As of June 1st, 2010, Hunter Douglas will no longer be selling products online.
This came as a pretty big shock in the world of Window Coverings, but also shook the Internet in General! The growing trend is that companies are clamoring to get online and be a part of the evolution of technology. So why, in a world where everyone is going “Digital”, would a Blinds Giant like Hunter Douglas stop selling online? Jankoski, the VP of Corporate Merchandising stated that it is because of their “desire to maintain and grow our brand integrity”.
As a company that is in the same field as Hunter Douglas, we have to ask ourselves what reasons there are to eliminating online sales? We came up with a few things…
- Hunter Douglas has a strong presence in the retail market and online sales can conflict with those local companies and the commissions/install fees that they make.
- Controlling the quality of the “Installation” is not an easy process. Sometimes local installers or hired installers can create an increase of returns by trying to get the blinds “Perfect”.
- The cost of returns and support for sales and questions strongly affects the value of selling online. In the long term, Hunter Douglas stands to make more from the customer by requiring them to use an “Installation Expert”.
In this process, we identified that one of the most important parts of selling window coverings online is to make sure that you are selling the customer the right product with the right color and size the first time. Our innovative systems online will help to ensure that the customer gets the right product from the beginning!
With Blindsontime.com you eliminate the middle man and get the products for the lowest possible price. Make sure your measurements are correct from the start and your buying experience with our company will be quick and easy!
