Everyone knows that technology has changed lives and the way business is done forever. One of the business changes for retail furniture stores you may have overlooked is what is happening to store traffic.
Many furniture store owners have been puzzled by statistics that show reduced showroom traffic while experiencing strong sales. It’s really no mystery…many of your prospects are carrying your showroom in their pocket or purse!
Google research shows that when shopping for durable goods, consumers made 5 store visits in 2006, but just 2 in 2016. They prefer the convenience of gathering information for major purchases online and are very selective in the stores they choose to visit. This is particularly true of millennials that grew up being reliant on technology, have a voracious appetite for information and represent $200 billion buying power.
What this means for furniture store marketers is they need to make sure that online marketing efforts are integrated into their campaigns and tailored to be mobile friendly. This is the way to reach tech-savvy buyers in the early stages of the purchase process. Target known mobile users and focus on peak shopping periods. Create ads that make it easy to get information and contain a compelling call to action to move prospects along in the buying cycle.
Retailers also need to make sure the in-store buying experience is in sync with expectations created online. The shopping process they create must be seamless at every point of contact. Finally, realize that technology is dynamic. New developments like virtual reality will have a strong impact on the retail furniture business and is not far from becoming common practice.
At R&A Marketing we consider it mandatory to keep abreast of all technologies and integrating them fully into the campaigns we create for our customers. We also specialize in the furniture business, making us the ideal partner for furniture stores looking to maximize the effectiveness of their marketing budgets. Call us today for a free consultation.
