With cabinetry these days, the options for both wood type and finish color are seemingly endless. Having all of these choices at our fingertips seems like a luxury, but for a lot of homeowners too many options can feel overwhelming.
We've worked with thousands of homeowners shopping for new cabinetry and discovered two recurring scenarios: ( 1 ) on most cabinet companies' websites, the number of finish options were overwhelming, and ( 2 ) homeowners weren't aware that a certain design aesthetic could be achieved multiple ways. Let's jump into each insight...
1. Overwhelming
This video highlights the frustration some homeowners have with the number of wood and finish options. We frequently hear this exact sentiment:
It's understandable how a non-technical homeowner can feel this way, especially if it's their first time ever dealing with ordering cabinets and the many, many details involved. We've also worked with anxious homeowners who've found that their custom cabinet maker lacks the necessary expertise to achieve their desired look. To address this recurring issue, we advise homeowners on the simplicity of opting for a standardized finish from a larger regional or national manufacturer's collection. By selecting a few suitable options online, viewing them in person, and then placing an order for cabinets, they can eliminate guesswork from the equation.
However, we've found that many homeowners never make it into a showroom; instead, they place their trust in the local custom cabinetmaker to "figure out" the finish, only to be left disappointed with the results. We want to make it as easy as possible for a potential customer to find exactly what they're wanting and move on to the next step in your sales journey, be that ordering samples, booking an online consultation, or visiting their local showroom.
2. So... That's Not Actually White Oak
The second scenario we see a lot is homeowners searching for the wrong thing. This particular example happens again and again on Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook building groups: a homeowner posts a picture like this beautiful Judith Balis kitchen below and asks, "What wood and stain color do I need to create this look?" In response, someone suggests "rift sawn white oak." The homeowner, pleased with the answer, begins their shopping journey based on this recommendation.
First, it's important to note that the wood in this photo is alder, not white oak, despite its feature on a prominent "Beautiful White Oak Kitchens" blog. Secondly, while achieving the desired aesthetic is possible with several woods and finishes, homeowners often miss out on exploring these options. This is because they initially seek the wrong material, struggle to find it, and consequently, fail to engage with the next step in the customer journey.
Additionally, even if it were rift-sawn white oak, does the budget align with such an expensive wood? With so many details that go into a cabinetry project, a nuanced discussion is absolutely necessary to consider everything. Let's make it as easy as possible for a potential customer to move from the low-touch exploratory part of the process online, to the high-touch detailed conversations had with design professionals, be that in a showroom or on a virtual consultation.
FinishMatch Makes It Simple
We designed FinishMatch to work in these exact scenarios. Rather than scrolling through the many available wood species and finishes, your potential customer simply uploads their inspiration photo and our proprietary technology tells them exactly how to create their desired look from your finish catalogue:
Within seconds they know exactly what type of wood and finish could be used to create their perfect vision, and can then proceed onto the higher-touch part of the process (we understand that physical samples need to be seen and lots of details finalized before any orders are placed. Let's get your customer into a showroom or on a virtual consultation for these more in-depth detailed discussions).
By integrating FinishMatch onto your website, you make it as easy-as-possible for someone to realize their perfect design using your products, quickly. You've worked hard to get them onto your website, we help convert them into customers.