How to win the hardwood flooring battle

OME CENTER and lumber yard operators ,vho want to the hardwood flooring business away from specialty flooring shops including carpet dealers are going to have to develop the reputa- tion of being hardwood flooring experts.

Enlightened home centers, according to Claude Taylor, Memphis Hardwood Flooring, Memphis, Tn., do this with superb displays and well informed sales people who know how to use the display to its best advantage.

The hardwood floor shopper is usually the homeowner, more often a woman than a man, Taylor points out. Regardless of whether the project is to be do-it-yourself, buy-ityourself with professional installation or a contractor job, the person who will live with the floor is usually the one who selects the Pattern and color.

The display must present both squares and planks in sizes big enough to give the shoPPer a clear idea of the color and grain pattern. "Colored graphics showing applications of the various hardwoods in room settings are needed to augment the samples," TaYlor saYs.

Story at a Glance

Ways to develoP a hardwood floor merchandising Program . . how to build disPlaYs, educate sales peoPle' cross merchandise. use Price Point spread, and consistentlY advertise to build sales.

Displays also must include vital information including product specifications and packaging. Installation, care and maintenance data is helpful as well as a chart to show how to figure the quantity needed. Current prices based on square foot quantities should be available in the display.

Stores will find it helpful to get into stocking situations along with displays, according to Jerry Sporich, d-iy products manager at Bruce Hardwood Floors, Dallas, Tx. "Stores should have both parquet and Plank available for carry out until they establish a hardwood flooring clientele," he says, "then theY should begin to develop special order business."

A generic display, rather than a different one for each line of hardwood stocked, is recommended bY Taylor. "This will enable the store to display all lines equallY," he explains, "avoiding the junky look that comes with numerous separate merchandisers. "

Taylor also stresses that the retailer should be willing to sPend some money for this kind of a disPlaY. "Dealers will spend thousands on computers," he says, "but not want to spend a nickle on disPlaYs which make money for them."

The importance of disPlaYing products in a range of price points is supported by Eric Andersson, prefinished product manager at HarrisTarkett. Johnson City, Tn. "The display is an effective merchandising tool that encourages trade-up from other flooring products," he says.

Considered by many in the industry as "one who knows all there is to know about selling hardwood," Taylor lists a well informed sales staff second to displays in order of importance. "Retailers must lean on their suppliers to provide produci meetings and teach the counter and sales people to use the display properly in selling hardwood," he emphasizes.

Knowing the various features of each product is essential, he cautions. because ofthe various types of sub flooring used in homes. In fact, he recommends that the type of sub flooring the flooring will cover be established before showing any samples.

The second question 'the sales person should ask the shoPPer is "What room are you considering hardwood for?" The room in which it will be used is the key to recommending the proper finish as well as a clue to the design and style needed, Taylor explains.

Additional questions considered important are "What style of decorating do you like?", "What color of wood do you prefer?" and "What price range are you considering?" Using the answers to these questions as a guide, the sales person can utilize the display to demonstrate what is best for the customer's needs.

Continuing with either/or and opened ended questions will encourage the customer to respond to the selections being shown and helP to find the product he wants. The different benefits of the various hardwoods should be stressed. Customers buy a long lasting, easY care product which will give them comfort and beautY in their home. Installation and cost are often ofsecondary importance.

Sporich emphasizes the imPortance of having well informed em- ployees, pointing out that his company has a video taPe available for employee training sessions. He feels that in a stocking situation it can be helpful to have distributors hold installation clinics for customers.

Installation and maintenance products should be merchandised with hardwood flooring for the convenience of the customer as well as add on sales, SPorich Points out. Advertising is another essential in his opinion. "Hardwood flooring should be advertised year around," he says, "not just at the Peak fall season."

Hardwood floorings are experiencing a resurgence of popularity. At present they have a significantly greater growth rate than'other floor coverings.

There are advantages for the home center or lumber Yard that builds a reputation as a hardwood flooring center. Hardwood flooring is considered a quick turn, profitable item. Most dealers have a 400/o markup on the product which they usually don't have to stock and often pay for after they have been paid for it, according to Taylor. "Hardwood flooring rounds out a business and keeps customers," he saYS, as well as attracting new ones.