Article Number : 2407 |
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| Date | 9/7/2007 8:29:29 AM |
| Written By | LGM & Associates Technical Flooring Services |
| View this article at: | //floorbiz.com/BizResources/NPViewArticle.asp?ArticleID=2407 |
| Abstract | By Steven Feldman DENTON, TEX.—If the shopping experience is the primary driver of retail success, then Flooring America is doing all it can to give its members a leg up on the competition. Case in point: Vision 2008, its showroom of the future... |
| Article | By Steven Feldman DENTON, TEX.—If the shopping experience is the primary driver of retail success, then Flooring America is doing all it can to give its members a leg up on the competition. Case in point: Vision 2008, its showroom of the future that is currently being piloted in four locations across the United States and Canada. One of the pilots is Flooring America of Denton, located just north of the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. At 7,000 square feet, the store is serving as the mediumsize test. And to say Kelby Frederick, owner, is pleased with the results would be an understatement. “The finished product is 10 times better than the design plans,” he said. “I’ve received nothing but positive feedback from our customers, vendors and employees. I always felt like we had one of the nicer showrooms in the retail flooring business; now I feel we have one of the best showrooms in the entire retail industry.” What makes the store special? For starters, it was designed expressly for Flooring America’s target customer: female, aged 35 to 65. The store is inviting, comfortable, visually interesting, open and shop-able. There is a symmetry and balance to create comfort, tempo and pace. That symmetry extends to the display floors, merchandise racks and feature aisles. Comfort is also illustrated via a mini living room with a flat screen TV, coffee bar and children’s play area. While the Mrs. shops, Mr. doesn’t have to miss the game and Junior doesn’t have to be bored. According to Vinnie Virga, president of Flooring America, the goal was to ensure the consumer would not feel overwhelmed or the store was too high end for her. Customer friendly Frederick cited the customer-friendly nature of the showroom as the prime highlight. “It is laid out by department with very clear labeling,” he said. “The ancillary décor– graphics and signage—sets the tone for a comfortable, professional shopping experience from the time the customer sets foot in the door.” Actually, the experience starts before the customer walks in the door. As she approaches the entrance, she is greeted by what Flooring America is calling its Legacy. It’s a sign that combines the local member’s history and how they are a dominant part of the local community, then tied back into Flooring America, which represents size and scope. “She wants national showroom experience but also wants to buy from the guy next door,” Virga said. Once the customer walks through the door, she can see the entire store the moment she sets foot in the showroom, and the signage sends a clear message based on hierarchy. First she gets an overall feel and ambiance, then she immediately sees where she wants to go [carpet, hardwood, etc.], then it’s all about product messaging [product specifics], then specials and promotions. “You get more and more detail as you get closer to the product, such as warranty information,” he said. “It helps drill her in, all the while reinforcing the decisionmaking process.” According to Virga, this is the flooring store where everything has been dovetailed— from the ceiling to the floor and everything in between—to make the customer feel comfortable. “The graphics make her feel at home and that we know her,” he said. “The photos depict her particular lifestyle and allow her to say, ‘That’s my life. I can see my family in this picture.’ It’s about creating a perfect environment, not just buying flooring.” Ahead of the curve The idea of being a Vision 2008 pilot was attractive to Frederick. He told FCNews that while he loved Flooring America’s existing merchandising, his father taught him early on the importance of staying fresh and being ahead of the curve in merchandising. “I knew when this program rolled out we would jump aboard anyway, so I felt this would give us a year’s jump on the remodel process and the competition,” he said. “Another thing is many of our competitors have been upgrading their showrooms, and they were getting closer to catching us. Thismove puts us way ahead of them, and I knew they would not be making another investment in the short term to try to catch us again.” |