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Creating the Experience
June 19,
2012 by in UnCategorized 
By Home Furnishings Business in on June 2012
Amid all the hustle and bustle that is New York City, how does one bedding store, dedicated to a brand virtually unknown in the States, stand out?
That was the challenge that faced the European mattress manufacturer Coco-Mat as it planned the March 2012 opening of its inaugural U.S. retail outlet in New Yorks Soho area.
So what did the company dojust start up a conventional bedding store? Hardly. Coco-Matwhich makes beds from natural raw materials including rubber, seaweed, horsehair, cotton and woolcame up with a unique retail philosophy, implementing bold ideas that go against the norm for bedding retail.
And so far, it seems to be working.
Book a Nap
Most bedding stores allow you to do a quick test lie-down on a beda few minutes at the most, and then up to try another bed. Coco-Mat took that concept one step further, inviting consumers to give its beds a real test run by scheduling a nap in a dedicated napping area.
It was an idea of our founder, recalls Rosemary Charou, Coco-Mats U.S. operations manager based at the New York store. He said, I know that we have the beds on the floors, but how can you convince somebody who doesnt know Cocomat (to buy)?
So we said, OK, lets give (consumers) a trial. So we have created this space. Its really nice, its really relaxed. So if people are really interested in buying something and they want to try it outbecause some people are not convinced in five minutes, and when were talking about an investment for your life because youre spending your life therethey want to have a better point of view, so they can try out the bed there.
Shoppers can book the napping room for two to three hours if they want, but the majority of the people are OK with 20 or 30 minutes, Charou said. They can really feel the bed (in that time).
Charou added that this was also beneficial because it cut down on returns, saying You dont want somebody to sleep on the mattress and then return it. She added that the nap suite bed is made up with clean sheets for every customer who tries it out.
Accommodating Hotels
Another important innovation for the Coco-Mat bricks-and-mortar is a special area for hotel reps to inspect the beds. Charou noted that its particularly important to the company to get its beds placed in hotels, as thats where potential customers can best be exposed to the products.
How many times have you been to a hotel and you like the bed, and youre trying to find out what it is? she asked. Its really important, so we are working with hotels. We have more than 2,000 hotels that we are (placing) our products in each year.
Coco-Mat also uses the hotel connection to benefits its customers, bringing something new to its value proposition, working out bartering deals with hotel clients. Were getting free nights, so then we can send our customers to try the beds (at the hotels) Charou said.
Philosophy of Hospitality
Walk into the Coco-Mat store and you may feel like youre in a breezy café rather than a bedding shop.
The most special thing about Coco-Mat is the way that were receiving people and the philosophy of our hospitality, Charou stated. You enter the shop and youre getting fresh-squeezed juice and youre getting coffee and treats. You sit at a kitchen table next to (staff members). Were cooking every day.
The products are sold by what were doing here, which is creating the experience. This is what we are missing these days.
Once a customer has been greeted and served refreshments, Coco-Mats sales strategy kicks in. I ask, Do you know Coco-Mat? I introduce the company, who we are, because as were in a new market, its very important for consumers to understand our philosophy, Charou said. I ask, What do you need? Where do you sleep now? What is your problem? First, I have to hear you out, and then I can see what we can suggest. Ill present some combinations (of mattress layers and firmness), you can try them out. Then I give a quotation and a catalog if you dont want to proceed with an order the same day. Thats respectful and logical ¦ you need time to process it and see other options as well.
Besides a catalog, shoppers walk away with other free goodies: a personal towel made from recycled materials, as well as a lavender pouch for under-the-pillow aromatherapy.
Bed on a Bike?
In keeping with the green philosophy exemplified by its natural-sourced products, Coco-Mat has devised an earth-safe method of delivering its beds to customers homes: by bike!
OK, this raises two questions: how do they transport a bed by bike, and how do they pull it off on the New York City streets?
It is a (vehicle) with two bikes in front, and behind you have the truck (to hold) the mattresses, Charou said.
While this concept originated at Coco-Mats stores in Europe, she said that In New York its quite challenging. ¦ The taxi drivers dont really love us, but the rest of the people find it very nice.
In fact, the bicycles have proven to be so popular among the stores customers that plans are afoot to produce Coco-Mat bicycles to sell.
The bikes can also provide savings. If the customer really wants to deliver it himself, we have a huge bicycle outside the store, so he can take a 10 percent discount, or a five percent discount if he needs help from (a Coco-Mat staffer), said Charou. HFB