Living Room to Loyalty:
A Tactical Guide for Home Goods Retailers

In the world of home goods, customers aren’t just buying products — they’re curating personal spaces. Every purchase, whether it’s a statement chair or a seasonal decor piece, is about crafting a home that reflects their style, personality, and needs. Shopping for home goods is personal, and the buying experience must be too. 

Home goods is no place for a one-size-fits-all approach to marketing. For starters, the vertical is defined by customer motivations that range from a $12,000 living room set to a $30 seasonal throw pillow. Home goods also features a unique set of buying patterns, often starting with a large purchase made in-store and followed by smaller, loyalty-driven purchases. 

Legacy systems, with backwards-looking data, aren’t equipped for genuine personalization. Instead of moving customers through the lifecycle, they focus on past purchases. A customer who just bought a couch receives marketing for more couches instead of complementary items like accent chairs, rugs, or coffee tables. 

This misalignment is about as impersonal as it gets.

When retailers don’t have the systems and processes to connect with shoppers in real time, they lose out on upselling opportunities, reduce customer lifetime value, and miss the chance to foster loyalty. Shoppers quickly turn to competitors who better understand and cater to their needs.

How can home goods retailers avoid these pitfalls and build long-term, loyal customer relationships? 

The answer lies in customer movement — a marketing philosophy and framework that enables high-growth brands to identify, understand, and influence customers. 

With customer movement, home goods retailers can address both sides of the purchase decision. Strong identification and shopping signals make it easy to personalize messaging, while tracking engagement behaviors and affinities — like browsing large furniture items or seasonal decor — enables you to meet customers where they are in their buying journey.

This allows retailers to provide high-touch, detailed support for big-ticket purchases while keeping smaller, recurring purchases engaging and effortless, ensuring that each shopper feels understood and valued regardless of the price point.

Digital home goods retailer, Lulu and Georgia, used customer movement to increase repeat buyers by 299% and first-time buyers by 133%. Read their case study here.

 

 

Identification: The key to personalizing every path to purchase

How can home goods retailers recognize a first-time buyer versus a returning customer? How can they identify whether a shopper is browsing for high-end furniture or simply looking for seasonal decor?

It all starts with early shopper identification

Capturing customer data — from emails to browsing behavior and style preferences — enables retailers to speak directly to each shopper’s unique needs. For example, gathering insights about whether a customer prefers mid-century modern or contemporary design styles allows brands to tailor their messaging and product recommendations to feel personal and relevant.

Unfortunately, many retailers in the home goods space struggle with this foundational step. According to Bluecore’s 2024 Benchmark Report, the home goods category ranks lowest among retail verticals in shopper identification, with an average of 14.6% of shoppers identified. This gap represents a major opportunity for brands that can effectively capture and act on early signals.

By identifying shoppers at the outset, home goods retailers can begin building a more personalized experience, from offering relevant style recommendations to creating tailored marketing campaigns based on individual preferences.

 

 

Acquisition: Attract and identify potential shoppers

The acquisition phase offers a unique opportunity to engage shoppers early on by tapping into their style preferences and home decor needs. 

Whether they’re browsing for a statement piece or just looking for inspiration, this is your moment to capture key identification info and start building a connection. With advanced identification technology, you can combine sign-ups with anonymous profiles — based on browsing behavior, interactions, and engagement patterns — to start building your file. 

Identify shoppers early with style-based quizzes

One of the most effective ways to engage home goods shoppers and capture their preferences early is through style-based quizzes. Offering a quiz that helps shoppers identify their home decor style — whether it’s mid-century modern, contemporary, or rustic farmhouse — not only engages them but also provides you with valuable data about their tastes and preferences.

By asking simple questions about their design preferences, color schemes, and lifestyle needs, you can start to personalize their shopping experience from the very first interaction. Plus, quizzes offer a seamless way to capture contact information.

Use browse abandon capture to engage shoppers during long research cycles

Shoppers often take their time researching, especially for high-ticket items like couches, dining sets, or bedroom furniture. The decision-making process can span weeks as they weigh their options, compare prices, and envision how the piece will fit into their home. During this extended research phase, it’s crucial for home goods retailers to stay top of mind and keep the conversation flowing.

That’s where browse abandon capture comes in. By identifying shoppers early — whether through capturing an email, collecting preferences through style quizzes, or tracking browsing behavior — you can begin building a personalized profile. This allows you to send targeted, relevant reminders based on the specific products they’ve viewed but haven’t yet purchased.

These personalized reminders can be delivered via email, SMS, or on-site notifications the next time they visit. By leveraging the shopper’s identified preferences, you can offer additional value, such as highlighting product features, showcasing complementary items, or sharing reviews from customers with similar tastes. 

Bluecore Pro Tip

Don’t limit identification to just online interactions. Integrating in-store and digital efforts enhances your ability to capture valuable customer data across all touchpoints, providing a more complete view of shopper behavior. Train your in-store associates to assist with shopper identification as well. Encourage them to engage customers in conversations about their style preferences, needs, and any specific products they’re interested in. After discussing options, offer to email a summary of the conversation, including product recommendations, styling tips, or even exclusive offers based on their preferences.

 

 

Conversion: Help your shopper find their new favorite centerpiece

The conversion phase is where potential buyers turn into active customers. In the home goods space, a shopper’s first purchase may be a big one, like a sofa or dining set, often bought in-store. This makes the conversion stage crucial for not only closing the sale but also building trust and onboarding customers into your brand’s ecosystem.

