Creating an e-commerce website that works for Furniture

Let’s face it: consumers these days crave online shopping accessibility; there’s no way around it. In fact, more than 75% of millennials check their mobile devices when shopping in-store, and 29% will even look to the manufacturer’s website for pre-purchase research.

Creating an e-commerce store for your valued customers not only increases their likelihood of making a purchase, but fosters a 30% higher lifetime value than if your customers were only exposed to an in-store shopping experience.

KPMG recently delved into this sector, asking consumers about their thoughts on concept design. According to their studies, 8 out of 10 consumers prefer an online shop with a showroom, and almost 60% of consumers say that they are more likely to shop at a furniture retailer who also has an online shop.

So then, how do you create an online furniture store that converts?

Show off Your Products

It begins with showcasing your sofas, chairs, beds, and other furniture products and their possible customizations. Product images must be high quality and exceptionally detailed. Having clear, crisp product images is essential for an e-commerce store’s success, as it highlights your professionalism as well as the quality of your products.

Seamless Navigation

Next, ascertain your navigation is user friendly and intuitive. A great way of assuring this is by following the same basic navigation as any other e-commerce furniture store: categorization of goods in a header or sidebar, with a catalog of items filtered by popular parameters – such as modern vs. transitional, wood vs. glass, low price vs. high price, etc. – and with a visible contact form and a one-click checkout. This makes the shopping experience you offer easier and more recognizable for the customer, who is more likely to make a purchase.

Create a Lifestyle

Put a human face to your online showroom and brand by presenting yourself as relatable and authentic. This can be done by creating original content that features curated rooms with your products and an influencer throughout the key pages of your website. Furthermore, you can create an engaging ‘About Us’ page that shows off your workspace, your team and company culture — share photos of your morning coffee as you open up your brick-and-mortar store for the day, for example. In doing so, you express the character of your leadership and build trust and camaraderie with your target audience. By focusing on your target audience’s needs and interests, you can seamlessly integrate content that speaks to your customers’ lifestyles.

Customized Web Content

Finally, tailor your web content to focus on your visitors. After all, they are likely potential customers! Help them understand if the products you have are right for them by providing information that helps to drive sales.

Understanding consumers’ wants and needs is key to creating an intuitive e-commerce experience. In making your products more accessible – whether through crafting content that speaks to your target audience, or by creating an online showroom with effortless navigation – you create an invaluable relationship with your customers.