While home furnishings retailers face unprecedented challenges, our industry has a history of resilience. Currently, the effects of production halts, labor shortages, raw material delays, and logistical challenges are compounded in the home furnishings industry. Furniture, bedding, and appliance retailers are all feeling the impact of product scarcity.   This article is here to provide several technology-driven strategies to plan for inconsistencies the industry is facing. After all, retailers want to keep their operational burdens behind the scenes and find creative ways to deliver posit ..read more

In today’s world, everyone has a smartphone. I am constantly using my phone to research, browse, and make impulsive purchases.  That is, until recently, when I stepped outside of my comfort zone and made a big-ticket purchase; new sofas. I found out that the shopping journey for buying furniture was very different than my normal mobile purchases of clothing or shoes. Typically, I see an ad or a sale, go to that online retailer, add items to my cart, and click the “Buy Now” button; all within a 30 minute span. Even though my journey to find new sofas started with my normal shopping habit o ..read more

The last thing I wanted to do at 9 am on a Saturday morning was get my car’s oil changed. When my alarm went off, I was not a happy camper. Yet, the morning I was about to have at my local Subaru dealership turned out to be one of the best customer experiences I have had in a long time. When my boyfriend and I pulled up to the service station, a friendly attendant was there with a smile on his face. He held the door and led us to be promptly checked in by another cheerful representative. While I had been dreading the idea of having to waste precious weekend time on a tedious task, I was instan ..read more

The current state of the world is shining a light on our everyday heroes. Medical professionals and first-responders are fighting tirelessly for our well-being and retail employees are putting their own health second so we can buy essentials like food and medicine. Their bravery is astounding. As we all are spending more time than ever before in our own homes, I wanted to take this time to reflect on some of our industry heroes. The home furnishings retail employees, from sales associates and delivery fleets to IT and warehouse teams, that help us make our house a home. A place where we can fe ..read more

In an industry with more competition than ever, the importance of earning repeat customers has never been more crucial. The more loyal customers a retailer secures, the more successful it will be. Understanding the advantages of earning repeat customers is the foundation to grow your company. Before diving into improving your company’s customer retention rate, it is important to understand how it will positively affect your company. Here are 7 reasons to prioritize a customer retention strategy: Studies have shown that it costs nearly 7 times more to acquire a new customer than it does to kee ..read more

Retail success relies on customer retention. While a store full of customers is ideal, the number that truly counts is how many are loyal to your brand. Repeat customers add value to your business in the form of increased sales, higher conversion rates, and positive word of mouth advertising. According to Bain & Company, increasing your customer retention rates by 5% can generate a 25% increase in profit. Focusing on your customer retention strategy is a cost-effective way to grow your business. So, how do retailers retain customers? The foundation is delivering unforgettable customer exp ..read more

The last thing I wanted to do at 9 am on a Saturday morning was get my car’s oil changed. When my alarm went off, I was not a happy camper. Yet, the morning I was about to have at my local Subaru dealership turned out to be one of the best customer experiences I have had in a long time. When my boyfriend and I pulled up to the service station, a friendly attendant was there with a smile on his face. He held the door and led us to be promptly checked in by another cheerful representative. While I had been dreading the idea of having to waste precious weekend time on a tedious task, I was instan ..read more

As a former retail employee in the home furnishings industry, I learned the ins and outs of delivering both positive and negative customer experiences firsthand. Having an excellent memory has always been an asset, but I never knew how much I would rely on it until my first retail job. It was there that my memory of the store would make up for a non-existent inventory tracking system. From the moment I walked into the store, I would memorize the location of the smallest dishware, fluffiest bed sets, and grandest pieces of furniture. That way, when a customer came in looking for an item, I knew ..read more

The moment a customer completes a purchase is an emotional high point in their buying journey. Their decision fatigue has ended, and the customer has found something they love. We’ve all experienced this firsthand. While the customer’s shopping experience has come to an “end”, in reality, the ball is just passing into the retailer’s court. Unless you’re selling a product that the customer is taking with them, there is still work to be done to ensure a successful purchase. Retailers have many opportunities to keep the upward momentum of consumer happiness going. Now that the purchase is complet ..read more