Follow Me

Subscribe via E-mail

Your email:

Innovations International Blog

Current Articles | RSS Feed RSS Feed

High Point Market April 2012

 

Innovations International and Snibbe Interactive High Point 2012Innovations International and

Snibbe Interactive Immersive and Interactive Display Technologies

Innovations International celebrated the grand opening of their AmericasMart permanent showroom

 

Innovations International celebrated the grand opening of their AmericasMart permanent showroom this morning, in Building 1, Showroom 3-E-1, during the National Oriental Rug Show. Please stop by and visit us from Thursday Jan 12 - Sunday Jan 15 and learn about how our solutions can increase your sales and margins by 30% or more. 

                                                                                                                                                      describe the image 

The Good Old Days Are Done and Gone

 

 


But Our Best Days Are Yet to Come.

Many independent rug retailers have no problem accepting the first part of the headline above, but far fewer are confident about the second part.

Interestingly, their reaction depends to a large degree on their age.  Store owners who have been in the business for some time and are now in their 50’s, 60’s and 70’s look back at the boom days of the late 1980’s and early 1990’s, when the number of independent rug  stores in the USA exploded, going from around 500 to more than 7,500 in just a few short years.  “Those were the days,” they say.

They are not wrong.  Those WERE the days…the days when all a good salesperson needed was a small space, a few dozen rugs on hand – and a ready source for more.  When you could get rugs on consignment just by asking, when customers visiting your store had little opportunity to shop around elsewhere, and you could manage your business with a calculator and a cash register.  Those days ARE gone.

Good Old Days

To some degree, those pioneers in the Oriental rug business became victims of their own success.  They had to make the transition from selling rugs to managing a retail business…they became slaves to the back office.  Works of art became commodities, and business owners had to learn how to manage distribution, purchasing, inventory, bookkeeping, and more.  Through the end of the 20th century and the decade that begin the 21st, it became clear that finding and adopting the right technology would be the key to survival and success.

For many in that generation that became a bridge too far.  Some tried to use cookie-cutter retail software and found it didn’t work the way they needed…it didn’t suit the unique requirements of the rug business to begin with, and it hasn’t changed significantly in years.  Many are simply leaving the business and retiring rather than try to adapt to the ever-increasing technological demands of today’s retail marketplace.   

As we enter the second decade of the new century, a few of the older stores will be prepared to take advantage of better times ahead – those whose owners understood they needed to stay technologically current and hired people to help them do so, and those whose children have decided to join the family business and who bring an understanding and appreciation of technology with them.  A third group going forward will be newcomers – people who know business, can’t imagine retail without leading edge technology, and see clearly that the best days for independent rug retailers still lie ahead.

Which brings us to the second part of the headline…the optimistic part.

What indications are there that things will get better?  There are a few things.  First, consider this.  The silver lining for rug retailers within the cloud of the economic downturn has been that people are traveling less and engaging in “nesting” behavior more.  With the real estate market such as it is, many are staying right where they are and fixing up their homes – and one of the most common home modifications it turns out, is adding hard-surface floors to their homes.  In fact, the demand for hard-surface flooring – woods, laminates, decorative concretes, tiles, etc. – has risen by almost 40%. 

Every one of those rooms with new hard-surface floors is a room that needs one or more area rugs.  And although statistics from the US Census and other sources are hard to break out by specific category, some experts estimate that as few as 2% of homes in the USA currently have handmade rugs in them.  Even if that number isn’t exact, the implications are clear – there is an enormous potential domestic market for rug sales. Demand is headed up.

Worldwide, new markets have also opened up for rug export. Many of the best rugs that are being produced now are headed for China, Brazil, and Russia, as consumers in those countries are enjoying stronger economies and improved standards of living.  While stores here in the U.S. won’t profit directly from that development, they will benefit from the upward pressure on prices created by growing demand.

 This pressure is elevated even further by the fact that handmade rug production is in serious decline.  In most rug-producing countries, the population – and especially the younger generation --  is turning to other ways of earning a living that are much more rewarding and far less demanding.  The equation is pretty simple: with fewer rugs being produced and increasing demand, the value of rugs is escalating rapidly and for the foreseeable future.

In fact, supply will become the primary obstacle for independent retailers.  Those who currently have strong supply connections either as direct importers or with distributors will probably be okay.  Those who don’t may find themselves being pushed out of the business. Either way, as the business responds to a consumer marketplace that is increasing dominated by technology (soon every website will be equipped with a shopping cart and every mobile device will be able to access and buy) it is essential that independent retailers upgrade their technology infrastructure to keep pace.

