Inspiration comes in all shapes and sizes. For many furniture retailers, adopting eCommerce is a challenge.
In a recent article by Furniture Today, MicroD with Blueport Commerce talked about the tips that retailers can use when approaching eCommerce strategies. While the tips are great, sometimes a visual representation is easier to digest.
That’s why we’ve compiled a list of eCommerce websites across different platforms and industries that we love–and the Internet users do, too.
DI BRUNO BROS.
http://www.dibruno.com/
Blending Online and In-Store is certainly not cheesy. That’s proof in the Di Bruno Bros eCommerce website. Not only is the design very user-friendly but also gives the visitors a lot of engaging content. Here’s the rundown of our 5 favorite features:
>> Mobile-friendly- Shopping AND researching is easy and encouraged on every device. There’s no right time or place to find a good cheese pairing.
>> Fast-loading- With so much high-quality content and imagery, page speed is likely the first SEO quality to be sacrificed. Not with Di Bruno Bros.
>> High-quality content- Say Cheese! There’s so much more than product descriptions and brand messaging to this eCommerce award-winning website. In the screenshot below, we witness an entry to the wide variety of content hosted for online shoppers to get hooked.
>> Engaging- Think Pinterest. Di Bruno has taken the best parts of Pinterest and incorporated the card-style functionality to their page layout. Clean, simple, and highly-targeted call-to-actions on every page.
>> Award-winning and high conversions- That’s right. This satisfyingly savory website won the 2016 BigCommerce award for eCommerce websites in Design!
TENTSILE
The outdoor community is growing exponentially. We’ve seen outdoor furniture in the home furnishings industry increase in value as the buying habits of the consumer lifestyles continue to change. Companies like Tentsile are taking a different approach to the same concept: spend more time outdoors. In this camping accessories company, community-driven shopping is key. Outside of the standard website best practices, Tentsile has a strong social shopping avenue on many social media networks. Here are some of the 5 favorite things we love about this unconventional eCommerce business.
>> Valuable product content- If you were curious about the Stingray tenstile product, one click to the item information page would satisfy all of your questions. Not only is the romance copy a cut above the rest, the “hacks” and links to instruction manuals, video tutorials, and similar products takes this eCommerce product page to a new level.
>> Real-World application imagery- Ever wondered what your life would be like with this product? Easy. See hundreds of photos of people just like you, using the product in the real world. Taking photos out of the studio and into the world is an excellent way to showcase your products.
>> Clean, simple design- Tentsile’s community is about simplifying your life with the outdoors. The same feeling resonates in every design detail from the light theme, simple sans serif typeface, and item browser page.
>> Call-to-Action Slideshow- We love a good slideshow on the homepage of any website. Your eCommerce slideshow can and SHOULD act as more than just a window-shopping experience. As in this example, Tentsile incorporates call-to-action buttons for every slide; giving the user a quick chance to view the product and shorten the sales cycle.
>> “Social Shopping”– MicroD has talked a lot about the rising trend of “social shopping” or “community shopping” and Tentsile showcases that trend. Integrated social media buttons are step one but incorporating the social media feeds on different web pages and product description pages takes the social shopping to a place that actually converts customers.
CRATE & BARREL
http://www.crateandbarrel.com/
>> Omnichannel Design – You could pull the logo off the website and still feel the Crate and Barrel experience from the typefaces, design, color, and imagery.
>> Call-to-actions- especially on the product pages with a rolling header to make purchase possible at any level of the item browser page.
>> Engaging Product Pages – Dynamic, unique content, video of real people enjoying the product you’re interested in. “How does it sit?”
>> Reviews- Showcased for each product right by the Add to Cart functionality.
>> BOPUS “Omnichannel”- Checkout or select store pickup. Special mention: the green designed button for in-store boost the omnichannel experience.
WALTER E. SMITHE
https://www.smithe.com/
>> Empowering Designers- What’s unique about the Walter E. Smithe brand? They’re much more than a family-run furniture retailer. With a powerful design business, Smithe has something unique to offer every visitor. That’s why we love the Designer Pages element to this eCommerce website. Differentiation is key!
>> Virtual catalog- Want to really bring the in-store to online? Take a leaf from Smithe’s catalog–literally. Users can browse a virtual catalog of products in beautiful room designs and link directly to products that they love from the page!
>> Simple checkout process- Cart abandonment is a big risk for eCommerce adopters in every industry. One way to simplify that? Easy checkout. Walter E. Smithe makes the checkout process simple and easy to navigate. You know exactly what step you’re on and what is left to do. Leave the mystery for the other guys.
>> Mattress selector- Another incredible feature of the Walter E. Smithe website is the dynamic mattress selector page. All mattresses are not created equal and everyone has their preference. This selector page makes it easy to narrow down to the brand, collection, size, mattress type, and comfort level.
>> Interactive Elements- It’s a known fact that interactive elements on the eCommerce website can lengthen the time on site and encourage a more engaged buyer to convert with a swift velocity. Smithe’s online Room Planner is just one of those interactive elements that allows every customer be their own designer–or get the help of a Smithe designer on their virtual room. Redesigning and purchasing furniture to fit your living space has never been easier (or fun).
Curious to see what the eCommerce website for furniture retailers at MicroD looks like? Email [email protected]
