Herman Miller Launches New Online Retail Store Experience

Rhea-AI Summary

Herman Miller has launched a newly renovated retail website, enhancing customer experience with insights from over 110 hours of research. The site features improved navigation, AI-driven product recommendations, and a 'Shop the Room' option, aiming to facilitate online shopping. Customers can engage with Performance Seating Specialists via video chat for personalized assistance. This redesign follows a successful revamp of Design Within Reach's website, indicating a focus on digital transformation across its brands. The company plans ongoing updates throughout the year to continuously meet evolving customer needs.

Positive

• Enhanced customer experience from user research leading to site improvements.
• AI-driven product recommendations improving shopping efficiency.
• Video chat feature for personalized customer interaction.

Negative

• None.

ZEELAND, Mich., May 20, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Herman Miller (NASDAQ: MLHR) has unveiled a newly renovated retail website tailor-made for customers looking for a supported and seamless purchasing experience. Using more than 110 hours of customer research, in-depth feedback, and user testing from over 200 different participants, the site delivers a consistent experience that implements key changes built specifically to make a customer's journey smooth and easy. The refresh also features additional content that answers common customer questions – all key requests from those surveyed.

"Our new physical Herman Miller Seating stores have proven to be extremely popular with customers around the world," says Ben Groom, Chief Digital Officer at Herman Miller. "They address a critical need in our society right now: how best to improve our Work from Home set-ups and prepare for a more hybrid working future. For customers unable to experience these stores in person, our new site takes the physical experience and brings it into your home virtually. Building upon our live chat capabilities, our Performance Seating Specialists can video chat with customers to demonstrate products face-to-face and help them decide which products are right for them, providing a fully robust online shopping experience."

In addition to the chat feature, the site boasts a fresh new design, and enhanced storytelling content for products, designers, and the brand. It also features powerful AI driven product recommendations and a new customer-centric website navigation, providing easier access to popular categories like gaming. Heightened browsing capabilities have expanded filtering capabilities to provide frictionless shopping experiences and a new "Shop the Room" feature allows shoppers to be inspired by photography and purchase their own versions with the click of a button. With a design that has been optimized to harmoniously transition from desktop to mobile, every customer, no matter where, when, or how they are shopping, will have the same quality of experience start to finish.

The redesign comes not long after another member of the Herman Miller Group, Design Within Reach (DWR), underwent extensive renovation. "Last year, we focused on redesigning dwr.com, a project that ended up becoming an award-winning design," says Shannon Zonca, Director of eCommerce at Herman Miller. "After gathering learnings from that initiative and watching our eCommerce business continue to grow, we turned our attention to Herman Miller's retail site, confident we could create an equally satisfying and successful transformation. Though our various brands are each unique, they all should equally deliver the same caliber of experience digitally."

"Digital spaces are never truly finished," says Groom. "Customer needs, expectations, and desires for eCommerce sites are always changing and adapting—therefore so should we. A site or digital tool left unattended for too long risks becoming irrelevant, outdated, or even irritating to visitors. We are extremely excited to share our latest digital redesign with Herman Miller customers."

After the site launches, customers can expect a continuing release of additional features and enhancements throughout the year.

About Herman Miller  
Herman Miller is a globally recognized leader in design. Since its inception in 1905, the company's innovative, problem-solving designs and furnishings have inspired the best in people wherever they live, work, learn, heal, and play. In 2018, Herman Miller created Herman Miller Group, a purposefully selected, complementary family of brands that includes Colebrook Bosson Saunders, Design Within Reach, Geiger, HAY, Maars Living Walls, Maharam, and naughtone. Guided by a shared purpose—design for the good of humankind—Herman Miller Group shapes places that matter for customers while contributing to a more equitable and sustainable future for all. For more information visit www.hermanmiller.com/about-us.  

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SOURCE Herman Miller, Inc.

FAQ

What is the purpose of Herman Miller's newly renovated retail website?

The purpose is to improve the customer shopping experience with enhanced navigation, AI recommendations, and personalized video chats.

When was the new Herman Miller retail website launched?

The new website was launched on May 20, 2021.

How does Herman Miller's website redesign impact online shopping?

The redesign aims to provide a seamless, engaging online shopping experience and addresses customer needs based on extensive feedback.

What features are included in the Herman Miller website redesign?

Features include enhanced storytelling, AI-driven recommendations, video assistance from specialists, and easier navigation.

What insights led to the redesign of the Herman Miller website?

The redesign was based on over 110 hours of customer research and feedback from more than 200 participants.