Norwalk Furniture has unveiled a new Web site designed to appeal to the shopping habits of 30- to 55-year-old shoppers.
Special features were added as the result of research by marketing students at the University of Akron.
“The students opened our eyes to what younger shoppers really want in the shopping research phase, and we listened,” says Reyna Moore, vice president of marketing and merchandising for Norwalk Furniture, Norwalk, Ohio. “Of utmost importance is beautiful imagery and making detailed information about our products easily accessible. Our goal quickly became to create the ultimate pre-shopping experience that will draw consumers into the stores of our dealers.”
The navigation and lightening speed of the site features multiple filter options that enable the consumer to narrow the product line and fabrics to their lifestyle, their color and pattern preferences, and the right scale for their room size.
“The size of your home and the rooms in it dictates the size of the furniture you buy, and those living in small spaces have an even bigger challenge,” Moore said. “The marketing students suggested that we present the home type and the square footage so that only products in the right scale are shown when she clicks on ‘Shop by Room Size.’ We agree that is a fabulous suggestion to streamline the shopping experience.”
The site also lets consumers try out their own design combinations by quickly outfitting all upholstery in their choice of fabrics, nailhead treatments and wood finishes. Each product they create features product specifications for future reference, which can be saved to a personal portfolio on the site, shared with friends through a variety of social media platforms, and printed to take to the store when they are ready to place the order. Consumers may request up to five fabric swatches at no cost.
“When women of all ages are furnishing their homes, they look for inspiration. It was a top priority to be certain that our imagery is beautiful, not just from the perspective of the photography but as a result of the technology that adds depth and intense saturation,” Moore said. “By presenting products as five lifestyles, shoppers are more easily able to see themselves in the settings, and then to drill down into specific frames and fabrics offering the same point of view. Our merchandising team shares their design inspiration in our Spring and Fall Color trends, and the ‘Things We Love’ in fashion and architecture from around the world.”
