Hardwood Floors August/September 2017

like we care about them, their situation, and what they are buying. We care about what we’re selling. It’s not a disingenuous notion; we’re all in this industry,” he continued. Educating the Consumer Different types of hardwood flooring perform differently depending on a number of factors. Everything from climate to pets can impact performance. The first step when a customer visits the website is to provide the necessary information about his or her lifestyle and home. The site starts by asking a range of questions about the installation space and how the buyer plans to use it so that every option shown will be tailored to the consumer’s exact needs. To achieve these personalized results, the team created a database that cross- references a customer’s ZIP code with the Köppen-Geiger Climate Classification. Every one of Revel Woods’ SKUs was assigned to one of these ratings based on the climate performance of the product. When a customer takes the quiz, the website references the database in real time and displays only products that are suitable for the customer’s ZIP code climate rating for the space. Customers are then encouraged to order a sample box, which allows them to see their favorite selections in their home with their own lighting and surroundings. Up to four different samples can be included in one sample pack, including two pieces of each product to show the character and variation of the board. The sample box was strategically designed to be lightweight and portable so a customer can easily transport it as they are designing the rest of the space. Also included in the sample pack is a brochure explaining the next steps in the buying process as well as an overview of Revel Woods’ mission, commitment to environmental sustainability and responsibly sourced products, and commitment to the American workforce.

“Our goal is to make buying beautiful, responsibly sourced hardwoods easy and affordable. It’s that simple.”

says Dupra. “We just weren’t. We delayed, and we rented.” “Now, this generation that has changed the way consumer behavior works in every industry it has touched, is starting to get into buying houses and remodeling them. In the hardwood industry, we have to get plugged into that. We need to focus on the wave that is coming,” he continued. Over the past two years, the team carefully thought through how to combine its level of hardwood expertise and technology to target the next generation, the online generation. The end goal was to provide this consumer group known for conducting research online, with solid, credible information in a way that would allow them to consume this information, and to buy these materials safely and simply. “We put an enormous amount of care into the details. We private labeled everything, we came up with our own names, and we wrote copy and product descriptions that tie back to the name for every single product,” says Dupra. “Our overall theory is that there is a market out there for people who genuinely want to feel

Customers are encouraged to order a sample box, which allows them to see their favorite selections in their home with their own lighting and surroundings.

the magazine of the national wood flooring association

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