Multichannel success pursued by Carpetright

Monday, August 28, 2017 - 15:59 by Graham Miller

Last week Carpetright announced its intentions to optimise the customer experience it can offer shoppers, both in-store and online, as part of a major revamp which it hopes will capitalise on the popularity of emerging digital platforms.

Over the past 12 months the company has enjoyed a 74 per cent rise in sales made via safe shopping online, according to Internet Retailing. But unlike some of its rivals, it recognises the need to optimise its performance across all channels.

For a start, it is aiming to encourage more people who start their shopping journey online to complete it at one of its many bricks and mortar locations. By assessing customer data and analysing consumer behaviours, it will be better equipped to provide customisable, targeted experiences.

Carpetright has a diverse customer base in any case, since it sells not only to homeowners with a single property, but also to landlords who are responsible for managing multiple premises. This means that not everyone who visits its site or heads to its stores has the same budget or intentions, which has to be taken into account.

Spokesperson, Mike Traill, said that converting people who head to its site to browse into paying customers is tricky, so making the experience of safe shopping online as engaging as possible is key to winning them over.

He also explained that when people search for carpets and flooring online, they are often conducting initial research which they will later use to make an informed in-store purchase. This is why adopting a holistic, multichannel approach is so impactful.

With 434 stores throughout the UK, Carpetright has a vested interest in maintaining and enhancing its bricks and mortar performance by combining it with online features and linking the two platforms, to help customers as naturally as possible.