Consumer Connection

Carpet retailers attract today’s consumer

Tuesday, July 3, 2018

CarpetsPlus supports its Happy Pets SmartStrand carpet display with its Shop for the Paws event.

Specialty flooring dealers have a challenging job. Standing out from big box retailers, getting the consumer’s attention, drawing shoppers into showrooms, showing the right assortment and closing the sale are all essential parts of the business.

FCW spoke to some successful carpet dealers for advice on the best ways to attract the shopper and make the sale.

Getting consumers into the showroom is the first challenge in today’s digital world. “We have found a lot of success around special sales like National Karastan Month, a Stainmaster Event, Shaw Mail-In Rebates, etc.,” reported David Chambers, director of flooring at Nebraska Furniture Mart (NFM). “Especially when you tie all of the marketing pieces together like traditional print and TV along with the social media and email targeting.”

You don’t have to break the bank on advertising for it to work. While Fred’s CarpetsPlus Colortile doesn’t advertise all that much, it has found some effective strategies, according to Gerry Butler, president of the two-location business in Torrance, Calif. “We do participate in Karastan Month twice a year when we put up large outside banners. We also put a round sticker with the Karastan month sale label on the cover of our local newspaper with a quarter page ad within the paper,” he explained. “But, I think our most effective promotions are 30 second spots on the Time Warner Cable channel called a donut, which have a changeable sale announcement in the middle. We also feature manufacturer sales on our website fredscarpetsplus.com.”

Get Personal
Reach out to specific shoppers, dealers reported. And, being part of a group can help. “Events are always effective if you do them right,” advised David Ellis, creative director and public relations manager at Alliance Flooring, parent company of CarpetsPlus Colortile, Carpetland USA and Floorco. “Something like ‘A Night with Interior Designer Jane Doe’ for realtors, remodeling companies and/or builders and others you think might be interested can work. Or maybe a private sale with special deals for past customers only.”

Like any other important part of your business, special events demand preparation. “You can’t just plan it a week before and expect any results. You have to send invitations and make it worth the time of your target audience to attend. Announce it repeatedly in all your ads and communications. These events are good at targeting specific groups of influential people,” Ellis stressed.

Another strategy to do good business is by doing good. “Many people, especially Millennials, love causes,” Ellis pointed out. “They love to see their causes cross over into other things like shopping.”

Alliance encourages its members to run two cause-based events during the year — Shop for the Paws to benefit local animal charities like shelters and Shop for the Cause to support breast cancer charities. “These have helped our members connect with their local communities while at the same time help out charities and causes people are passionate about,” Ellis said.

Designed to succeed
It seems obvious, but we have all been in messy, overcrowded showrooms. Making sure that your showroom is neat and attractive is essential. “We believe a store must inspire the consumer through great selection, enticing advertising and ease of the buying process,” Chambers explained. “Consumers want to be inspired by styles and colors that go with today’s fashion trends while not having to get stressed out about the buying process.”

CAP Carpet has 13 locations in Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri and Iowa with various formats — Carpet One, Floor Project and ProSource — but all have planning and conscious design in common. “Each department should be clean, well-lit and priced properly, so it is easy to shop,” stressed Aaron Pirner, president and CEO of CAP. “There must be a plan to sell behind each department that is thought out carefully. One should shop their competition and their own store through their customers’ eyes,” Pirner explained.

Each department should have a few key items (new products, special value items) and the sales team should be trained to understand why those products are there and how to explain them, Pirner said. “There should be a reason for each item beyond (having) every manufacturer display. Display floors and larger panels and samples are always helpful for a customer to visualize the products.”

Show & Tell
Most retailers agreed that it is important to get to know your shopper a bit before showing them product. Find out about kids, pets and other lifestyle needs, but don’t think you know what they can afford and take them to the value-priced products first. Better to start with high-end goods and see what happens.

“Consumers are putting in less carpet today and have a more open mind as to quality and design,” pointed out Chambers of NFM. Some shoppers who have operated on a strict budget since the recession may very well be ready to splurge on something luxurious for their homes now.

Helping the consumer visualize the carpet is also key. “We present the product by showing it in both large samples and cards, and always lay the samples on the floor,” said Jessica Salada of Messner Flooring in Pittsford, N.Y.

Going the extra mile for consumers makes good sense. “We allow the samples to leave the store and if the color(s) they are interested in are on cards and they want to see a loose sample or larger sample, we would order it for them,” Salada said.

As well, noted Karen Farmer, Messner Flooring, Pittsford, N.Y., “We refer to Pinterest, which helps the consumer visualize what they are looking at. And we try to keep our Facebook page updated with photos showing our recent work, so we can show customers pictures of our own installations.”

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