jan-2018

112 113 THE RTA STORE Ackerman: “Abig part of our success,earlyon,and what continues to drive the type of customer who purchases fromus,is our connectionwith the Scripps Networkand the DIYChannel.That was our first form of advertising.We knewwe needed to let customers knowthat we existed,and that you could purchase a kitchen online.That was one of our biggest struggles– people just didn’t knowit was possible to buycabine- tryonline.Not that theywere afraid to do it,necessarily, they just didn’t knowit was available. “So,we began advertising on the DIYNetworkwhich brings in a tremendous amount of true DIYers.And,to this day,roughly65%of our customers are demo-ing and installing their kitchens themselves.We’re getting a lot of customers who come in frustrated and upset when theyget a price quote of $20,000 or $30,000 froma big boxstore or local retailer,and theydon’t want to spend their life’s savings remodeling a kitch- en,so theycome to us,where theycan get the same (or better) qualityproduct for a fraction of that price. They’rewilling to learn howdo to simplemeasure- ments of their kitchen or hire a contractor if theycan’t assemble it themselves.That’s where the big savings come in.That’s whywe’re sometimes 50%cheaper than big boxstore prices.” BVM: The concept of ordering cabinets online seems so counter-intuitive.Doesn’t everything have to be measured andmatched onsite? Howdoes the process work? Rougeux: “Measuring for cabinetry is extremelyeasyand we’re able towalkour customers through that process.Then,once we have basicmeasurements, we use our software to create 3D renderings which reallyhelps the customer visualize exactlywhat their newkitchen (or bathroom, laundry room,office,bar,etc…) will look like.Our professional design team really takes the scare factor out of purchasing online.Our cus- tomer service is excellent when it comes to staying in touchwith the customer at all times; lines of communication are constantly open.There’s also never an obli- gation to purchasewhen using our kitchen design,so there’s no pressure. “We also offer door samples for everyfinishwe sell.Customers will order a door sample,and it’s not just a color chip; it’s an actual door,so theycan see the profile and the finish,which are both equally important.Some customers will even order a small cabinet to see the qualityand the assemblyprocess before ordering the rest of their cabinetry. “So,the purchase process doesn’t reallychange,except that now,the customer has the luxury