There has been a lot of talk about the luxury end of the market, more expensive high quality products, being the type of product that still has strong sales. In the last FCN issue Al Whanon, president, editor and publisher wrote an excellent eye opening editorial, backed by enlightening statistics, about the strength of the mature consumer; the Baby Boomers. Much has been said about their buying power and their desire for high end, high quality products and services. But do you just carry these products so you have them to sell or is there more you should know?
Selling to the high end of the market requires a different mind and skill set, not only in selling and marketing but in the installation and service as well. You can’t today be a schlock operator and tomorrow be Neiman Marcus. In fact, if you want to play in this arena it would be a good idea to visit Neiman Marcus or Bloomingdales to see how they operate.
High quality products require more skill to install. For example, if you are going to sell expensive woven carpets you better have an installer who has years of experience installing them. Someone who is good at installing the average tufted carpet is likely not going to be a woven carpet expert. I spoke with a dealer just before writing this article about a complaint he has. They sold a wovenWiltoncarpet that was recently installed. He called to question what the tuft bind should be on woven goods because the complaint is for sprouts in the carpet. There is no comparison for tuft bind on woven carpet versus tufted carpet. They are two different products, manufactured differently with unlike characteristics and physical make up. Nothing that applies to tufted carpet construction and structural integrity applies to woven carpet. He also said some sprouts were at the seam, that the installer got seam sealer on the face of the carpet and he wasn’t sure where the other sprouts were – he is going to look at the carpet and call back. The fact that yarn was sprouting at the seam and that there was seam sealer on the carpet face tells me that the installer was inexperienced. Here we have a very expensive carpet not installed by an expensive installer as it should have been.
Any high end luxury flooring material that’s expensive should have an installer with installation skills commensurate with the cost of the product. The mechanics at the BMW and Mercedes stores don’t work for the same rate as theToyotaor Chevy stores. Customers pay a lot for the product and they expect a lot in every aspect of the relationship.
You’ve heard this all before but I’ll say it again. In the luxury market you have to look like luxury, so does your store, your displays, your employees and your installers and service people. If you’re going to establish this unique identity you better have the image for it. One of the most important components for the image is having women selling the product; designer oriented, men too for that matter, who understand the Luxe market. Go back to the department stores I mentioned and look around the cosmetic and fragrance departments and in the designer clothing departments. This is the type people you want selling luxury floor covering. They understand, fashion, style, beauty, image and the psychology of the customer. They know what business they’re in and who their customer is.
The buyers in this category have money, they spend it and they expect product and service on a silver platter – you must understand that. You can’t do business as a floor covering store and say you’re a fashion dealer without actually being one. If you aren’t the real deal in the luxury category you’ll get claimed to death and as expensive as these products are one claim could destroy your business.
Author: Lewis G. Migliore
LGM and Associates – The Floorcovering Experts