It’s a paradox, Rebecca Ginns admits, that finding retail success online sometimes means focusing on the off-line components. “Our big focus is helping customers discover the high-end products they love, then marrying that with an excellent service and delivery experience,” says Ginns, who is general manager of Wayfair’s newest e-tail site, Perigold. She had been a principal at the Boston Consulting Group when she was tapped by Wayfair to spearhead its new home furnishings brand. From the beginning, one reality was clear: With few high-end design players selling online, there was a groundswell of demand from interior designers and digitally native consumers with discerning tastes.
It’s a void that Perigold, which officially launched last September, fills with more than 150,000 SKUs, all from highly vetted, often trade-only vendors like Baker, Schumacher and Bernhardt. “At Perigold, we are customer- and partner-centric in everything that we do,” says Ginns. The combination of a user-friendly online platform and Wayfair’s deep logistical expertise has already convinced more than 500 suppliers to sign on as partners. It goes to show that a positive digital experience has to deliver off-line, as well. That includes stress-free shipment, which, according to Perigold, is best delivered with white gloves.
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