Home furnishings and housewares

Home improvement retailer Lowe’s is expanding the ways that consumers shop the company’s products with a new Android application.

Swedish furniture retailer IKEA is piloting a new mobile shopping application in several countries, including Canada, as a way to enhance the customer experience by enabling users to check stock availability, create shopping lists and access a store map.

Whirlpool has rolled out a mobile site to assist consumers in finding the best appliances while on the go.

Home Depot is bolstering its mobile presence this holiday season via a mobile ad campaign that helps consumers find the ideal products and gifts.

Online art vendor OverstockArt.com is leveraging its Web resources with mobile offerings, including a mobile site and applications that let consumers buy art from their handsets.

Crafts retailer Michaels is using a mobile-optimized site application and mobile coupons to drive in-store traffic.

A recent Pier 1 ad campaign is a good example of how retailers can use mobile to drive awareness of specific items that are on sale or are related to a seasonal opportunity. However, it misses an opportunity by not allowing customers to purchase on the spot.

Infant and children’s furniture, gear, stroller, toy and clothing retailer Little Artika has mobilized its sales staff and point-of-sale system to help drive more sales and increase its profits.

Paint company Modern Masters offers products for the home furnishings and hardware industry and the brand recently made its inventory available for purchase on its branded mobile Web site.

Multichannel home furnishings retailer Crate and Barrel has partnered with shopkick Inc. as the latest ally to deliver location-based shopping rewards to consumers for visiting stores.