The 2020s have been all about the commodification of eCommerce — not only in terms of products but also in terms of experience. SaaS-based eCommerce platforms using lookalike design templates are the index funds of the eCommerce world. They help furniture businesses more easily get online with a deep selection of innovative eCommerce functionalities.
However, in this environment, with these platforms, it is harder and harder to make your brand memorable. So, what should furniture companies do to set themselves apart?
One option is to consider an eCommerce platform that allows for greater customization of design, integration, and functionality — one like Magento Open Source.
At IronPlane, we’ve found that Magento Open Source helps us give furniture manufacturers the flexibility they need to craft an unforgettable site and continue evolving their brand and offerings over time. In fact, one of our clients, Gat Creek, was recently ranked 11th out of 100 furniture brands as a result of their unique website experience.
In this article, we’ll cover just a few ways Magento Open source can help furniture companies become pioneers in the industry by streamlining the backend of their business, improving site search, inviting complex customizations, and leveraging 3D and AR.
5 Ways Magento Open Source Can Help Furniture Retailers
Because Magento Open Source is so customizable, it’s well-positioned to address the complexity of the furniture business. Below, we’ll cover five ways Magento Open Source has helped furniture manufacturers like Gat Creek and JANUS et Cie uplevel their sites and customer experiences.
1. ERP integration
When you boil it down, ERPs are the powerhouse of an eCommerce business. And without a proper connection to a company’s eCommerce platform, companies will struggle to:
- Manage inventory
- Track orders
- Deliver products on time
- Gain valuable insight into buying behavior
- Understand their financial health
Experienced developers can connect virtually any ERP to Magento, whether they have a pre-built API or not. Ensuring a seamless integration helps furniture retailers improve their customer experience, supply chain efficiency, and even opportunities for expansion.
2. Search functionality
When customers can’t find the products they’re looking for, they bounce from your site.
Magento helps you increase time on site with built-in search functionality that gets customers to where they need to go on your site faster. In addition, Magento can integrate with even more specialized search tools like Algolia, ElasticSearch, and Constructor.io to further enhance your search capabilities.
3. B2B and B2C eCommerce experiences
Many furniture manufacturers cater to both business and consumer audiences.
Magento gives you the flexibility to create a hybrid B2C and B2B site. You can create sub-sections of your site for customer segments, groupings or individual customers, with specific product lists and targeted pricing. More advanced sites can launch a B2B buyer portal or customize, restrict, and validate certain products to differentiate B2B and B2C orders.
Magento also makes it each to integrate fulfillment with retailers and factory direct, building your site in a way that fulfills omnichannel requirements and maximizes dealer participation while mitigating channel conflicts.
4. Complex Product Configurator
Furniture is a perfect use case for product configurators. Customers want to experiment with different colors and textures and confirm their selection meets their specific requirements. The challenge is that there are often so many options to present.
For example, our client, Gat Creek, works with three wood species, 64 finishes, and various hardware options. Print catalogs and store displays could not possibly accommodate this breadth and depth of product selection, but with an innovative online tool, Gat Creek was able to provide customers with a more complete experience.
IronPlane’s Magento developers built a custom product configurator to accommodate Gat Creek’s extensive range of customization options. So today, customers can feel like they’re building their own furniture, while Gat Creek’s staff has the benefit of receiving highly detailed online orders.
5. 3D and AR product visualization
Product configurators are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to product visualization.
The future is in 3D and AR visualization. These tools are becoming increasingly popular ways of displaying furniture products because they help demonstrate the quality of each piece and empower customers to see exactly how those pieces will look in their homes, offices, restaurants, or resorts.
For instance, on Gat Creek’s site, customers can view available wood and paint types, pair these features easily with the finishes available for each option, and see their final product in 3D and augmented reality.
IronPlane partners with Threekit and Zakeke to help our clients highlight their products (and corresponding customization options) beautifully.
Create an award-winning site
Leveraging the capabilities of a highly customizable platform like Magento is the first step for setting your furniture company apart from the morass of sameness. At IronPlane, we’ve used Magento to help furniture retailers:
- Facilitate stronger connections between consumers and retail partners
- Increase productivity in recruitment
- Boost conversions for prospects in target channels with rich, informed inquiries
- Build relationships with interior designers
- Implement custom pricing logic
…all of which enabled our clients to expand their reach, average order value, and, ultimately, their revenue.
Curious about what is involved in a Magento implementation? Contact the experts at IronPlane for a free consultation, or read:
For more insights on eCommerce tools and for a free consultation, visit www.ironplane.com, follow us on LinkedIn, and subscribe to our YouTube channel.
Photo credit: Phillip Goldsberry on Unsplash
