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RoomPlace Offers New Web Site
April 25,
2011 by in UnCategorized 
By Home Furnishings Business in Furniture Retailing on April 26, 2011
The RoomPlace has relaunched its Web site to improve online sales and drive consumers into its stores.
The Lombard, Ill.-based retailer worked with
Blueport Commerce to create the new Web site.
"Blueport helps us deliver a truly seamless cross-channel experience for our shoppers," said Kathryn Kerrigan, eCommerce manager for The RoomPlace. "The platform ensures that our site automatically adjusts to a user's location, which means all aspects of the shopping experiencefrom the merchandise, pricing, promotions to delivery details and local store informationare dynamically localized for the customer. With this strategy, we are able to target customers on a national level, while capitalizing on the strength and expertise of our local store network to drive and deliver sales."
Other site features include:
Dynamic Product Catalog: An enhanced product catalog and navigation help shoppers quickly find products they are looking for and explore the items in a visual, informative format. The site offers shoppable room images while rotating carousels provide a quick path for piece shoppers. Shoppers can browse available room packages, items, recommended products and recently viewed items from any product page. Blueports Content Management System gives The RoomPlace team control over how promotional materials are displayed, and when, where and for what geographic regions they appear.
Interactive and Real-Time Information: To help customers navigate their big-ticket purchases online, RoomPlace.com provides customer service representatives to answer questions, via online chat or phone. A collaboration tool on the site allows shoppers to find information on local stores carrying a particular item, print a store ready page or seek feedback on an item from their social networks. Emphasizing The RoomPlaces local delivery, the site highlights real-time availability dates on product pages and in the shopping cart. The site is integrated with The RoomPlaces inventory systems, providing online shoppers with the same information available in stores, and automatically inserting orders into the retailers delivery system for fast, easy, reliable fulfillment.
Enhanced Checkout: An enhanced checkout process presents customers with coupons and offers, and recommends value added items, such as specific product warranties or protection. Customers can save items for later, as well as buy SKUs seen in stores, but not yet merchandised online.
"Retailers in big-ticket categories such as furniture are often daunted at translating the complexities of their business online, while still catering to the unique shopping needs of their customer," said Morgan Woodruff, chief operating officer at Blueport Commerce. "Blueports platform makes this process simple, helping these retailers develop e-commerce strategies tailored to their unique businesses."
The RoomPlace currently operates 23 stores.