In the store, the conversation starts naturally. A customer walks in, glances at a sectional, and someone steps in with a suggestion or a question that opens the door. Needs get uncovered. Options are discussed. A solution is found. The perfect "UP"!
Online, that dynamic is often missing.
For many furniture retailers, the website is a catalog, not a conversation. An outdated attempt at the once popular "endless aisle". It lists products but does not guide the shopper. It shows options but does not narrow them. It lets people browse but does not help them buy. If it does any of these things - the results are overwhelming and impersonal!
And that matters. Because furniture is not a click-and-go category. It is layered. Room fit. Style. Material. Color. Delivery. Comfort. Coordination. The questions are real. And when no one is there to answer them, people back off.
Some retailers are changing that by reintroducing the salesperson - just digitally.
They are using live chat that connects shoppers directly to showroom associates, not offshore scripts. They are adding guided selling tools that walk customers through a short series of questions to get to a curated list of options. Others are offering one-on-one video consultations, giving the customer access to a real person, a real showroom, and real expertise - all without leaving home.
The goal is not to replicate the in-store experience. It is to extend it. To make sure that if someone wants help, they can get it. And that when someone is stuck, there is a path forward.
What would happen if your best salesperson could spend a few hours each day helping website visitors?
Would more customers find what they are looking for? Would more abandonments turn into decisions? Would your brand feel more human?
It is not about adding a new tool. It is about rethinking how digital supports the decision-making process. People still want help. They just do not want to search for it.
As you approach empowering your "digital sales" options, just remember how you felt the last time you "chatted" and no one answered! Out to lunch during business hours. Ugh! Whatever you do - Think and plan and set it up for success!
Retail on.
Ready to Learn More?
Blueport’s ecommerce platform is more than just a tool—it’s a comprehensive solution that helps you manage your online furniture business from one central location. With its user-friendly design, advanced inventory management, SEO features, and seamless customer experience, Blueport empowers furniture retailers to run efficient online stores.
If you’re ready to take your furniture business to the next level, Blueport offers the tools and support you need to succeed in today’s competitive omnichannel eCommerce landscape.
