The new mobile site enables users to easily access the online retailer’s promotional offers. Additionally, registered customers experience a streamlined check-out by signing in and having their address information automatically entered for them.

“Mobile is a crucial consumer touch point; the role is huge and growing,” said Bobby Touran, business development at Unbound Commerce, Framingham, MA. “As more customers shop using their smartphones, the more important it becomes for all retailers to cater to that behavior.

“RugsUSA – a leader in the home goods industry – contacted Unbound to help address the increasing proportion of their total web traffic coming from mobile devices,” he said. “They needed a custom user experience that would drive engagement and boost conversions.”

RugsUSA worked with Unbound Commerce to develop the mobile commerce site.

Mobile navigation
The RugsUSA mobile commerce site boasts several features designed to make it easy for users to find and share rugs they like. For example, there are product-specific social media links and users can share product details by email.  

Products are grouped into categories such as Contemporary, Traditional, Animal Print, Outdoor, Kids and more. Users can click on a category to see a list of items in that category.

Searches can be further refined by clicking on one of two buttons that appear in each category enabling users to sort by price or name and filter by brand, color, material, price range, rating or size.

Users can also easily choose to view the results in list or grid format by pressing the corresponding button.

The site also showcases RugsUSA’s promotional offers. For example, the site currently features an offer of 50 percent of prices as part of an early spring sale as well as free shipping on all U.S. orders.

Online retailers embrace mcommerce
RugsUSA is finding that its customer base is increasingly accessing the site from mobile devices. The new site was developed with the goal of making it easy for customers to connect with the site while they are shopping for rugs in bricks-and-mortar stores so it can offer its products to customers at the times when they are most likely to purchase.

RugsUSA is among a growing number of online retailers that are leveraging mobile to make it easier for customers to access the brand while on the go.

Online retailer ModCloth recently rolled out an iPad application that leverages features such as push notifications and high-resolution photos to help consumers shop (see story).

Additionally, online retailer Fab.com updated its mobile application for a more seamless shopping experience as the company sees 30 percent of sales coming from tablets and smartphones (see story).

RugsUSA is one of the largest online rug and home furnishings retailers in the U.S., offering an assortment of moderately priced rugs, lighting, bedding and furniture.

“Our faceted search technology allows a retailer like RugsUSA, with its rich product selection, to offer its customers a simple way to sort and browse the retailer’s entire catalog,” Mr. Touran said.

Final Take
Chantal Tode is associate editor on Mobile Commerce Daily, New York