Catalogs increase time on site
Does your retail site include product catalogs or offer online sales? It should. Recent data from Grey Suit Retail shows that consumers spent, on average last year, 82% longer on sites that contain catalogs. And, e-commerce capabilities increased the consumer's attention span by another 21%.
Here are the facts. Nearly eight out of 10 U.S. adults use the Internet. And, 58% conduct online research on a product they're thinking about buying, according to September 2010 figures from the Pew Internet and American Life Project. They're doing the research more often, too. Pew's figures show that on any given day, 21% of adults are conducting online product research, up from 9% in 2004.
That's in line with results from a recent Furniture/Today and HGTV consumer survey. In it, the majority of consumers first shop for furniture online before buying in a physical store. With master bedroom, 60% prefer to shop online and then buy in a store.Does your site give them what they're looking for?
Ken Starr fan commented:
Bravo Ken Starr-
Here is a perfect example of what retailers face today. see this post from a NJ Design blog. Blog from a design savvy consumer offering her advice
"So when you are in a store and find that sofa, chair or any other piece you love: write down the manufacturer, model number, cushion inserting, fabric and finish. Once that has been decided, call this xxxxxxx company directly and place your order. The amount of furniture pieces you order will determine the shipping price and it will come directly to your home! You may want to place an order with friends to save on shipping. Either way, it is a tremendous savings. My sister in law ordered a leather sofa from the manufacturer LEE Industries and saved around a $1000 dollars. LEE is not listed in the manufacturers tab, but they have this amazing custom furniture line. Shhhhh... Don't let the store that you are shopping in know that you are doing this. You will have to be discreet and it will pay off!"
It is interesting when consumer's lament that there are no good furniture stores around anymore.
Allan commented:
Dana,
I spent the past year shopping for furniture and only saw one online catalog in a furniture store. Most of my time was spent waiting for the sales person to call the local rep to get answers on an outdated paper catalog. Natuzzi uses a company called Interactive Catalog and that was very impressive. What else is out there like that and why isn't everyone doing this.
Ken Starr commented:
The Internet.....quite a place....manufacturers post their catalogues for the customers to view at home complete with a dealer locator to show where it can be viewed....then the shopping begins....when the next trip to the store occurs we now hear how cheap it can be had by some dealer that probably has no showrooms whatsoever....so if we can match the price after covering the expense to display the product we are the winning bid....who's really winning???.....manufacturer or retailer???...as for websites I subscribed to a major service only to answer many many requests for quotes but only 1 confirmed sale....in a year!! You tell us how great this is based on reports from companies in the website business....as if the pot would call the kettle black.....when you look at Furniture Today the biggest advertisers are the liquidators....wonder why???...inability of retailers to overcome yet another economic negative to business....it is long overdue for this business to be lead by furniture people as it has fallen on hard times at the hands of number-crunchers...internet gurus and corporate opportunists that prey on the industry rather than nourish and support it. You can chuckle coyly to yourselves now...but what happens to manufacturing when the retail sector diminishes to the point that it can no longer keep you afloat??....even your liquidator buddies will find what hard times are all about.....think about it....
Dana French commented:
Allan - More and more stores are including online catalogs. As reported in my post, that's what consumers want to see when shopping for furniture.
Dana French commented:
Allan - More and more stores are including online catalogs. As reported in my post, that's what consumers want to see when shopping for furniture.
Allan commented:
Dana,
Why do the stores all seem to have these outdated paper catalogs. Why can't the stores have online working catalogs when you visit them?
