22 Benefits of eCommerce for Home Décor and Furniture Businesses

Home décor and furniture businesses are increasingly turning to eCommerce to elevate their operations and capture new opportunities. Let's explore the range of strategic and operational advantages that eCommerce can offer in the realm of home décor and furniture.

Market Reach and Growth

1. Wider Audience Reach: With eCommerce, home décor and furniture businesses can showcase their products to a global audience. They can work to promote their own web site to a broader audience, but modern eCommerce engines also support integration with marketplaces, amplifying reach even further.
2. 24/7 Accessibility: eCommerce stores provide better availability and accessibility than physical stores. The convenience of anytime shopping caters to the modern consumer’s lifestyle, aligning with the expectation of flexibility in today’s fast-paced world. eCommerce stores are also a great option when visiting retail stores is not an option.
   Consider Surplus Furniture, a leading furniture and mattress retailer with 34 retail locations across the USA and Canada. During COVID-19, with all retail locations shut, their business took a huge hit because of lack of a fully functional eCommerce store. However, they were not only able to bounce back by quickly adopting an eCommerce store but also take customer experience to the next level by integrating the eCommerce store with their ERP/ POS system.
3. Cross-Selling and Upselling Opportunities: eCommerce platforms provide opportunities for effective cross-selling and upselling. Strategic product placements, personalized recommendations, and bundled offers encourage customers to explore additional items. This not only enhances the shopping experience but also boosts the average transaction value, contributing significantly to revenue growth.

Customer Experience and Engagement

4. Immersive Product Visualization: High-quality images, 360-degree 3D views, and augmented reality contribute to a rich and interactive shopping environment. Customers can now virtually "touch and feel" products, fostering a sense of connection and confidence in their purchasing decisions.
5. Enhanced Customer Engagement: Implementing eCommerce technology can also bring an organization’s customer engagement strategy into focus. Features like personalized recommendations, wishlists, and interactive product displays contribute to a more engaging and personalized shopping experience. Beyond the transaction, these experiences and tools can help cultivate a relationship that promotes brand loyalty and repeat business.
6. Personalized Customer Experience: eCommerce allows businesses to personalize the customer experience based on preferences, purchase history, and behavior. Tailored product recommendations and personalized communication enhance customer satisfaction. This personalized touch resonates with customers, making them feel valued and understood, ultimately strengthening their connection with the brand.
   Consider Earthcore Industries, an exclusive manufacturer and distributor of Isokern Fireplaces & Chimney systems throughout the Americas. Earthcore leveraged their eCommerce store to offer personalized pricing for their B2B customers by leveraging contract terms defined for them in the ERP system.
7. Enhanced Customer Service and Post-Purchase Engagement: Customers value post-purchase engagement through features like order tracking, personalized recommendations, and follow-up communication. The transparency in post-purchase communication builds trust and confidence, enhances customer loyalty, solidifies the brand-customer relationship, and encourages repeat business.
   Consider Bedgear, a proud manufacturer of innovative bedding products. Bedgear’s products required special handling and care due to size, fragility, or value to ship, deliver, and set up. To ensure customer satisfaction with timely and damage free deliveries, they added white glove delivery as a custom shipping method for certain products.
8. Improved Credibility through Customer Reviews and Feedback: Sales in the home décor and furniture space are driven by a combination of product and trust in the seller’s ability to deliver a great experience. eCommerce allows retailers to gather and showcase customer reviews and feedback. Positive reviews contribute to enhanced credibility, while constructive feedback offers valuable insights for continuous improvement. This transparent approach to feedback not only builds trust with existing customers but also serves as a positive signal for potential customers.

Operational Efficiency and Scalability