The car companies are among the smartest retailers because they provide extensive maintenance services for what they sell, which keeps customers coming back. As a retailer I stole good ideas, and later as a consultant, I advocated flooring retailers to do the same.
I admit it, I was always a carpet guy. There is nothing consumers can do to beautify their homes for less money and less time than installing wall-to-wall carpeting. Ease of maintenance, acoustical properties as well as added insulation are among the many benefits of carpeting, which is still 48% of our mix. Even in the face of the many new and innovative hard surfaces, consumers need area rugs to keep their home from sounding like an empty meeting hall.