Which brings up another reason for optimism -- that now there IS a solution developed specifically and solely for the independent rug retailer.  And not only is it designed FOR them, it was designed BY them.  RMPro Ingenuity™ is the culmination of almost 20 years of development, testing, and use in the real world by independent rug retailers.  Initially developed by an independent retailer to solve his own problems, the solution has continued to evolve with more than 300 users providing feedback, comments, and suggestions along the way.  The result?  The most comprehensive and effective retail management software available today for the independent rug retailer – a solution that empowers the independent store to compete directly and successfully with big box stores and online retailers.

RMPro Ingenuity™ levels the playing field by automating all the essential business rules, processes and best practices – which means that small to midsized retailers can take advantage of the same data analysis, business intelligence, and management tools that were previously available only to the big guys.  It allows the easy integration of brick and click environments across the board and is being expanded to include a mobile app that will empower retailers to transact business on the spot wherever in the world they happen to be.  Its intuitive format makes it easily accessible even to those for whom technology is still a challenge, and its power and sophistication make it clear to the tech-savvy new generation that this is the key to better days ahead.

Those “good old days” are never coming back, and the old ways of running the business can’t keep up with today’s retail marketplace.  Visit www.inno-intl.com or call Innovations International at 502-267-7255 to learn more about RMPro Ingenuity™ and other solutions that can ensure the best days are yet to come for your business.

If you always do what you’ve always done, you'll always get what you’ve always got.

 

In the modern world, many people attribute this quote to Anthony Robbins, renowned motivational speaker and self-improvement guru.  Go back a few years, and people will tell you that Albert Einstein said it. Go back another generation or two, and Henry Ford gets the credit; before him it was Mark Twain.  It doesn’t really matter which of these thought leaders said it.  What matters is the truth of it…and the point of it.

 

If you want to change the result,
you must change the way you do things.

If you’re a retailer and you’re not getting the results you want, the good news is you can transform your business, and achieve success – almost ANY goal you can think of…with a minimum of effort and little risk of failure.  

It starts with understanding that all business software is simply an accumulation of effective business rules that have been automated.  Gather these business rules from the top 300 retailers over the last decade…so that you get only the best of the best, the knowledge that will empower you to make changes and achieve the goals you want. Then develop a solution that organizes and automates these best practices for you.

A solution like that would change the way you do things.  RMPro Ingenuity is that kind of solution, and with it you can:

describe the image

  • STOP worrying about what’s going on while you’re out of the store – our NOTIFICATIONS will inform you immediately of any transaction or development that occurs. You select how you want to be informed – email or text – you choose what events should trigger the message.  It’s automatic.

  • START taking corrective action immediately if problems arise or trends turn in the wrong direction.  ALERTS appear on your home screen – in real time – keeping you up to date and informed and making it impossible to ignore.  You can only solve a problem when you know it exists, and ALERTS makes sure you do – in time to do something about it.

  • STOP guessing about what to buy, when to buy, and how much.  OPEN TO BUY lays it all out for you, based on your data, so you can minimize waste and maximize profits.

  • START benefitting from the kind of BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE that used to be reserved for only the mega-retailers. It’s like having a team of CPA’s and MBA’s on staff advising you without having to pay them.

This potent new technology is the result of input from every level of over 300 retail businesses, from the store owner to the shipping clerk, from the sales staff to the delivery driver.  It has been designed to streamline process, increase efficiencies, improve revenues and margins, and eliminate shrinkage. And the results are undeniable. This technology works better and far more easily than anything else in the market because it has been developed by retailer for retailers.  By people like you for people like you.


Kevin Modares, VP
World Trade Import and Export LLC
Dba Mary Wilson Oriental Rugs

“Innovations International continuously offers my company the business solutions that we require without the astronomical costs normally associated with this caliber of product. First class technology that was practically impossible for our small business to afford in terms of quality, service and support, just a few years ago, has become a reality in our daily operations.

From inventory management to maximizing workplace efficiency, I was not able to find anything comparable and I am happy and satisfied with our partnership. These days, every dollar and every hour should be accounted for and leveraged to its maximum potential. Our investment in Innovations International’s products leads to more sales, simply put. I believe anyone not with Innovations is either behind the curve or paying too much for too little. I look forward to many more years of competitiveness by staying at the cutting edge of technology with the help of Innovations International.”

