Retail Road Trip

NFM elevates consumer experience w/Anso Gallery

Thursday, October 6, 2022

Dave Chambers, director of flooring, NFM; Tony Boldt, president and CEO, NFM; Tim Baucom, president and CEO Shaw; and Scott Sandlin, executive vice president, Shaw Residential

[Omaha, Neb.] Nebraska Furniture Mart (NFM) opened Shaw’s first Anso Gallery featuring Pet Perfect here in the Omaha flagship store filling the gap left by Stainmaster’s exit. And with a critical look at product assortment and merchandising, the two companies developed a unique selling floor experience aimed at building consumer trust and purchasing confidence.

No small undertaking, the Gallery has been in the works for some 15 months with teams from both NFM and Shaw honing everything from the product selection and fixturing to the progression of the showroom floor. The result is a spacious, engaging and intentional display of carefully curated carpet designed to meet the consumer’s demand for both beauty and performance.

“We are extremely focused on the consumer,” explained Tim Baucom, president and CEO, Shaw Industries. “We have to revitalize carpet — it is still core to the customer and we have expertise in keeping that vital like with Pet Perfect, Pet Perfect Plus and Anso. One thing we heard is that the customer wants to buy carpet,” he said, adding, “They expect it to be durable and beautiful and meet their needs.”

Indeed, today’s consumer is looking for how the carpet will perform in an active home and looks for a brand to deliver on that promise. “The customer is fabric forward but fiber agnostic,” explained Baucom. “You can make good or bad carpet out of nylon, polyester, wool. We talk too much about fiber and not enough about fabric or yarn. With Anso, [the consumer] can be assured it’s going to perform.”

Dave Chambers, director of flooring for NFM, was an integral part of the Gallery creation with a keen knowledge of the NFM consumer and the retailer’s strengths. “Our goal from the get-go was that we wanted to really clean up the showroom and make it purposed and curated, but not overwhelming. This is a great message, great storytelling, and it builds confidence the minute [the customer] walks in.”

Here executives from both NFM and Shaw cut the ribbon to the first Anso Gallery featuring Pet Perfect.

Problem Solved

Chambers is transparent regarding the void Stainmaster left when it exited the marketplace. Filling the gap left by Stainmaster, there are some 96 carpet styles in the Gallery which encompasses about half of the carpet department here in Omaha — the remainder being Lasting Luxury branded exclusive to NFA members which NFM is a part of.

At the same time, Shaw was well prepared to step up and fill the hole left by Stainmaster and its PetProtect. An earlier investment in the Aiken, County, S.C. fiber plant, said Baucom, gave the company flexibility. With an emphasis on what needs a fiber and yarn can meet, he emphasized the focus is sharply on the consumer.

And when it came to putting a spotlight on Anso, revealed Chambers, “Anso already had brand recognition and was in the market. And the consumer understands it. It made sense when Stainmaster left the market,” he continued, noting that Shaw approached NFM when the Stainmaster brand left beginning the conversation.

“We talk too much about fiber. Every fiber has characteristics to lean into and make good carpet. With Anso, you can be assured it’s going to perform.” — Tim Baucom, Shaw

Experiencing the Anso Gallery

Seeing the Gallery for the first time, noted Baucom, “was like Christmas morning.” The Gallery, he shared, “created enough space that you can elevate the voice. Shaw is fully committed to carpet and to being the design leader, a thought leader.”

Indeed, while the endeavor took two days to tear down and then install the new fixturing, it created a space that is a bright and an engaging shopping experience. Pet Perfect and Pet Perfect Plus products — which represent about one third of the space — lead you into the Gallery which is end-capped by Shaw’s Anso hi-performance color wall.

The process included reducing the number of carpet SKUs by 30 percent. “It was by design. We simplified the store and were strategic in curating for this market,” Chambers explained, adding that too much sameness on the selling floor confuses the customer. “We are much more strategic with the assortment.”

The Gallery is also a new concept for some but not for NFM. “The showroom-within-a-showroom experience is something NFM does well,” Chambers said. In fact, a tour through the store reveals the concept for Cambria in the tile and countertop area, a gaming showroom — one old school with Ms. Pac Man and another fit with gaming systems and consoles — among others. “It’s the look and feel and the experience for the consumer,” he said.

