5 Ways to Integrate Your Online and Physical Showrooms

Today’s showroom customers are looking for a consistent, integrated shopping experience between your physical and online showrooms – one that enables them to research products, compare prices, and read reviews before visiting your store and working with an associate. When your in-store and online sales channels work together, you deliver convenience, efficiency, and added value to your customers.  

The argument to have cohesiveness between online and in-store showrooms is backed by industry research. In NKBA’s 2023 Independent Kitchen & Bath Showrooms report, they found 60% of homeowners took a virtual showroom tour before visiting in person. And, according to Fit Small Business, about 70% of shoppers factor in the availability of physical stores when making purchasing decisions. This indicates that the option to visit a physical store is still important for many customers, even if they start their shopping journey online. 

Aligning the online experience with the physical showroom experience ensures your customers see consistent brand messaging and enjoy a seamless transition between digital and in-person interactions. Here are five tactics that help integrate your two sales channels and maximize your success.

5 Ways to Integrate Your Online and Physical Showrooms

1. Mimic Your Showroom

Customers can start their journey online by browsing and then move seamlessly into the showroom for a tactile experience, boosting overall engagement and driving both online and offline sales. Your showroom site should have attractive images, dynamic menus, and a user-friendly interface that makes it easy for people to browse your products and find exactly what they want. Your site should also inspire buyers by exposing them to other products and accessories they may not have considered. With consistent information and customer support provided at every stage of the buying journey – from online research to in-store purchase – your customers will trust your business and engage more deeply with your brand. 

2. Create Seamless Interactions

Tight integration between your website and physical showroom systems reduces friction in processes like online-to-offline sales, product availability, and special orders. With a feature-rich eCommerce platform, showrooms can save 50-70% of the time typically spent on coordinating between clients, builders, designers, and tradespeople. This streamlined process means less back and forth, allowing teams to focus on what truly matters: creating exceptional customer experiences. Your online store should act as a centralized hub, enabling seamless communication and collaboration across all parties involved in a project. This ensures that everyone – from the showroom staff to the contractor – is on the same page, leading to fewer misunderstandings and a smoother workflow.

3. Enhance Your Value-Added Services

Just because someone is shopping online doesn’t mean they can’t have a rich user experience. Your site should look as professional and visually impactful as your physical showroom and offer all the resources and service offerings shoppers need during their online visit. Dynamic menus and clear navigation can guide customers through the shopping experience, while call-to-action buttons displayed clearly and consistently across site pages allow site visitors to chat, call, or schedule a design consultation with you. To further differentiate your showroom from the competition, give people the ability to create wish lists and project selections within your online showroom, which they can then add to their cart and check out or share and finalize with your showroom staff. These value-added services drive engagement and establish your brand as an authority in the industry.

4. Foster Subject-Matter-Expert Status

Showrooms typically employ knowledgeable staff who can offer specialized advice, helping customers make informed decisions about products that best suit their needs. Your website can become a great resource as well, starting with detailed information about your products to assist buyers. In addition to high-quality product images, your product detail pages should include specifications, features and benefits, pricing, and resource documents like installation and user manuals. You can also maintain a blog or resource section on your site to share product news, industry trends, and design tips. To further reinforce your knowledge and expertise, showcase your company’s credentials, certifications, awards, and reviews. When consumers repeatedly find useful and reliable information on your site, they’re more likely to trust your brand and feel confident purchasing from you.

5. Drive In-Store Traffic Through Online Engagement

Make it convenient for shoppers to know what is available at your physical showrooms before they plan a visit. Flag and highlight items that are on display at your local showroom to give customers the option to physically see and experience the product before committing to a purchase. This is particularly valuable for high-touch items like plumbing fixtures or hardware, where the look, feel, and finish are important. In-stock flags are another engagement tactic that enable customers to quickly see which products are currently available at your showroom, helping them make faster purchasing decisions, especially for urgent needs. Knowing a product is available locally means customers can visit a nearby showroom or warehouse, reducing wait times and shipping costs. It also minimizes returns and cancellations, as customers are better informed up front about availability. Online flags create a great bridge between your website and physical showroom, enabling customers to start their journey online by browsing, and then move seamlessly into the showroom for a tactile experience. 

Boost Sales Through Unified Showrooms 

By leveraging the strengths of both online and in-store showrooms, your business can create a comprehensive and engaging shopping experience that caters to diverse customer preferences and needs. Together, your unified showrooms will boost customer engagement, build brand loyalty, and drive sales online and in store.  

Partner with Unilog to Transform Your Showroom 

If you need a partner to help integrate your showroom with an online storefront, contact the online showroom experts at Unilog. We can build a profitable online extension of your in-store experience that showcases your local market leadership and promotes your business as a specialty destination. Our CX1 eCommerce solutions offer purpose-built online and in-store digital tools to meet your customers where they are and create new opportunities for your business. 

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