The remarkable power of RMPro Ingenuity takes the fear out of innovation.
When people speak of innovation, they usually mean taking big, radical steps to achieve change.  Unfortunately, when you present innovation (in the form of a large, intimidating goal or dramatic routine change) to your brain, a series of complex neurological processes are set in motion that actually work against the achievement of change.  Change is perceived as dangerous, and the fear of danger can make it difficult to think clearly or act effectively.

But when the danger is something like mounting debt, disappearing inventory, diminishing sales, or decreasing margins, you need your wits about you.  You must think before you act…and then you must act decisively.  Fear cannot be part of the equation.

The science behind RMPro Ingenuity
If you can measure your business, you can manage it; if you can manage it, you can improve it.

The benefits of RMPro Ingenuity are truly amazing. Within days, you’ll discover exactly what this solution can do for you and your business…you'll find that, without even realizing you are doing it, you're seeing possibilities you never saw before, you’re creating and maintaining changes you may have previously considered too difficult or even impossible.

Without trying, without even really thinking about it, you will automatically take the steps and actions you need to take. You will be doing things differently – and getting that different result you were looking for.

One glance at the home page of RMPro Ingenuity and you effortlessly gain instant access to all areas of your business. Seeing your information presented so clearly is thought-provoking and leads you automatically and directly to take exactly the right action at exactly the right time.  And here are the top 10 benefits you’ll experience when you do:

  • Increase your sales
  • Focus your marketing and advertising
  • Manage you’re A/R more efficiently
  • Never drop the ball on your back order or purchase order
  • Never get behind your payment on your consigned inventory
  • Know instantly what is important and critical to your business
  • Never have to seek information on what is happening – Notifications pushes it to you
  • No more double entry into QB
  • Streamline your purchasing
  • Inventory term will assist you with your inventory level
And that’s just the beginning – there is a whole lot more.  I guarantee that if you make it a routine to use this tool, you will experience substantial measurable results in not only reforming your business but transforming to the next level.

If you’re doing business the same way you always have, you can’t possibly get a different result.  Find out how RMPro Ingenuity can make a change for the better in your business - call 502-267-7255 or visit www.inno-intl.com to arrange for a free demo.

 

How You Can Carry Your Store With You In Your Pocket Or Purse

 

 

Of all the technological advances that have brought changes to retailing, perhaps none is more impactful than the rapid growth of mobile technologies.   Apps developed for smart phones and tablets number in the hundreds of thousands with new ones being introduced daily – and no wonder, since sales of those devices are projected to surpass desktop and laptop/notebook computers in early 2011 and continue to grow at a faster rate.

describe the image

However, most apps that have anything to do with retail sales are consumer oriented; i.e., they help customers search for products, locate them, and sometimes buy them online.  Others let consumers scan tags or other information and engage in comparison price-shopping online.

Little, on the other hand, has been done to develop apps FOR retailers – especially for small to mid-sized retailers – until now.

describe the image                                                    

Now, there is a mobile app, iRMPro, which lets retailers in the home furnishings industry make sales anywhere, process transactions, manage inventory, review customer information and more, all seamlessly synchronized with their in-store system and other mobile devices in real time, keeping all their data accurate all the time.  This next generation solution from Innovations International - developed BY retailers FOR retailers - will let independent retailers take their store with them wherever they go…on the floor, in a customer’s home, at a restaurant, a dinner party, or on the road

The mobile capability means retailers can close sales more quickly and conveniently and process the transaction on the spot; they can swipe a credit card or key it in, get approval, and email the invoice/receipt to the customer.  iRMPro also provides them with complete customer history and information that can result in cross-selling of related products and services in a natural transition. Imagine the opportunities.  You’re in a customer’s home, having taken some rugs there for approval. You have the ability right there and then to create an approval invoice or to close the sale if a rug is chosen, take payment, generate an electronic receipt and send it to the customer’s email.  If the rugs you’ve brought aren’t quite right, you can use your mobile device to take a picture of the room, use the app to search your entire inventory, filtering and selecting to find the right rug and place it in the picture of their room.   “What do you think of this one instead, Mrs. Jones?  Would you like us to bring this one out to look at?”  You go on to check Mrs. Jones’ customer history: “Oh, and by the way, I see here that you purchased two rugs from us about three years ago, but I don’t see any record that we’ve ever cleaned them – would you like to get that taken care of?”

