Can furniture brands be run on an e-commerce model?

How did you evolve from offering just beds to sofas and home office furniture online?

The evolution was one that came naturally; from the inception of the company, we had strategically developed a multi-year product roadmap that reflected our ‘north star’: to help everyone, everywhere create a home they love.

The two, most heavily weighted categories in the furniture vertical have always consisted of mattresses (bedroom) and upholstery (sofas). It was only logical for Noa Home to begin with these products and extend complimentary categories – such as bedding and rugs – as the core assortments grew entrenched.

While we were steadfast in the categories themselves, we kept a close ear to the ground, so to speak, to listen and learn what styles, fabrics, colours, features and sizes customers sought. To this day, myself, JC and our team continue to speak directly with customers for insights into what products and services they want. It certainly keeps us humble and open-minded; we are definitely grateful for the time customers extend us in sharing feedback.

What are the challenges of building a brand online? How did you overcome those challenges?

The challenges of launching and building a modern day consumer brand have evolved since 2016. In our view, doing so in a category that is traditionally high-touch – in which consumers prefer to see, touch and feel home furnishings – was a primary hurdle at the inception (and remains so today). Selling products that carry a high price point typically requires that a brand develops a level of trust and credibility with our audience. As a result, our efforts have always been to focus on products that are built to last, a shopping and delivery experience that is unmatched and as a result, an overwhelmingly positive customer base that fuels strong reviews, word-of-mouth referral and beyond.

What do you think are three key trends coming up in the next few years?

The furniture space remains one with an extraordinary opportunity to innovate within. While many product trends – especially in styles, colours, fabrics – come to pass, the following three are those that we are keen to focus on.

First, delivering a seamless, omnichannel experience across physical and digital touchpoints is one area we are seriously reflecting on. We see innovations occurring in showroom designs, digital consultations and short-term, pop-up experiences. Personalisation of products and pre-and-post shopping experiences are also topics we are exploring frequently.

Second, we have – and now more than ever – always believed in curating timeless, authentic and sustainable products that are exclusively designed and built to last. You see, most legacy furniture brands continue to source “fast-fashion” assortments that lack originality and quality; this results in wastefulness and overburdening merchandising. We find ourselves on the opposite side of this spectrum, with a collection of core designs across categories and price points, handpicked and developed in-house. We also see a growing interest in modular products as customers’ living spaces and needs evolve.

How do you intend to cater to these new upcoming trends?

In terms of a dynamic, shopping experience, virtual one-on-one consultations have been instrumental in engaging with our customers in new ways from the beginning of the pandemic; digital natives in all of the countries in which we operate absolutely love this service offering. This digital-first touchpoint perfectly bridges the gap between a physical walkthrough in-store with actual product and a digital e-commerce experience that lacks interaction. In other words, we have discovered a way – through one-on-one consultations – to blend the convenience of shopping online with the white-glove experience of a designer or sales associate from a typical retail experience.

Investments in time and talent continue to be made to design and product curation in-house; this allows Noa Home to offer a collection unlike any other modern-day e-commerce furniture brand. As travel restrictions have lifted, we eagerly collaborate with both new and existing manufacturers around the world with a focus on expert suppliers and artisans with rich histories of craftsmanship and value.

Lastly, as a vertically integrated business, we are working ever more closely with suppliers and their facilities that are located in closer proximity to the customer. This dramatic shift in how we source products around the world allows us to diversify the assortment to better reflect local preferences and will, in the foreseeable future, reduce lead times allowing us to have products made available far more quickly.

Can you share about your upcoming expansion plans?

The future of Noa Home is bright, with exciting expansion plans across new markets and categories. Specifically, we are eager to launch into the United States in 2023, a market where consumers have shown great interest in our brand and assortment. Our passion for design will continue to push new product introductions across existing and new categories with a focus on living and dining. Finally, we have experienced growing traction from trade professionals and the hospitality sector; B2B as a channel will continue to build momentum as our brand grows in resonance and the collection widens.

For more information, please visit www.noahome.com.