The furniture industry has been impacted drastically by the ever-growing online market. Online marketplaces provide the customer with a variety of services with just one click, hence why the modern customer is more attracted towards it.
Generally, the online furniture market included décor and home goods only, but now, furniture has also become a vital part of it. As the world has changed so has the customer, and the modern customer is mostly accustomed to online shopping. The older generations still feel more comfortable with the traditional shopping method, but the younger generations have taken to ordering the necessities of their lives from the comfort of their homes. The outstanding services provided by marketplaces have spurred the younger generations to increase their shopping activities online. Due to these circumstances’ retailers have also begun to change their promotional and digital strategies and shifted most retailing to online marketplaces.
Shopping online has significant advantages such as completing your shopping without travelling long distances and visiting multiple shops. Fast-paced lives don’t really allow large periods of free time to look around different shops. When it comes to furniture shopping, it becomes unmanageable to look at every piece of furniture displayed, and many times, the limitation of space does not allow retailers to showcase all their products. Online market places have allowed the furniture industry to showcase a multitude of styles and variety without the limitations of space and outreach.
Moreover, online market places also allow customers to compare prices and find better products suited more to their style. They can order form any part of the world and are not bound to an area and its market place. On the other side, retailers have more significant opportunity to advertise and sell their products since they are not obliged to cater to a limited number of customers. Online ads on different websites allow more recognition and increase online traffic which helps in sales.
The most apparent benefit must be the time saved by the retailer and the customer, both. Online shops are accessible all day long, and products can be selected and ordered at any time. The customer is saved from visiting multiple shops and inherently missing out on an item that they wanted. The retailer also does not have to suffer loss because a style is not displayed in their shop.
Another reason that has contributed to the furniture industry’s online growth is the increased traffic and online sales by customers looking for the best and economical products. Online furniture stores do offer the most economical prices, and there are several promotional and bargain offers available at any given time. Obviously, promotional and bargain offers to attract new customers and increase traffic. Due to online competition, online market places tend to keep their prices as low as possible without losing their margin. Promoting products on different websites such as eBay and Amazon, or their personal site in online market places as Furniture in Fashion have done so, is an excellent tactic to gain new customers.
Despite space for high margins, online furniture markets are still not easy to set up and require complex system models which do make many hesitant to join the online marketplaces. Hence why the online furniture industry is not crowded yet, although, it will be very shortly.
