Nandkeolyar presented the retailer’s point of view, including the process of “bricks to clicks”-- successfully translating an offline operation into an e-business environment

Williams-Sonoma, founded in 1956, has “morphed” into a five-concept organization: Williams-Sonoma, Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids, Chambers, and Hold Everything. Sales in 1999 reached $1.3 billion, with over 345 retail stores nationwide. “Our vision is ‘Own the home,’” says Nandkeolyar.

In November 1999, the general e-commerce site, Williams-Sonoma.com was launched. Since then, other sites have been launched, including the award-winning PotteryBarn.com. The site features a home tour, which is “our way of presenting a whole house with Pottery Barn merchandise. It’s one of the strongest areas of the site.”

“Clearly we saw this as an important opportunity for brand extension and integration across all channels: catalog, retail, and Internet, enhancing the value we offer our customers,” he says. “I think that one of the things that everyone’s learning is that the gift area online is becoming a dominant area of business.”

Williams-Sonoma had distinct advantages already in play before launching its Web site: 40 years’ experience in the direct-to-customer business, established brands, and an extensive fulfillment and distribution system.

“When we came into the (e-tailing) game, we were perceived to be late. There were high expectations from our customer base about when we were going to come online. We needed to step up to that opportunity,” he says.

Clean, elegant graphics, consistent imagery and synergy, easy navigation, and real-time product availability distinguish the Williams-Sonoma site. Enlarged graphics help compensate for the tactile experience that a Web site cannot provide. “What you can offer them is an incredible graphic experience that’s in-the-moment, and I think that’s where we score big with our customers.”

Business continues to grow dramatically. Over 40 percent of online business has come from new customers or customers who had not been identified yet through other channels.

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