff to devote as much attention to administrative tasks.
The proposed benefit is not automation for its own sake. Hershey argued that technology could handle nonservice work so retailers can spend more time helping customers. The Hills’ account connects that idea to employee support, while Strayer’s focuses on checkout speed and competitive selling. These are retailer and vendor statements, not evidence that AI has produced the same outcomes across the independent channel.
For owners weighing new systems, the discussion offers examples of possible uses but not a return-on-investment analysis. Without figures on implementation costs, labor savings or sales changes, readers cannot tell how the benefits compare with the expense or whether they would transfer to other stores.
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Retailers Describe Their Rundoo Use
The account appeared in Hardware Retailing on November 2, 2026, under the headline “AI Brings Efficiencies, Productivity to Independent Channel.” It covered a webinar run by the North American Hardware and Paint Association and Rundoo, a technology provider whose AI assistant was the focus of the retailers’ discussion.
The webinar brought together two businesses from different parts of the home-improvement trade: Ashmore Paint and B-Town Plumbing and Electrical Supply. Their comments addressed operational use rather than a formal industry study. The source does not describe a controlled comparison, survey of retailers or results across multiple locations.
Hershey encouraged retailers to test AI across business workflows. Strayer and the Hills supplied examples from their own operations, including checkout service and taking routine work off owners’ plates. The distinction matters: the webinar presents firsthand experiences and the vendor’s view of possible applications, not a broad measure of adoption or impact.
“We encourage retailers to ‘Try AI first’ because AI is a revolutionary foundational technology that can help in many, many workflows in the business.”
— Rundoo CEO Nick Hershey
Costs and Measured Results Not Reported
The report does not give productivity figures, checkout-time data, labor-hour savings, sales changes or a financial return for either retailer. It also does not identify the specific workflows automated, the implementation timeline, system costs or how the tools were integrated with existing operations.
It is not clear whether the retailers’ experiences are typical of independent stores or how results vary by business size, staffing and product mix. The reported benefits come from participating retailers and Rundoo’s CEO during a webinar; no independent evaluation or comparison with retailers not using the product is included.
Further Details Depend on Webinar
Hardware Retailing directed readers to the full webinar conversation for additional details about how the two businesses use AI and Rundoo in their operations. The report did not announce a new product launch, rollout schedule or follow-up study.
More information on costs, implementation and measured outcomes would be needed to assess whether the retailers’ reported efficiencies translate into sustained gains. Until those details are available, the webinar provides operational examples rather than a quantified case for adoption across the independent channel.
Key Questions
Which retailers discussed using AI?
Ashmore Paint president Bradley Strayer and B-Town Plumbing and Electrical Supply owners Jason and Tilenna Hill spoke at the webinar.
What tasks did the retailers say Rundoo helps with?
Strayer said the system allows his store to serve customers more quickly at checkout than its previous point-of-sale system. The Hills said it takes mundane, time-consuming tasks off their plates, but the report does not name those tasks.
Who hosted the webinar?
The North American Hardware and Paint Association and Rundoo hosted the event. Rundoo CEO Nick Hershey joined the retailers for the discussion.
Did the report quantify productivity or financial gains?
No. It includes retailer accounts of operational benefits but gives no figures for time saved, checkout speed, sales, costs or return on investment.
Where can readers find more information?
Hardware Retailing pointed readers to the full webinar conversation for more detail about how the retailers use AI and Rundoo.
Source: hardwareretailing.com