Imagine the efficiency. You have the power of a full POS system, complete inventory management functionality, and detailed customer history to call on, all in one comprehensive and easy to use app for your mobile device that will fit in your pocket or your purse.  And what’s more, every transaction you perform is automatically and immediately synchronized with your store system and with any other mobile devices in your system…so all your data stays up-to-the-minute and accurate.

Retail sales – now there’s an app for that – iRMPro.  For details, call 502-267-7255 or use the Contact Us tab at www.inno-intl.com to find out more.

 
   
 

Who Knows Best What Independent Retailers Need From Technology?

 

If you’re an independent retailer, the answer probably seems pretty obvious to you.  You know best.  So why is it, you may ask, that companies that develop software for retailers rarely consult with retailers before developing solutions?

In an entertaining talk on Ted.com, Charles Leadbeater describes the process of innovation today as “multiplying resources by turning users into producers and consumers into designers.”  Not producers in the sense of manufacturing a product or designers in the sense of interior designers – no, he’s talking about the involvement of the end-users in helping to point the direction and define the shape of a solution to fit their needs. The result is a product that isn’t created in a vacuum by some self-proclaimed expert; instead, it is a product designed and developed by the people who will use it. Certainly that sounds like the sensible approach, and with today’s communications technologies, it is even relatively easy to gain that input, share it with others, and work collectively to develop solutions that actually solve real problems for independent retailers.

 describe the image

Of course, our search for real solutions started 20 years ago with our own  frustrations as a retailer, so this development model made perfect sense to us.  We built in what we knew we needed, put it out for others to use and asked them to give us feedback about what else should be in there.  They did just that.  Hundreds of users told us what they thought, contributed ideas, and critiqued what we had done.  The resulting evolution of the product became a solution uniquely tailored to provide not only what they needed, but also lots of features that were expressed as “wouldn’t it be great if…” 

That process continues today, and virtually every upgrade is a result of valuable input from our user community.  We think it is a clear example of just what Leadbeater meant by innovation.

So again, why doesn’t everyone do it?  The only reasonable answer seems to be that people are afraid of having their ideas stolen or that someone else will make money from the development.  While understandable, that’s a point of view that stifles innovation and results in mediocre, incomplete, and badly designed solutions.

Far better to adopt the view expressed by Howard Rheinhold in yet another Ted.com discussion; i.e., that collaboration benefits everyone.  In retail, the truth is that solutions that work usually result in more money for everyone, developers and users.  What’s more, collaborative creativity accelerates the pace of progress, development, and improvement.  Our users understand that, for sure, and are happy to see that we can help turn their great ideas into viable solutions that help them sell more, improve margins and manage efficiently.

You can call Innovations International at 502-267-7255 or visit our website at www.inno-intl.com, to find out more about our solutions and to share your ideas.

 

 

 

   
 

It’s Back to the Future for Independent Retailers

 

According to many so-called experts, the recession officially ended a couple of years ago in mid 2009.  Most independent retailers might respectfully (and sometimes not so respectfully) disagree.  “If the recession is over,” many ask, “when do things get back to the way they were?”

The simple answer is: Things will never be the same.   There is no going back, and it’s important to start thinking about what will be, not what has been.

A white paper (http://www.cognizant.com/futureofwork/assets/whitepapers/FromRecession.pdf ) recently published online by Cognizant, a leading provider of information technology, consulting, and business process outsourcing services, makes this point for businesses across the board.  The paper asserts that what lies ahead is not a recovery, but a “radical economic reset” in which all the old rules about both business and related technology no longer apply.

 

The financial and credit crises that crippled consumer spending over the last few years also coincided with some of the most rapid and dramatic technological changes in memory – mobile apps, cloud computing, and much more.  So, even as the recovery slowly gathers momentum, it has become clear that the familiar old business models in many industries are not adequate going forward.  Retail is no exception.

Like many other businesses, retailers have had to cut costs wherever they could just to survive, but the time has come to move beyond that strategy to figuring out what will work in the future.  And the key area in which most retailers, especially the small to mid-sized independent retailers, need to focus is technology.

First, going forward, independent retailers will need to adopt new solutions that drive them to operate more efficiently and effectively, that help them to maximize profits and minimize costs, and that put them into a more competitive position relative to big box stores and giant online retailers.  Secondly, they must recognize and respond to the sea changes in consumer shopping capabilities and behaviors that have been brought about by advances in information and communications technology.

describe the image

From an operational standpoint, an ideal system will be one which integrates every aspect of the business, from POS and Inventory Management to Business Intelligence and Automated Marketing.  It will be driven by transaction data, shared across the system in real-time to ensure that decision-making is actually knowledge-based and not guesswork, and that any processes which can be automated are.  RMPro Ingenuity™ from Innovations International is just such a solution and was designed and developed by retailers for retailers.

