Shaw's Kiosk Optimizes Rug Buying

Dalton, Ga. -- Shaw Industries Group, the world's largest carpet maker, has rolled out an interactive kiosk -- mounted on the center of a display that also holds 68 carpet samples -- to help shoppers pick from Shaw's selection of 5,500 area rugs."Consumers like to see and touch. The samples allow them to see construction and color, but we are limited to the amount of samples to show," says Kim Barta, Shaw Living brand manager. "Through the kiosk, consumers can shop the 5,500 SKUs, of which many are represented not by exact design but by color and construction on the sample boards."The touchscreen kiosk allows consumers to shop for area rugs by style, size and color, returning a list of the top-selling styles that fit the shopper's requests. The kiosk also offers educational information on fiber, rug construction, color and decorating in general. "The kiosk makes shopping for area rugs fun and easy," Barta says. The kiosk content is not just pulled from the company's website but is "personal shopping and interaction at its best," she adds.The display, produced by Trans World Marketing, East Rutherford, N.J., is testing in 10 stores and will roll out to 300 independent flooring retailers in April. Shaw Living will use the display to launch a variety of new product offerings such as its Modern Classics, Seaside Indoor/Outdoor and Kathy Ireland Home Young Attitudes collections, Barta says.In the past, Shaw displayed area rugs in traditional displays featuring 40 to 60 rugs. These are the best displays for showcasing area rugs if the retail location has the available space. However, research with independent flooring retailers convinced Shaw that many of them wanted area rug profit centers, but lacked the necessary space, Barta says."We enjoy large market share in the flooring channel," she adds. "It's a natural that we assist 'our friends' and best corporate customers in an attempt to help them increase revenue in another product category, [one] in which it has been difficult for them to be successful in the past due to space limitations."The 25-foot display is designed for consumers seeking easy, economical room updates or purchasing hard surface flooring, she says.For most consumers, when undertaking an area rug purchase decision, the most important considerations are color and design, rather than brand name. "If the product has a brand name that is recognized and trusted, that provides an added benefit and comfort level for the consumer," Barta says.Area rugs are currently marketed through Shaw Corp.'s consumer ad campaigns, Barta says. The company's website, shawfloors.com, features a dealer locator directing consumers to retailers that sell Shaw rugs.Over time, the kiosk's content and the display's carpet samples will be updated to feature new models and eliminate discontinued lines. It will be refreshed with new product cards and updated data content as appropriate each year, Barta says.

Shaw's Kiosk Optimizes Rug Buying

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