Selling furniture through video chat
Butlers used to sell its furniture strictly through its website and its annual catalogue. The actual stores did not offer these specific items, as they focused exclusively on home accessories and lifestyle items.
This approach left the customers with many questions though, which is why Butlers opened a showroom of 650 sqm in Berlin, where all furniture is on display. This gives customers the possibility to come and look at the products on offer and ask for extra information, before making a purchase.
Now employees in the showroom will also be used to answer questions of online shoppers. Butlers is also bringing its furniture to its physical locations in the future: later this year, the shop in Cologne will also start selling furniture.
In 2012, Butlers’ revenue reached 103 million euro, with 14 million coming from online sales. The expectations are that by 2020 half of the revenue will come from internet sales.
