After months of research, focus groups, programming and testing, Rugs Direct has launched a complete redesign of its online store atwww.rugsdirect.com.

“The number one reason we went to the time and expense to upgrade the site was to help our customers always find the perfect area rugs for their homes as easily and quickly as possible,” said Randy Kremer, Rugs Direct president.

Rugs Direct offers more than 70,000 different styles, sizes, colors and themes of area rugs. The new layout of the website makes it possible for visitors to shop based upon any attribute of the rug.

“Most people have at least a general idea of what appeals to them,” stated David Craig, Rugs Direct’s ceo. “When they come to our website they know they want an Oriental rug, or one that is burgundy, or perhaps a special shape. They can easily shop based upon what they know they want and narrow their selections until they find some ideal choices. I’m impressed myself at how well it works,” he states.

Additionally, the website platform and look have been completely overhauled, upgraded and modernized, according to Rugs Direct.

“Many online merchants don’t focus on presentation as much as they should,” said Bill Martin, vp merchandising. “We are dealing with a very visual product -- rugs -- and how we display them is critical. With our new design we are able to show large, detailed photos of the products, including a close-up feature that permits customers to thoroughly examine patterns and designs.”

Much of the overhaul of the new Rugs Direct online store was performed by the company’s in-house IT Department, led by Greg Culler, chief information officer.

“We’ve tried to make the site as consumer-friendly as possible through the implementation of the newest web technologies. We also did a lot of relentless real-world user testing. The result is a more up-to-date site that includes features that consumers expect to find in a world-class e-commerce environment,” noted Culler. “In the coming months, we expect to see the site evolve further with features such as online order tracking, advanced ‘my account’ functionality and product comparisons.”

“Our new platform and design give us tremendous growth potential. Our goal is to continue to provide unparalleled products and services and ultimately become a one-stop-shop for all your home decorating needs,” Kremer added.