For those selling outdoor products online, the process amounts to much more than filling an order and shipping it out.
Kathy Kuo, founder of Kathy Kuo Home, launched the business in 2012 as a way to fill a niche in the market that would effectively enable customers to purchase luxury furniture online, because even though the demand was there, no one else was doing it.
So she did it.
“Over the past decade, we’ve grown our furniture and decor assortment to include many of the industry’s top vendors and literally thousands of SKUs; we also offer an interior design services business and a dedicated trade program,” says Kuo.
Kuo started out professionally in product design, working for leading brands in the home space like Interlude Home and Assouline before moving into interior design and retail. These days, her business is in both B2C and B2B, as it is engaged in retail and interior design for consumers; and the trade arm specializes in sourcing, shipping and consolidations for home industry professionals, such as interior designers and architects.
To get the customers in the door, Kathy Kuo Home relies on a variety of digital channels — email, text messaging, SEO, SEM and display ads, social media, affiliate programs, and platforms like Google My Business, Yelp, Houzz and Bing Places. Kuo says she also has had success with influencer partnerships and external partnerships with like-minded brands in noncompeting categories.
The outdoor market actually works well online, but good timing is essential, says Kuo.
“It’s definitely a popular category, though it’s one that’s important to push at the right time,” she says. “It’s essential to push our outdoor assortment in the late winter/early spring so that consumers purchase with ample time to receive their outdoor pieces in time to happily enjoy them all summer.”
Priorities for 2024
“Assortment, merchandising and lead times are always all going to be important factors,” says Kuo, “(and 2024) likely won’t be any different. I think in the year to come, there’s going to be a lot of emphasis on educating consumers about factors like the quality of materials and sustainability topics; I think there’s going to be a shift away from trends and toward investing in timeless pieces that are well made and eco-conscious.”
As far back as 2020, the supply chain has been part of the retail conversation in a way it never had been before.
“In my opinion, the best way to navigate these challenges is to be very honest and transparent with customers — tell them honestly what the lead times are looking like and why,” says Kuo.
Kuo says it’s also useful to be honest and transparent when choosing manufacturers, opting for those who offer high-quality design, materials and manufacturing processes.
“KKH sets itself apart with an unmatched assortment, and with our best-in-class interior design services and trade program,” says Kuo. “Our design projects featuring our products are our best assets and we try to use those to show (rather than tell) our customers and clients how we can not only offer them high-quality, beautiful products, but also support them on their design journey in a way that is accessible, as well as beautiful.
Competing with brick and mortar
Kuo says her firm approaches competitive analysis from all sides, taking into account both online and brick-and-mortar retailers in her strategy.
“The advantage with an online retail assortment is that we can serve customers nationwide,” says Kuo. “Customers may live in places where it’s really not convenient to go to a physical location, so an online option works really well.
“Our marketing and merchandising teams work tirelessly to highlight product features and make it easy for shoppers to locate relevant specs on our product detail pages, and our dedicated customer service team is always ready to answer questions.”
Any advice for a struggling casual online retailer?
“Don’t be afraid to test new strategies,” says Kuo. “It’s actually the perfect time to try new concepts and strategies when things feel challenging; you don’t have as much to lose and you have so much to gain. The retail landscape is constantly changing and neither the good times nor the bad ones are ever permanent.”
