RoomStore Re-Launches E-Commerce

August 30, 2010  by in UnCategorized   

By Home Furnishings Business in Furniture Retailing on August 31, 2010

Furniture retailer RoomStore (OTC:ROOM.B) has re-launched its e-commerce site with Blueport Commerce.

The new site includes improvements to the online customer experience to drive results online and in stores.

"The Blueport platform is specifically designed for big-ticket retailers that have complex delivery models and rely heavily on their websites to drive traffic to local stores," said Ned Crosby, chief merchandising and marketing officer at RoomStore. "The company understands our unique business challenges and addresses them with a solution architected around the need for multi-channel localization."

The re-launched RoomStore site includes new features such as:
* Precision Localization: The site automatically adjusts based on a user's location. Selection, pricing, promotions, delivery details and closest stores are all dynamically localized to provide a seamless cross-channel shopping experience.
* Collection Browsing: Offering an engaging shopping experience, this interactive widget allows users browsing a category such as bedrooms the ability to flip through a series of styled room setting versus a standard list of search results.
* Shoppable Images: Interactive information tags are displayed on room settings, allowing shoppers to get information on the items in the room and add items to their shopping cart directly from the room setting.
* Collaboration Bar: The additional resources needed for big-ticket purchases are available through a single tool where shoppers can find a local store displaying an item, print a store-ready page, chat or get advice via social media.
* Live Chat/Click-to-Call: Shoppers can now choose how they want to communicate with customer service representatives--via online chat or phone. The dynamic icons reflect real-time availability of customer service reps including when they€™re able to chat, connect via phone or request a call-back.
* User-generated Product Reviews: User-generated reviews are a powerful tool in converting browsers into buyers. Now, consumers can rate the products they purchase on RoomStore€™s site including photos and videos of their new rooms.
* Social Bookmarking: Consumers can now share products they are interested in via Facebook, Twitter and other popular social networking sites at the click of a mouse
* Enhanced Checkout Process: During the checkout process, customers are now offered dynamically generated value added items, such as stain and damage protection and wood care kits.
* Akamai Acceleration: Localized instances sites are cached around the country, ensuring fast page loads of localized content.

RoomStore, Richmond, Va., has more than 70 stores in Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, North and South Carolina, Alabama, Florida, and Texas; and has more than $325 million a year in sales.

Blueport Commerce serves retail chains representing more than 2,300 stores and more than $8 billion in sales.