Furniture.com’s 2006 business strategy went beyond just adding more retailers such as Leon’s Furniture Ltd. and RoomStore Furniture, and included providing more e-commerce tools and branded web sites. In addition to the furniture business, Furniture.com increasingly finds itself in the information technology field as well.
The company’s business model has changed somewhat in the past year, says Carl E. Prindle, president and CEO. In the past, all online business for Furniture.com and its retail partners was done through its web site. “Our core technology is a web site platform that does a good job of selling furniture and delivering large ticket items,” Prindle says. “Now we also provide our partners a way to integrate with their e-mail and point-of-sales systems.”
Furniture.com, No. 142 in the Internet Retailer Top 500 Guide to Retail Web Sites, partners with retailers across North America to help them with online activities and aid in the process of delivering furniture to consumers. The company’s partners also include Levitz and Harlem Furniture.
Furniture.com also rolled out an extranet in late 2006 that helps track pricing and inventory among its chain and independent retail furniture partners. “When a customer buys from us we are reaching into their warehouses and have great certainty of providing two to three day delivery, versus 10-12 weeks which is the industry norm,” Prindle adds.
Branded sites that Furniture.com launched in 2006 include Levitz.com, Leons.ca and RoomStore.com. Plans for 2007 include more of the same types of partner and e-commerce expansion, Prindle says. He declined to pinpoint sales figures but noted that Furniture.com’s 2006 sales growth was similar to the previous year, excluding sales from the newly added partner URLs.
Back...