For these high-investment items, shoppers often need detailed product education and personalized support. By leveraging the identification data gathered earlier — from preferences to browsing behavior — you can tailor your messaging to address concerns, provide additional value, and help shoppers feel confident in making their first major purchase.

Invest in detailed product education for high-ticket items

When it comes to purchases like furniture or large appliances, home goods shoppers need more than just professional images or one-page product descriptions. They’re making a significant investment, and with that comes a desire for reassurance. This is where detailed product education becomes essential.

Providing in-depth information — such as care instructions, material details, warranty coverage, and styling options — builds trust and helps customers feel more confident in their purchase decision. For example, explaining how to maintain the durability of a leather sofa or offering tips on how to style a dining set for different occasions can go a long way in reassuring the shopper that they’re making a smart, lasting investment.

To elevate the experience even further, consider adding personalized touches like offering in-store consultations or sending follow-up emails with care tips and styling guides tailored to their specific purchase. These extra steps help solidify the relationship and make your brand the go-to destination for future home needs.

Leverage best sellers to drive urgency and boost sales

Best sellers come with built-in trust — they’ve been vetted by other shoppers, signaling their popularity and reliability. By showcasing these high-performing items, you not only appeal to the shopper’s desire for quality but also provide social proof, making it easier for them to commit to a purchase.

Highlight best sellers as part of your product recommendations or marketing campaigns to create a sense of confidence for customers. Then, consider pairing this strategy with inventory triggers, such as low stock alerts or “last chance” messaging, to further increase urgency. Shoppers are more likely to act quickly when they know that a popular item they’re considering could sell out.

Bluecore Pro Tip

Recognize that the consideration phase for home goods purchases can be lengthy. Shoppers often take time to research, compare, and reflect before making their first big investment. Adjust your messaging cadence accordingly — instead of rushing follow-ups, space out abandoned cart emails or reminders to align with this longer decision-making process.

 

 

Retention: Connect your shopper with the complete look they’re going for

The retention phase — the most important stage of the lifecycle — is your opportunity to turn one-time buyers into loyal, repeat customers. By keeping existing shoppers engaged and encouraging them to make frequent purchases, you can significantly increase their lifetime value.

Retention efforts should focus on nurturing the relationship with personalized recommendations, timely communications, and consistent value. By staying connected with your customers after their first purchase, you keep your brand top of mind, creating opportunities for ongoing engagement and loyalty.

Promote collections to encourage repeat purchases

After the initial sale, you have an opportunity to remind customers that your brand understands their tastes and can offer them thoughtful recommendations. One of the most effective ways to do this is to promote collections that align with a recent purchase. 

For example, if a customer purchased a mid-century modern sofa, you can promote matching items from the same collection, like a coffee table, accent chairs, or decor pieces. This approach keeps the customer engaged with your brand and helps them achieve a desired look.

Spotlight new arrivals to generate excitement

Most shoppers are naturally drawn to what’s new. By promoting new arrivals, you tap into that excitement, giving shoppers a compelling reason to revisit your catalog.

Whether it’s seasonal decor, new furniture designs, or innovative home accessories, positioning new arrivals front and center gives shoppers a reason to keep coming back. This strategy works especially well for customers who are in the habit of frequently refreshing their living spaces with smaller purchases. New products give them something to be excited about, driving engagement and, ultimately, sales.

Bluecore Pro Tip

Even your most loyal VIP customers might be feeling the pinch of tightening budgets due to rising inflation, interest rates, and increasing home costs. To keep these shoppers engaged, offer quick and affordable ways to refresh their homes without requiring major investments. Highlight smaller, impactful items like throw pillows, lighting, or decor pieces that can easily transform a room and provide an instant upgrade.

 

 

Reactivation: Activate dormant customers

The reactivation phase is all about re-engaging customers who haven’t made a purchase in at least a year and bringing them back into your brand’s ecosystem. 

Dormant customers present a valuable opportunity — on average they purchase 12.7% more than new customers — as they’ve already expressed interest and made previous purchases. Use targeted messaging and personalized offers to reignite their connection with your brand and encourage them to return.

Deploy lifestyle-based campaigns

Every home goods retailer knows the power of the holiday calendar for driving sales, but lifestyle-based campaigns can be just as powerful for re-engaging dormant customers. By aligning your messaging with significant life events — like graduations, weddings, or back-to-college shopping — you can tap into moments when customers are naturally looking to refresh their homes or purchase gifts.

These life events often trigger a need for new home goods, from furniture upgrades for a new apartment to decor touches for special occasions. By positioning your products as the perfect fit for these transitions, you can reignite interest and prompt customers to return for timely purchases.

For example, promoting stylish storage solutions for back-to-college shoppers or offering exclusive discounts on cozy decor for winter weddings allows you to bring back customers who have drifted away. 

Differentiate with personalized service

Let’s face it: most home goods retailers are competing with ecommerce giants. To stand out in this crowded space, it’s essential to highlight the personalized services that set your brand apart. While ecommerce giants offer convenience and low prices, home goods brands can create a higher-touch experience that caters to the unique needs of each customer.

Services like style consultations and professional assembly add significant value to the customer experience. By offering and emphasizing this level of personalized care, your brand can become the go-to choice for shoppers looking for more than just a product.

Bluecore Pro Tip

Use the Next Best Purchase rule to dynamically predict and recommend the ideal follow-up product for each customer. By leveraging historical data and real-time interactions — such as products viewed, carted, or purchased — along with insights from previous email campaigns, you can offer highly personalized product recommendations that continuously optimize based on customer behavior.

 

 

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