The UK’s Sofa Club was founded in 2012 by CEO Louis Rose and Tom O’Neill with the mission of taking the stress out of sofa shopping. Today it brands its business as the UK’s number one destination for statement neutral sofas, introducing the brand message “We make statements not sofas” in 2022.
“We initially started by selling sofas in shopping centres across London, moving from one mall to another promoting and selling our products,” says Rose. “Fast forward 12 years and we are now the fastest-growing sofa brand in the UK.”
The company is a mass-market retailer with young couples and families as its core customers. It caters for a range of budgets and tastes. “For example, our Essentials range targets trend followers with lower budgets, whereas our Runway styles are designed for trendsetting customers who have bigger budgets and want to make a bolder statement,” says Rose.
Next-day delivery to cut lead times
Today, after many learnings along the way, Rose says Sofa Club now has its biggest-ever product offering and has also introduced next-day delivery as a point of difference. This enables customers to receive products faster than has traditionally been the case in the sofa market.
Sofa Club’s realisation of the importance of a complementary store portfolio to build trust in a smaller brand and to confirm buying decisions, has led to long-term plans for a network of stores within an hour of customers in the UK.
Rose says customer expectations are more demanding than ever, and retailers must react accordingly. “Online, consumers expect to be able to find and purchase products easily. We have invested in our online experience, ensuring that the customer has all the product information at hand. It is crystal clear what they will be receiving and when it will be delivered.”
Sofa Club aims to overcome barriers to conversion in several ways. “To address lead times, we have gone against the grain with our business model by keeping all of our sofas in stock,” he says. “We have simplified our product selection by offering a limited choice of colours and styles, allowing us to keep them all on the shelf and offer next-day delivery.”
The role of imagery
“To help online shoppers who can’t touch and feel the product, we provide as much information and context as possible on our product pages. Features such as AR technology, close-up videos and 360-degree images all help customers visualise the sofa in their homes.”
“High-quality imagery is really important and something we take very seriously,” he adds. “It not only gives customers a clear and accurate representation of the product but also represents your brand.
“Customers expect 360-degree images and the ability to zoom in on the fabric to understand the texture and colours. We also allow customers to toggle between studio images and room sets to envision the product in their home and potentially get some interior inspiration.”