Kentucky Retailer Finds Success with Shop at Home

Bowling Green, KY, June 20--Wade McCoy spent 15 years in the retail carpet and flooring business before going into business for himself, according to the Bowling Green Daily News. He chose a business model that would keep costs low but still allow him to offer quality merchandise to customers. By taking his show on the road with his mobile showrooms, McCoy has seen marked success. His Shop at Home Carpets business has grown by 40 percent each year for the past three years and now serves Warren and all surrounding counties. Now he’s expanding by licensing the Shop at Home Carpets logo and slogan and is moving his Bowling Green operation into a larger 6,000-square-foot warehouse. "When I started, people would tell me that nobody would buy carpet from a guy in a van," he said. "Now we are one of the top sellers in volume in this town. It was the best thing I’ve ever done." McCoy has already had to scale up once since starting Shop at Home Carpets. His first warehouse was only 1,500 square feet. His current warehouse and office is 3,000 square feet. "There are four of us working out of this one office," he said in a busy but cramped office at the Dishman Lane warehouse. "In our new location, there will be three separate offices." "We carry the same brands as retailers, but the only difference is, we bring the sample to the customer," he said. McCoy relies heavily on advertising since he does not have a retail showroom. Shop at Home Carpets does not make any cold calls or do any other solicitation. "You have to call us," he said. "Our samples are in our vans. It’s a showroom on wheels." Looking at samples at home makes more sense for those who want to make sure the colors and styles they choose match, he said. McCoy explained how the business works. "We show up to your home, discuss what areas you need covered and what kind of covering you’d like," he said. "The interview process is key. Part of our job is to put the right carpet into the right room, determining whether it’s a high-traffic or low-traffic area. "While a customer looks at our samples, the salesman will measure the room or rooms and figure out the job’s costs," he said. "We’ll write up a contract and get a down payment of 25 percent. Then we’ll schedule a time for installation. It doesn’t matter if it’s 7 p.m. or Saturday or whatever, whenever it’s convenient for them." McCoy uses subcontracting crews for installation, but is responsible for their work, giving a lifetime warranty. Shop at Home Carpets does all flooring styles except ceramic tile. The business has a turnaround of about two weeks, with most installations taking a day or less. "We want you happy," he said. "We stress price and convenience and quality. In eight years, I’ve not had a single customer that has not been left satisfied. That’s not always the case in home improvement jobs." Regina Sullivan, who lives in Hunters Crossing off Elrod Road, found the mobile showroom to be very convenient. "I just didn’t want to go to a million places and compare and compare and end up going back to the first one," she said. A salesman "came out and showed me some samples and helped me select a carpet that would best suit my needs. We talked about what works and what’s durable. He gave me an estimate and we set up a date and within a week, they came in and moved the furniture. His subcontractors were very sensitive to my needs. After it was installed they called to check on how things were going." Sullivan was pleased with the value of Shop at Home Carpets, having had flooring installed in three rooms. "You sit there in the comforts of your own home and pick out the color," she said. "It saves so much time." McCoy said he does a lot of new construction for builders and apartments. He supplied flooring for 10 out of 30 homes in a recent Parade of Homes.