Article Number : 4381 |
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| Date | 4/13/2009 10:04:04 AM |
| Written By | LGM & Associates Technical Flooring Services |
| View this article at: | //floorbiz.com/BizResources/NPViewArticle.asp?ArticleID=4381 |
| Abstract | By Matthew Spieler Trends can be a fickle thing. What is hot today may be gone tomorrow. But, like them or not, trends are what help move products off shelves. And with sales remaining sluggish, making sure your business has the latest products is one thing; understanding trends in consumer shopping habits is key to... |
| Article | By Matthew Spieler Trends can be a fickle thing. What is hot today may be gone tomorrow. But, like them or not, trends are what help move products off shelves. And with sales remaining sluggish, making sure your business has the latest products is one thing; understanding trends in consumer shopping habits is key to putting your business in the forefront. “Besides new laminate product introductions, specialty retailers can still compete on price,” said Jeff Katz, Tarkett’s residential director of laminates. “But their greatest ability is to differentiate themselves with professional salespeople who can work with and educate the consumer.” This is more important than during good times, executives note, because current economic conditions have changed the dynamics and considerations that play into a consumer’s decision-making process, said Roger Farabee, senior vice president of marketing for Unilin Flooring, parent of Quick•Step and Columbia. “Consumers now are more focused on ‘smart spending’ than they may have been in years past. This newly hatched smart spender is more cognizant of the price/value relationship of a product.” Katz added it is that price/value relationship that gives dealers a competitive edge over the boxes. “The specialty retailer should focus on selling the total package and remembering to differentiate with all the little items that are needed to complete the sale.” Some of these, he said, include selling the proper moldings and explaining why they are designed for certain transitions; demonstrating the performance advantages of premium underlayment such as Tarkett’s QuietCor; full- service installation, including cutting door jams and underlayment tape, and more. Brand knowledge When it comes to selling, “The strength and financial soundness of our Quick•Step and Columbia brands provide the certainty of added stability in turbulent economic times that many competitors do not have,” Farabee said. “Our brands’ strength not only guarantees we are able to maintain investment and focus on cutting-edge technology and product development but serves as a very strong, unspoken layer of confidence in the longevity of our brands.” Milton Goodwin, vice president, Armstrong laminate and ceramic, agreed that—good times or bad— brands consumers know and trust help sell products. And with names such as Armstrong and Bruce, the company has two of best-known brands in flooring. But he is quick to point out even the best brands fall because the companies behind them fail to keep up with the latest consumer trends in style and design. This is especially true with a fashion item like flooring. “The trend is focused on providing the best, most realistic-looking laminate,” Goodwin explained, “and one that is easy for the retailer to sell, offering unique selling propositions— from high-end luxury styling to durable performance characteristics. “Armstrong has focused primarily on premium products that provide ease of installation but foremost, look like real wood,” such as Armstrong’s Grand Illusions or Bruce’s Park Avenue. “And, we’ve armed our distributors and retailers with information, merchandising and POP materials, especially around the idea that our laminates are ‘Not Real, UnReal’— the tagline in our consumer advertising campaign.” Emily Morrow, director of color, style and design for Shaw Industries, agrees with Goodwin in that realism is the thing when it comes to laminates. “Best-selling visuals are styles that replicate the higher-end looks from wood but in attainably priced laminates. For example, our Luminiere is designed to offer the higher gloss styling that is easy to maintain with its incredibly tough surface.” She added laminate’s realism doesn’t have to end with wood. “Although the majority of introductions mirror the latest trends in hardwood flooring, some surprising trends have been embraced for their innovative steps forward beyond the expected, such as stained concrete.” Money value Back to Farabee’s point about a change in consumer buying habits based on the economy. While consumers are more price conscious, “they are not just focused on trying to purchase the cheapest item. We find that ultimately quality is still the stronger of the two factors in the average flooring consumer’s decision-making process.” Part of this has to do with the fact they are staying in their homes longer and not purchasing new houses. “We are now seeing even more purchases being made by the replacement/remodel consumers,” he explained. “They are in a nesting mindset now, and their buying habits are clearly reflecting this attitude.” As a result, Quick•Step and Columbia have worked “to give consumers the ability to bring the beautiful, rich look of hardwood, tile and natural stonefloors into their homes at prices that are realistic in today’s tougher economic environment, Farabee said. “The total installed cost of a laminate floor is one of the least expensive hard surface floors to put in a home.” As in the case of Armstrong, he noted having both the Quick•Step and Columbia brands give retailers “a well-balanced assortment that is competitive on price points. Quick•Step’s designs are style savvy and bring all of today’s most popular looks into a home, including rustic handscrapes, exotic woods and traditional classic woods, as well as tiles and natural stone. Columbia offers a similar variety of decors but focuses exclusively on domestic wood looks in traditional designs.” Morrow said along with a change in consumer buying habits, recent legislation at the federal and international levels to halt deforestation and illegal trading activities will help laminate flooring. “Illegally sourced exotic woods are going to be prohibited due to the Lacey Act in April, but those who want looks such as Brazilian Ipe can find it in our laminate offerings, such as the new Lumeniere Brazilian Vue, African Vue and Caribbean Vue.” Armstrong’s Goodwin added while laminate offers the looks of rare or illegal woods, domestic wood visuals are gaining in popularity as well. “We are seeing a shift away from tropical species of hardwood to domestically grown hardwood. We’ve also found that the consumers’ definition of exotic is most often anything but oak. This swing is reflected in premium laminate floors as well.” Customers who are seeking a different look from the traditional look of an oak floor now have a wide variety ofdomestic species in real hardwood, and laminate is following suit, he said. “We’ve expanded our top-selling line of Grand Illusions premium laminate flooring to include domestic exotic visuals, offering consumers beautiful North American species suited for every décor.” Because of laminate flooring’s versatility, Morrow concluded it is actually one of the best products to sell during these economic times. “Experts look to laminate as the ideal example of where consumers’ product preferences have shifted positively due to the value it offers and also the vast innovations in materials and manufacturing.” |