Home
>
Web Design
>
Building An Effective Furniture Sales Web Site

Building An Effective Furniture Sales Web Site

Web sites that feature products ? especially furniture or other large items ? require a careful balance of text and images to convey the value of each product.

Let's face it. Consumers like to see, feel, and "experience" a product before they make a purchase decision. If you can elicit the senses in your on-line presentation of an item, you will increase your chances of making a purchase tenfold.

In addition to the basics of an effective web presence, such as complete contact information, a successful furniture sales web site will convey the following:

* Credibility of the merchant to provide any product available through the site;
* Dimensions, an invigorating text description, and multiple images for each product;
* A replacement or repair policy in the event an item is damaged during shipping;
* Delivery or shipping options, with pricing;
* Customer testimonials from those who have shopped with the merchant;
* Full payment options, preferably with telephone, on-line, and invoice credit/debit options.

Style and Navigation

Again, developing a successful furniture sales site depends on the web designer's ability to elicit the senses through a careful combination of text and images. "Presentation" design elements, such as Flash and Java components, may be useful in establishing a professional, yet comfortable tone across the site.

Site navigation should be effortless and flow seamlessly throughout the entire web site, including on pages that do not relate specifically to products. Subconsciously, the site's ease of use will affect the prospect-customer's impression of the merchant.

Content Elements

As the saying goes, "a picture is worth a thousand words." This is certainly the case in on-line furniture sales.

Each product should include at least two unique photos, complete with thumbnail and enlarged versions, but may have as many as six. The goal here is to encourage the prospect-customer to become familiar with the product, to envision the furniture in their home from all angles in the room.

Product descriptions should vibrantly relate the texture, colors, size, and "feel" of each item. Choose words that connect directly to the senses. A throw pillow, for example, could be presented as "a soft burgundy compliment to any sofa pictured above." Of course, while it is appropriate to be vivid in your product descriptions, remember to remain true to each product's features.

Customer service options are a must. A hyperlink to the merchant's contact page or customer service area should be available on each page of the site, uniformly. The merchant's telephone number should also be listed on each page.

A shopping cart system is not required, but can certainly promote prospect-customer conversion based on convenience. For the product-based web presence, the next "action step" after selecting a product is to make a purchase decision. If a purchase requires picking up the telephone, the merchant risks losing the customer during this transition. Offering on-line payment with telephone support is the optimal way to promote an on-line sale.

Tweaks and Tips

* Offering financing options and/or incentive-based sales offers, such as no interest for a 6- or 12-month period, will increase your competitive edge and promote a quicker purchase decision.

* When developing content, be sure to include plenty of key terms and phrases in the site's general text. Search engines such as Google rely on content text, not meta tags, to determine search placement.

* Include key terms in image description tags and hyperlinks. Describe each image or link using terms and phrases relevant to the image, industry, and merchant.

If you are a furniture merchant attempting to develop your first web presence, seek the advice and support of a full-service small business web design firm. Professional, affordable web design is available. Creating a "do it yourself" site may appear cost effective, however this can quickly become a complicated and time consuming project. Stay focused in your profession, and recruit the wisdom of a web professional.

Jim D. Ray is a seasoned web developer and president of Web Presence, a web design firm serving the needs of small businesses nationwide. To learn more, or for a free quote for your own web site, visit the Web Presence at http://www.web-presence.net.

scheduled cleaning services Wilmette ...

In The News:

Your VPN may quietly drop protection when switching between airport Wi-Fi and hotel Wi-Fi. Key settings like auto-connect and kill switch help.

A South Carolina caregiver allegedly gained power of attorney over a 75-year-old with Parkinson's, then transferred his home via quitclaim deed for $5.

Joby Aviation flew its eVTOL air taxi into DFW Airport's busy airspace as Texas launches Project Nexus, a three-year advanced air mobility program.

Federal prosecutors say criminals bought sponsored search ads mimicking real banks, capturing over 5,000 login credentials and draining accounts.

The Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 electric truck targets 621 miles per charge on a 28,000-mile round-the-world journey through over 30 countries.

A viral video shows roughly a dozen Coco Robotics delivery robots swarming a Chicago sidewalk near Lincoln Park, raising wheelchair access concerns.

NewTree Social founder Maddy O'Connor built a community events app to help people discover local gatherings, wellness events and run clubs nearby.

DoppelCart's 119,000 fake shopping domains steal credit card details at checkout, mimicking over 44,000 real brands with convincing cloned sites.

Hurricane charity scams use data brokers and people search sites to target victims before storms even hit, exploiting personal information..

The Fox News AI Newsletter covers the latest artificial intelligence technology advancements, including the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Autonomous race cars hit Laguna Seca and Imola Circuit at speeds topping 157 mph, but the Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League faces a fan problem.

A LinkedIn romance scam cost Gaby close to $1 million after a scammer returned her first payment to build trust, then escalated requests over two years.

Safari's Notify Me can monitor websites for price changes and restocks, while new AI photo tools let you reframe and extend shots in iOS 27.

FLHSMV traced the Florida DMV breach to credentials from a Plant City Police Department user, but ShinyHunters claims over 200,000 driver records.

Tesla's Cybercab launched in Austin with no steering wheel or pedals, but hidden details about age limits and missing safety features may shock riders.

Moderna and Merck's Phase 3 melanoma vaccine trial showed positive results, but full data and FDA approval are still pending for the mRNA therapy.

Malwarebytes data reveals scam texts peak around noon ET with 874% higher volume than overnight, and Fridays bring roughly 50% more messages.

Over 5,400 legitimate websites now serve fake CAPTCHA scams that trick users into pasting malware commands into Windows Run via ClickFix attacks.

Tuya Smart's Doova AI home robot rolls to seniors who call for help and connects family via live video, but key privacy questions remain unanswered.

Jevon Martinez livestreamed himself removing 10 Flock Safety cameras in Bernalillo County, but authorities say eight belonged to neighborhood associations.

A dark web service called Nexus claimed to hold over 153 million driver's license records, and the FBI confirms it is now looking into the incident.

Asking Siri to call American Express connected an 82-year-old woman to a bogus number that nearly drained $100,000 from her Bank of America account.

The Fox News AI Newsletter covers the latest artificial intelligence technology advancements, including the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

iPhone Duo opens to a 7.6-inch foldable display starting at $1,999, but Siri Recap's ambient listening on Apple Watch may spark privacy concerns.

Homeowners' association meeting minutes and membership lists can expose names, addresses and emails that scammers use to craft convincing phishing scams.

Building An Effective Furniture Sales Web Site

Web Design