Lumber Liquidators building customer engagement

Troubled retailer Lumber Liquidators is reaching out to customers in a new and unusual way.



The company, which has experienced significant financial difficulty since 60 Minutes ran a report in March alleging dangerously high levels of formaldehyde in Chinese hardwood products it sells, is launching an online “Before and After” gallery.



The online gallery is encouraging customer engagement by allowing shoppers to upload and submit photos of home and flooring projects from mobile device, computer, or updated Lumber Liquidators Floor Finder app.



More than 2,000 examples are currently available for customers to browse. The gallery is searchable by room, floor type, product and state. Each submission is linked to similar floors that can be found on the Lumber Liquidators website. Other features include a designer toolbox with features such as a color match tool, room designer tool and series of how-to videos.



Lumber Liquidators is further extending the reach and customer engagement of the gallery by selecting the best customer makeovers of each week and featuring them on its Pinterest site and blog.



Making its digital shopping experience more convenient and engaging will not be enough to compensate for the damage that has been done to Lumber Liquidators’ brand image and reputation. However, it is an important step in offering consumers a reason to at least return to its website and mobile app, making conversion possible.



"Lumber Liquidators has millions of loyal customers who are proud to show off how installing new flooring has changed their home,” said Tom Sullivan, founder and acting CEO. “Our Before and After Gallery is a place where they can brag while helping others with their own projects. Ultimately, it is a powerful tool because seeing is believing."