BERKELEYHEIGHTS, N.J.—With winter in full swing, Americans are staying indoors and looking—to their floors and Yellow Pages— for a quick and inexpensive way to punch up their home decor. The Yellow Pages’ “Carpet and Rug Dealers” heading receives the highest usage levels in February and over 43 million references annually.
Larry Small, research director for the Yellow Pages Association, noted, “February, March and April are the biggest months for the ‘Carpet & Rug Dealers’ heading in the Yellow Pages because it is the start of the spring cleaning season. People are starting to fix up their homes after the long winter and floor coverings are a big part of that.”
Chris Davis, president and CEO of the
World Floor Covering Association (
WFCA), said Surfaces unveils new products to dealers, which generates a good deal of consumer press and interest at this time of year.
Carpet and rug consumers are most often women between the ages of 35 and 64 who have a postgraduate education and an annual income above $40,000.
“Our research shows 90% of residential carpet replacement consumers are female,” Davis said. “They are well educated and have done their research—as every consumer should. Use the Yellow Pages to find your options and then get referrals from the Better Business Bureau, the WFCA or friends to find the best.”
After referencing the heading, 90% of users made a purchase at a place seen in the Yellow Pages. Fifty-six percent of the customers were new to the place of purchase, which was most often a locally owned carpet dealer (81%).
“Seventy percent of carpet sold at retail is from a mom-and-pop shop,” Davis said. “No large chains have been able to overcome local dealers because every installation is a custom job, which larger retailers are unable to do.”
Small said, “Local carpet and rug dealers recognize that Yellow Pages advertising influences local consumers, as well as achieves a superior return on investment. The average return on investment received from local display ads under the carpet/rug dealers heading is $45 of sales revenue for every $1 that is spent on advertising.”
He also noted that 47% of Yellow Pages users who go to the “Carpet & Rug Dealers” heading do not have a specific business name in mind. “Among those looking at ads, the average number of ads looked at is 4.7. Ninety-five percent of heading users either have already made a purchase or intend to make one.”
For more information, visit www.ypassociation.org.
