Technology - April, 2005
-- Home Accents Today, 4/19/2005 1:34:00 PM
Welcome to the Technology section of Home Accents Today! Each month we will bring you news on the ever-changing innovations in technology and/or the Internet in our industry. You can always access this page from our homepage by clicking on the current cover. All the latest headlines also will be listed in the table of contents of each new issue of the magazine.
Variegated Inc. launches Web site
Variegated Inc., producer of bedding, pillows, throws and accessories, has launched a new Web site. The site, www.variegatedinc.com, includes a full 2005 downloadable catalog and price list.
Feizy revamps Web site
Feizy Rugs has gotten a virtual facelift with a completely redesigned Web site.
“It’s been in the works for a while, and I am excited to see it come to fruition,” said John Feizy, CEO and founder of Feizy Rugs.
The new site will have a completely different appearance and will be more user-friendly, interactive and informative.From top to bottom, the site has been reformed and reorganized to better serve Feizy Rugs’ broad customer base.
Designed to educate, inform and motivate the company’s dealer network, Feizy Rugs has included a wealth of information for retailers and consumers alike.The “Rug Collections” section has been completely revamped and will showcase the current Home Collection and Fine Rug Collection, as well as one-of-a-kind and oversized pieces. The collections will be updated frequently. Additional features to be added in phase two of the launch are “Rugs Revealed” (rug information and care), “Q & A,” “Locate a Dealer” and “Press/News.”
Retail Solutions debuts DiscoverLink portal
Retail Solutions Inc., provider of demand data management services and products, has launched DiscoverLink, a data reporting solution for retailers that combines a Web-based portal with analytical tools to deliver information on demand to both retailers and the supply community.
By providing a single, simple, secure way for retailers to share critical information and analysis with suppliers, DiscoverLink enables retailers to achieve the sales and supply chain advantages enjoyed by industry leaders such as Wal-Mart and Target. DiscoverLink serves as the core of a collaborative model that allows retailers to achieve greater efficiency and performance at all levels, from better forecasting to a more streamlined supply chain to enhanced customer loyalty.
"Retailers can dramatically impact their operating efficiency by investing in processes and systems to leverage demand intelligence, improve pricing, and enhance supplier collaboration," said Scott Langdoc, vice president of research at AMR Research, in Retail Decisions for 2005:Investing in Processes. "Benefits include tighter execution, more accurate forecasting, and a reduction in out-of-stocks, resulting in potential 10% sales and 5% margin growth for an average Tier 1 retailer."
DiscoverLink leverages Retail Solutions' Discover database technology to allow for rapid deployment - typically, from 90-120 days from start to finish. DiscoverLink is flexible, offering multiple implementation, reporting and analysis options to meet the retailer's unique needs.
DiscoverLink is backed by Retail Solutions' extensive retail experience and expertise, which ensures that retailers and their partners receive the strong analytical services needed to understand and act on the data.
Rugs Direct measuring customer satisfaction online
ForeSee Results will be measuring customer satisfaction with RugsDirect.com, the Web site for Rugs Direct. Rugs Direct is a subsidiary of Winchester Carpet & Rug Company, the largest online retailer of area rugs in the country.
Using a proprietary customer satisfaction measurement tool based on the American Customer Satisfaction Index, ForeSee Results measures the satisfaction of visitors to the Rugs Direct Web site. The methodology quantifies the impact of satisfaction drivers on overall customer satisfaction and provides insight into how organizations can enhance their websites to improve customer satisfaction and loyalty.
"We're in the midst of a Web site redesign and we want to make sure we're designing the site with the total shopping experience and consumer in mind," said Kim Weisgerber Craig, vice president. "We're excited to find out exactly what our customers are looking for online, what led them to the Web site and to hear what we can do to make their shopping experience with us happier."
The cause-and-effect methodology of the ACSI helps organizations quantify the impact of customer satisfaction on future behaviors tied to loyalty, such as repeat visits and purchases.
City Joinery revamps Web site
Contemporary furniture producer City Joinery has launched a new Web site, www.cityjoinery.com.
The site brings traditional craftsmanship firmly into the 21st century. It shows off the company’s portfolio of more than 100 pieces of furniture with cut-sheets for downloading, information about wood varieties and furniture making techniques, an events calendar and a visitor’s guide to the vibrant Brooklyn neighborhood of DUMBO (Down Under Manhattan Bridge Overpass)“While my passion is to fashion solid wood into functional objects that are also beautiful,” said designer Jonah Zuckerman, “I also understand the value of creating a state-of-the-art Web site to communicate what we do. Now people can easily learn about us from anywhere in the world, just a click away.”
The company designs and makes all its furniture in DUMBO, where the showroom is open to the public and large windows look into an adjacent, cluttered workshop with artisans busy at work.Talkback
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