Building Supply Customers Call Before They Drive Over
Phone calls made up 13% of actions on the typical building materials and supplies Google Business Profile in Diib's data, more than double the 6% share for businesses in other industries.
Building supply customers use Google profiles to call ahead far more than most shoppers. If calls go unanswered or the profile's hours are wrong, a customer who was ready to buy may call the next supplier on the list.
Before a contractor or homeowner drives to a lumber yard, stone supplier or flooring warehouse, many want to know one thing: do you have it in stock? Diib’s Google Business Profile data suggests they pick up the phone to find out.
From a Google Business Profile, people can take three main actions: call you, click to your website or request directions.
What the data shows
Diib looked at Google Business Profiles connected to Diib with at least 500 views between June 29 and September 26, 2026:
- For the median building materials and supplies business (299 profiles), phone calls made up 13% of actions, versus 6% for about 12,400 profiles in other industries.
- Direction requests made up 51% of actions, versus 59% elsewhere. Website clicks were about the same, 29% versus 30%.
- 31% of building supply profiles got at least 1 in 5 of their actions as phone calls, versus 15% of other profiles.
What this does and doesn’t tell you
This is aggregated Diib data from profiles connected to Diib. It counts taps on the call button, not answered calls or completed sales. It also can’t tell contractors from homeowners.
The pattern fits the product. Building materials are heavy, bulky and often specific: a certain size, grade or color. A wasted trip is costly, so customers check first. For these businesses, the phone line is part of the storefront.