Anaheim, CA, September 14, 2006--The World Floor Covering Association's new website is designed to help consumers understand their flooring choices, and to see that they find reliable, trustworthy dealers. Here in brief Q&A format, are additional details about wfca.org.
Q: What is wfca.org?
A: The World Floor Covering Association (WFCA) has launched wfca.org, the industry’s premier consumer advocacy website designed to provide web visitors the tools, resources and information to make certain their floor covering shopping experience is successful and satisfactory. Through this site visitors will have access to WFCA member retailers who are dedicated to providing consumers the information, service and support needed to ensure a successful floor covering purchase experience.
Q: Why is this website important to consumers?
A: Through our site, consumers will have access to floor covering information on a variety of topics. Unlike manufacturer websites that have a vested interest in promoting their own brand, the WFCA is in a unique position to offer truly unbiased advice. In addition, our site allows consumers to find qualified floor covering retailers in their area simply by typing in a ZIP code and
accessing a database of WFCA retailer members.
Q: Why is the website important to flooring retailers?
A: Today, nearly 4 out of 10 consumers in the market for floor covering search the Internet for information before visiting a retail location--this number is sure to increase in the near future. To capitalize on this emerging trend, we have built a digital gateway to connect consumers searching the Internet to the Association’s retailer community. This functionality will result in the generation of new qualified leads for each of the retailers listed on the site.
Floor covering retailers will have an opportunity to take advantage of this powerful retailer database at least for the first year simply by being a member of WFCA. Consumers searching for a retailer through the WFCA consumer website will find a listing of WFCA members in their market area. The association will promote the new website to consumer and trade media to create broad awareness of this new consumer resource.
According to the Floor Covering Consumer Credit Association (FCCCA), the average ticket sale through its credit program in 2005 was $2,636. A single incremental sale resulting from a lead generated through the WFCA website covers the cost of membership in the WFCA.
Q: What is unique about the WFCA’s approach to creating a consumer information website?
A: The WFCA has a longstanding commitment to ongoing consumer research. We have found two significant barriers that keep consumers from purchasing floor covering are 1) not enough information about the products
2) a lack of trust in the retailer.
With this in mind, we created a comprehensive resource that teaches consumers everything they need to know about how to purchase floor covering for their home, and connects them with retailers they can trust--members of the WFCA who subscribe to a code of ethics clearly posted on the site.
Q: How will the WFCA promote this campaign to consumers?
A: To help promote wfca.org to consumers, the WFCA has entered into a partnership with Rebecca Cole, a nationally recognized interior designer, frequent contributor to NBC-TV’s Today Show, and host of the Discovery Channel’s Surprise by Design. Rebecca will be featured on the
association’s new website, and will share her wealth of design experience with visitors to the site. Rebecca Cole will promote the website through:
• Appearances on major television shows (Oprah, Good Morning America, The Today Show)
• Interviews with Women’s magazines and shelter magazines
• Placements in major market daily newspapers
Q: How can I learn more about the WFCA and the new consumer website?
A: For more information contact:
D. Christopher Davis
President and CEO
World Floor Covering Association
(800) 624-6880
cdavis@wfca.org