And that sensibility drove the Anso Gallery design. “It’s all about the experience,” Chambers emphasized. “When the consumer sees the showroom within a showroom experience, she thinks she’s getting a better experience and great service from the sales team.” And to further simplify, everything in the Gallery holds the same promise. “It reduces uncertainty with the consumer and gives her confidence.”

The experience includes a digital component as well. Two large wall-mounted screens feature a visualizer powered by Roomvo. The ability to see a flooring product in their own room with their paint color and furnishings supports the confidence. And, added Chambers, it will hopefully reduce dependency on samples which are located within the fixtures.

“This is exactly what the combined team wanted. When we saw it coming together, we knew we nailed it.” — Dave Chambers, NFM

Keith Chandler, divisional vice president, Shaw, explained the strategy behind creating unique fixturing for the Pet Perfect area of the Gallery, noting, “RSAs really like working from this display. It creates a destination and pathway to the Colorwall. Everything was planned and staged and done in two days. All the displays were preassembled. The end result — it exceeded everybody’s expectations.”

The Anso Gallery is a destination for Pet Perfect products.

Shaw’s Anso Gallery takes roughly half of the carpet area in the Omaha NFM store.

“This is beyond what I expected because of the magnitude. That’s commitment on their part and their consumer’s love for soft floor covering. Their RSA likes Anso and high performing carpet designed for active and busy families.” — Scott Sandlin, Shaw

Perfect Partnership

A corporate connection aside — both Shaw and NFM are Berkshire Hathaway companies — the partnership tracked for a number of reasons. “We are proud to share the same values and ethics as members of Berkshire Hathaway but we have to earn their business,” stated Baucom.

The companies are aligned in their consumer-centric focus. “We are passionate about the customer — anybody that buys, sells, specifies, installs or uses [carpet]. They all have influence. We try to understand each of their needs and give it voice. This is our commitment to flooring,” Baucom said, adding, “The consumer is more concerned about durability than in the past. And, health and safety.”

Noted NFM’s Chambers, “It’s two companies’ visions coming together with the same goal — to provide the best experience for the consumer. Shaw always wanted to do something and it made sense as two Berkshire companies to partner.”

With NFM’s retail expertise and Shaw’s product innovation, Chambers said the partnership simply made sense. “NFM has a proven and exceptional history with showroom-within-a-showroom. And Shaw has a great history and great brands. Shaw with Anso was the obvious choice.”

There is also a shared passion for carpet. Noted Chambers, “We believe in carpet. We want to sell solutions to consumers they will love for a lifetime.”

The Gallery took the power of the two companies to bring to life. “It’s two great sources bringing you a solution. It’s a valued partnership,” said Baucom, explaining, “Nina (LoCicero, vice president of marketing and digital commerce) was a big influence. She has an incredible customer focus and knowledge but is new to flooring so she could question [the approach.]”

The Gallery has already proven a success and something NFM plans to take to its other locations. “Right now we are going to watch and learn with this first showroom,” offered Chambers. “But we have eyes set on Kansas City. We have full intention to bring it to our other markets.”

“Our goal was to create our brand around Pet Perfect. The Pet Perfect area is a pet destination and we created that upfront — it’s the first thing the customer sees. We wanted to make it a focal point — it’s all by design.” — Keith Chandler, Shaw

The NFM and Shaw teams came together at the Anso Gallery opening.

Campus Tour

NFM’s complex here in Omaha contains multiple stores selling everything from flooring to furniture and TVs, for example. And, shoppers are welcome to purchase a drink or a bite to eat while they browse the vast assortment of merchandise.

In addition to multiple retail buildings and Mrs. B’s outlet, the campus includes expansive distribution centers as well as a building devoted to fabricating countertops, something the retailer took on two years ago.

As well, the retailer stocks much of its products within its warehouses and distribution centers, another way of creating a desirable consumer experience.

Broader Business Report

While sitting down with Tim Baucom, president and CEO of Shaw Industries, FCW asked about the company’s outlook given the current market environment.

“Our outlook is still bullish,” Baucom answered. “We all deal with inflation. Revenue is up because inflation is up. But the consumer is still excited. One thing COVID has shown is that the home is important — emotionally, financially. It’s for work, refuge, security.”

While Baucom pointed out that the shock of ’08 resulted in under investing in housing, today, he reported, people are feeling good about investing in their homes again, and at every level.