Equally – or perhaps even more important – retailers must come to grips with the new reality in shopping behavior.  Consumers today do not rely on traditional channels neither for purchases nor for information about products and services.  Internet retailers and big box ecommerce sites provide stiff competition for independent retailers in selection and pricing, and consumers can readily access their sites with mobile devices even while shopping in an independent retail store.  Other mobile applications allow them to scan codes and easily comparison shop, the result for the independent retailer being losing the sale or giving up any reasonable margin.

Traditional advertising shows diminishing returns in the new economy – again, because of technological change.  Consumers today get much of their information through social networking or by reading online reviews of products, services, and those who provide them.  Interestingly, that does bring one “old-fashioned” value back into play, and that’s delivering excellent customer service and encouraging customers to share their experiences with their online communities.

Innovations International offers independent retailers a powerful tool in eCatalog, which allows them to compete head-on with big box stores and online retailers in terms of selection, and which gives them a way to “private label” products to block comparison shopping online or through wireless devices.   So while providing excellent customer service, they can keep the sale and maintain their margins.

A companion mobile application, iRugz, offers a similar selection to shoppers using wireless devices – smart phones and tablets – and then directs shoppers to the nearest independent retailer to buy.

As the Cognizant white paper points out, smart businesses in every industry are re-tooling their processes and their information technology to adapt to the post-recession economy.  Those who don’t will be left behind.  Without question, this truth applies as directly to independent retailers.  The good news is that technologies that were once only affordable by the big companies are now well within reach of any small to mid-sized retailer.

More information or online demonstrations of products that can help retailers move forward with confidence into the new economy are available at www.inno-intl.com or by calling Innovations International at 502-267-7255.


GAIN INSIGHT INTO TODAY’S SMARTER CONSUMERS.

 

A recent study by the IBM Institute for Business Value is filled with significant insights that can help retailers understand and respond to today’s smarter and technologically empowered consumers.

The report takes an in-depth look at the impact of technology on consumer buying behavior and documents in detail just how “instrumented” today’s consumers have become.  It also goes beyond the numbers to analyze how the balance of power in the buy-sell equation has shifted in the consumer’s favor and how retailers can respond positively to that shift to become active partners with the consumers in their search for value.

describe the image

For example, one of their important conclusions is that consumers who enter your store or visit your website today come into that purchasing situation better informed than ever before, largely through the use of technology tools.  They have already done detailed internet research on the products you sell, and they have checked with people they trust – friends, family and other buyers/potential buyers through social networking and online reviews.

The good news is that they are predisposed at that point to buy or at least they’re seriously considering your store or website as a place to buy.  They very likely even have a specific item in mind.  So, whatever you’ve done to bring them to you has created a window of opportunity with a high probability of success. The study suggests that your job now is to simply make them feel welcome, personalize their shopping experience, and make it easy for them to buy what they want. 

That insight is just one of many contained in the report that can help retailers get a clearer picture of the future of retail.  Whether you are an IBM customer or you seek your technology solutions in other ways, the information is invaluable and freely available online.  You can review a short summary or the full report at the links shown below.  

Executive Summary

ftp://public.dhe.ibm.com/common/ssi/ecm/en/gbe03383usen/GBE03383USEN.PDF

Full Report

ftp://public.dhe.ibm.com/common/ssi/ecm/en/gbe03390usen/GBE03390USEN.PDF

Tags: 

Are customers shopping your store then buying elsewhere?

 

With the explosive growth of smart phones and free or low-cost mobile apps like ShopSavvy, Red Laser, Android Bar Code Scanner, and ScanLife Bar Code Scanner, more and more independent retailers are experiencing the frustration of seeing a customer walk out the door just when they thought they were about to close the sale.

Perhaps it’s happened to you. You spend time with a customer helping them find exactly what they want,
educating them about the quality of your product, and seeing them respond enthusiastically.

Then they scan the item’s tag with their phone – a phone equipped with an app that reads UPC or QR codes. It then uses the code to direct them to websites or a price list showing multiple retailers where they may be able to buy it for less.
grid

At that point, the customer either heads off to buy online, or demands that you meet or beat the lowest price they find.  On the spot, you’re scrambling to decide if you can do that.  Your investment in time, effort, and having the right inventory in stock goes to waste if you don’t make the sale or can’t make your margin.   The technology is great for the consumer, but it is potentially devastating for independent retailers.  

