Stein World Launches New iSales and iMarketing Strategy

April 18, 2012  by in UnCategorized   

By Home Furnishings Business in Internet on April 19, 2012

Accent furniture vendor Stein World has launched a program to help brick-and-mortar furniture retailers grow their business via integrated Web strategies.

The Stein World iSales and iMarketing Strategy consists of multiple specific yet tightly aligned initiatives. These include appropriate, business-focused pricing policies, a significant investment in a new corporate Web presence designed to support their retailers through a consumer-centric design as well as better link-in benefits and a geocoded dealer locator, ROI focused strategies to leverage the broad social media landscape, properly managing the company's products and distribution via the Web, and even incorporating Web strategies into the design, development and packaging of their products.

"There is significant compelling evidence available that clearly shows the importance of the internet to our industry, particularly with regard to the consumer's willingness to purchase home furnishings online," said Jack Johnson, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Stein World, Memphis, Tenn. "Most retailers are aware of the need to address the channel but are receiving so many mixed messages that they find it difficult to act. In the past 12 months, we've seen a substantial increase in retailer requests for assistance in web integration support for their operations. To address this, we have studied all aspects of the Web in terms of how it impacts our business and have launched these initiatives in order to offer our retailers the proper support so that they can better align their individual companies with the realities of the market."

The primary focus of the overall initiative is on assisting Stein World's retail partners in developing and executing their own effective Web strategies including local-focused ecommerce.

"As we look across the industry at the various tactics being used today by both retailers and manufacturers, it's clear that often times we miss the mark,: said Johnson. "The reality is that this is not just a channel opportunity. Rather, it is a paradigm shift of significant proportion and anyone that treats it otherwise simply doesn€™t speak to the broad-based opportunity as it really exists."

The strategy reacts to how the Web has fundamentally changed how people live, how they shop and how they interact. Many of their life cues now come from some kind of Web-based medium.

"In the process that brought us here, we have learned that consumers have broadly accepted, and now almost require, that their businesses offer a first-class Web 'location,' as well as the option to purchase products online," said Johnson.

Stein World believes that while most retailers know it's time to act, it's very difficult to navigate the process due partly to the fact that there is too much "Web noise" in the industry, leading to confusion and ultimately inaction.

"No matter where you look, you hear about social media strategies, web development strategies, low costs, high costs, management challenges and more," Johnson said. "Because this is so important, we wanted to help cut through this noise and present our retailers with clear options that they can deploy in their businesses and in a way that maintains their goal of organic growth inside their local markets."
 
Stein World will introduce its new strategy to retailers during the upcoming High Point Furniture Market.

"Because our plan is new, we believe that meeting with our retailers to communicate our efforts will allow us to help them become more engaged and involved," Johnson said. "Once they see our fresh and well thought out approach, we're confident that the true opportunity provided by a genuine commitment to the web will be apparent."

The entire management staff will be speaking to retailers and sharing significant information related to the Web opportunity, including facts about growth, consumer desire, social media, and ROI.