DOMAIN’S CONSUMER CONNECTION

April 30, 2006  by in UnCategorized   

By Home Furnishings Business in on May 2006 Walking through a Domain Home Fashions store is much like thumbing through a favored, glossy home magazine in which pages are dogeared to mark favorite looks and designs.

The incredible displays and great merchandising have been hallmarks of the 30-store chain’s success since the first location opened. Cruising through the showrooms, consumers can find a wealth of decorating ideas, inspiration for creating a cozy home and walk away saying, “I could live here.” Even the formal name—Domain Home Fashions—hints at more than just furniture.

The retailer offers consumers a nearly one-stop shopping venue for all that is home. In addition to furniture, Domain sells top of the bed, decorative accessories, lighting, wall sconces and drapery panels. By the end of May, each of the stores will feature either an Aga range kiosk or presentation of the high-end ranges along with Aga cookware.

The product presentation in a Domain store is undeniably stunning, and the merchandise mix, with its European flair, offers consumers a distinctive look and feel, something Judy George believes is central to connecting with today’s furniture buyer.

“Today, in retail you have to capture her attention,” George said. “I’m not talking about the Disneyland experience, because she’ll cut right through it, but she still likes an experience when she walks up to the door from the parking lot.”

George, founder and chief executive officer of Domain and Aga Home Group, parent company of Domain, Aga and Grange, along with Gary Edge, Domain’s new vice president and general merchandise manager, are strong believers in the power of retail display.

“I’m surprised at the amount of sales that one vignette generates,” Edge said. “When we do it right, the consumer is reacting. On the flip side, we do have a wonderful staff of design consultants, and we have the tools to build on the inspiration. The key is to make it all work seamlessly.”

Edge said it’s important to help the consumer feel she’s at home in the store; it’s about how to live.

“When we go back home at night, we want to kick back and relax,” he said. “It’s all about being user-friendly. That’s what we really want to achieve. Home is the sanctuary; it should be comfortable and pleasing and always keep your attention. You should never be bored at home.”

George and Edge are unified in the belief that the combination of tools—the display, the well-trained designed consultants and compelling product—is the key to success.

Domain is in the business of building long-term customer relationships and has a variety of means for doing that. Dramatic displays are the initial attraction, but the retailer’s relationship selling goes far beyond.

If a consumer comes through the store and can’t buy at the time, the staff works diligently to gather contact information, likes and dislikes so that Domain can contact the customer if something of interest arrives in the store or goes on special.

“We try to take care of the customer,” she said. “It’s not about selling them, but about helping them achieve dreams and how they want to live their lives.” HFB