And consumers are embracing this technology, according to an article in Mobile Commerce Daily written by Dan Butcher: “Bar code scanning, which not long ago was a niche application, should now be top-of-mind for all retailers, per Compete. The highest rate of adoption is among Android owners—48 percent have tried a bar code scanning application. Not far behind are iPhone owners at 39 percent, followed by BlackBerry owners at 14 percent, according to Compete. More than half of these active respondents said that they scanned a bar code while in a store in order to compare the price of the product with prices in other stores. Others—23 percent of survey respondents—claim to have scanned an image of a product to bring up more information about it. In addition, 13 percent said that they have scanned a product’s bar code so they could buy it with their smartphone.”

The good news is that there is now technology available for the independent retailer that can help you fight back.  

A feature of the eCatalog product that Innovations International has made available to Oriental rug retailers allows them to create their own professionally-designed labels for rugs on display -- easily, immediately, and in-house -- using their own office printer. 

Standard information may be pulled directly from the vendor database, or user-defined information can be substituted to create private label branding for that item. With private labels, retailers can assign each item a code of their own to be printed on the label; they can also use a different descriptor, collection name, color identification, SKU# and other information on the label.   Shoppers using a smart phone to scan codes in store or searching online by description would not be able to use label information to comparison shop online or elsewhere.

This creates a more level playing field for the independent retailer.  The customers now must make their decision based on how much they like or want the rug and whether they feel the price is fair.   

Rug retailers who choose not to create their own private labels find that eCatalog still helps them when faced with the sudden demand to meet a specific price a customer has found online.   Both tags and display screens for any rug can be configured to display MSRP, plus “our price,” and even a “sale price” as desired…all of which can be viewed by the customer.  Most importantly however, the screen also displays a price code which tells the retailer only the actual cost of the rug.  At a glance, the retailer can know immediately whether meeting the customer’s price is a realistic option.

Independent retailers already face difficult challenges in competing with big box stores and online retail giants; just getting customers into your store is an accomplishment.  Watching them buy somewhere else after you’ve done all the work is truly adding insult to injury.  

There are lots of other ways eCatalog helps the small to midsized Oriental rug retailer survive and thrive in the rapidly changing and increasingly technological retail marketplace.  You can find out more or arrange for a free demonstration by visiting www.inno-intl.com or calling 502-267-7255.

Tags: ,

How to sell more rugs in less time with a virtual inventory catalog

 

In the past, independent Oriental rug retailers often spent considerable time with each customer.  Because a small to midsized retailer can carry only limited  inventory, much of that time wasn’t spent building the relationship or even making the sale, it was just wasted thumbing through catalogs, supplements, and updates to try and find the right rug to suit the customer’s requirements. The result was often frustration and impatience for both parties.

That was the old business model…inefficient, time-consuming, and in many cases, it had the opposite effect from the desired result. Customers grew tired of the search, unhappy with the wait, and sometimes actually walked out of the store. Today’s consumers are even less tolerant of that kind of delay. They want results, and they want them quickly.

An interactive catalog – an electronic catalog online or ecatalog -- is the answer. Interactive catalogs allow retailers and/or their customers to search tens of thousands of rugs at the speed of light and select by whatever criteria they choose – style, substyle, size, color, shape, price, and more.

Customers often find more than one rug they like, and they do it in a fraction of the time. They can view and compare them all onscreen at one time, zoom in for detail, and explore whether they are available in other shapes or colors. All with a few clicks of a mouse from the comfort of a chair.

Conversion from browser to prospect to buyer can happen much more quickly than in the traditional business model, and with less effort, labor or staff training. And that conversion is also easier because an independent retailer with a digital catalog can compete with any big box store or online retailer for selection.

With an eCatalog, retailers can multiply their inventory selection by a factor of 1,000 times or more, without expending a penny on purchasing, shipping or warehousing. All they need is a computer with a decent-sized monitor and a high-speed internet connection, and all the rugs shown appear under the retailer’s logo and branding. An eCatalog can even be easily integrated with the retailer’s own website as well.

In today’s challenging retail environment, being able to level the playing field with the big guys and to make more sales in less time is an advantage no independent retailer should overlook.

Contact us at http://inno-intl.com or 502-267-7255 today for a free web demo!

All Posts