Most furniture shoppers want to see exactly what they are getting before they buy. They expect their new couch or dining room table to last for several years. They want their new drapes or bed linens to be top quality. It’s no wonder then that even in the digital age only 5% of revenue in the $100 billion-plus industry comes directly through online sales.
But it would be a mistake to overlook digital as a significant driver of furniture sales today. Shoppers turn to digital screens to research what to buy and where to buy it. Our consumer research about consumer habits for the furniture and home goods market found that 89% of shoppers are using their mobile devices while inside furniture showrooms. Consumers are slowly becoming more comfortable with buying high-priced items on their smartphones and tablets, but they are already doing most of their pre-purchase research and comparison shopping through digital channels.
Furniture Today reports that 70% of furniture retailers have not entered ecommerce in a meaningful way. Your brand has a huge opportunity to improve your digital footprint. By sending product content to online retailers like Wayfair and Amazon, you can ensure that shoppers will find your brands when they look for furniture online.
We recently asked furniture and home goods shoppers what makes them buy. They told us product content mattered to their decisions. In fact, 89% of furniture shoppers rate product content as important to their purchase decision.