I won’t say that the internet has changed everything, even though it has. In reality, the internet seems to reinvent itself every year offering new and interesting options every time you turn around. That means more consumers are going to the internet to shop for just about everything. According to Forrester, the number of consumers browsing and buying online will hit 270 million by 2020, driven largely by activity on mobile devices, which is growing at an annual rate of 9.32% over the next five years.
Unlike products like books, clothes, and electronics, floor covering—as a general rule—is not the most internet-adaptable product. Then there’s the question of installation. What is happening with sales of floor covering online, who are the major players in online flooring sales, and what is likely to be happening five, 10 and 20 years in the future?