With green now a part of everyday conversation in business and the home, it’s surprising to hear just how much confusion remains. Despite a wave of corporate marketing, advertising and the launch of sustainable products in virtually every market segment, consumers and manufacturers are still struggling with understanding just what is and is not a green product.

“Consumers are frustrated,” said Paul Shahriari, CEO of ecoScorecard. “While companies are publishing hundreds of data points about how they are green, few of those are sinking in with the homeowner.” He went on to say he is in constant communication with manufacturers on a daily basis about getting their green products positioned. “Things have to change for everyone’s sake.”

According to Shahriari, the focus of what is green for manufacturers needs to shift to a customer-centric perspective. “In our research, questions of a product’s longevity, ease of cleaning and its composition are what have the biggest impact.” So while a company’s portrayal as a good corporate citizen is essential, the greenness of a product for the customer is still attribute focused.

“What seems to be making things worse now is everyone is green these days,” Shahriari said. “In the flooring industry, we’re seeing three distinct customers emerge: the green, greener and greenest shopper. The green shopper wants the fundamentals about a floor explained. Natural, easy to maintain, healthy and longevity are key. The greener group is the intermediate shopper. This segment is informed on a surface level. They’ve read the latest green blog and are confused as to what is truth and what is greenwash. In effect, they’re influenced by the latest press release about health concerns and want to avoid any potentially harmful product. The third is the hyper-informed greenest customer equipped with spreadsheets and the dream of building the eco-shangri La.”

Each of these shoppers presents a challenge. “For the retailer, it all comes down to asking one question: “What do you need your floor to do for you?” Shahriari asked. “Doing so does two things: It lets you get back to talking about flooring and allows you to prepare a response that matches the shopper’s green goals. If asked for a natural product, you can respond with wood for them to look at. If they ask for something rapidly renewable, then showcasing products such as linoleum, bamboo and cork makes sense.”

So, while manufacturers supply a healthy stream of green information, it needs to be tied to real client needs and desires for the majority of shoppers.

While green has changed the marketplace, one fundamental has remained the same: The customer is always right.