The process of getting a piece of furniture to a customer is wrought with potential pitfalls and pain points, and a well-executed delivery can be just as central to the buyer’s experience as the quality of what they receive. Getting it right doesn’t guarantee satisfaction, but messing it up can lose a customer for a lifetime.
After a few months of writing about the ways that technology is shaping the industry at Furniture Today as assistant content editor, I got to see for myself how e-commerce furniture retailers are tackling the crucial last mile of the logistics puzzle. I purchased Joybird’s Lewis sectional and ottoman on May 22 during its Memorial Day sale and am documenting its progress to my door.
The order update and tracking function on Joybird’s website is fairly intuitive and lists a delivery window that has been updated as my pieces are built.
According to information provided in my order confirmation, its delivery partner will contact me directly to schedule a day and time for what it calls “white glove delivery service.” (I plan to confirm the presence of white gloves on delivery day in the interests of sound and well-rounded investigative journalism.)
Keeping customers informed about order progress after their purchase is a central challenge of e-commerce, and this is perhaps more true for large parcel items that they or someone else must usually be present to receive.
Joybird has sent semi-regular email updates since the order was placed, some of them with cheeky and on-the-nose taglines like “what to expect when you’re expecting: furniture edition.” (Am I expecting a sectional or the stork?) Jokes aside, this does jive with Joybird’s overall marketing approach that targets the young, hip and “with it” crowd.
Given that lead times across the industry are extended due to continued logistical challenges, a turnaround time of under two months for a custom piece seems quite reasonable.
More to come as we see how the Joybird flies to an expectant customer.