Will Plowden, Founder & Managing Director at The Roost, shares an insight in the new planning tool that brings home furnishings to life for the home.
Late last year saw the arrival of a new planning tool that allows users to design a room based on actual sizes. The aim? To help customers reduce the risk of making costly mistakes of ordering items that do not fit or suit the space, as well as forming a brand community that thrives together.
The Roost Visualiser tool, launched by The Roost, lets customers play with a carefully curated array of colours, flooring, soft furnishings, rugs, furniture, lighting, paint, artwork and plants, featuring a drag-and-drop function onto a 2D mock-up to visualise the space in correct proportions.
Big Furniture Group jumped at the opportunity to sit down with founder & MD, Will Plowden, to find out more. “Think of The Roost as a Skyscanner for furniture: a unified destination showcasing British brands while allowing mix-and-match visualisation and seamless checkout,” Will said.
“The Roost intuitive drag-and-drop design software lets you try before you buy, so you can visualise exactly how the products will look in the space. The 2D tool offers customers total convenience and allows them to experiment with dimensions, colour schemes, floor coverings and furniture.
“Our designers are also on hand to help create a unique look from a carefully curated selection of items from over 40 British brands. We proudly partner with an ever-expanding array of esteemed brands such as sofa.com, Graham & Green and Tala along with independent gems like Pelican House, Fishe & Lilly, and Dado Atelier.”
Other brands part of The Roost’s roster includes Clock House Furniture, arbala and Floor Story, with the ambition to continue to build collaborations and partnerships. Furthermore, the variety of products and brands not only benefits customers by providing a comprehensive shopping experience, but it also enhances the visibility of retailers as they are positioned alongside other highly reputable, well-known brands.
“Our commitment to offering a diverse range of quality independents alongside well-established brands means that The Roost is the ultimate one-stop-shop for furniture, paint, artwork, lighting, soft furnishings, and accessories,” Will said. “We meticulously hand pick the brands we work with, ensuring a thoughtfully curated collection of complementary products.
“For brands eager to join forces with The Roost, our onboarding process is designed to be straightforward, requiring minimal effort and involvement from the vendors’ perspective as we take charge of a significant portion of the process. Between us and the brands, we determine whether to take on a full suite of products, or simply hand select specific categories which align best with The Roost.”
The ‘onboarding process’ starts with an initial introduction call and setting the agreement in place. Brands which utilise platforms such as Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento, Wix and similar, can seamlessly sync their websites with The Roost using dedicated software. A store being connected will allow The Roost to sync tagged products, get live inventory updates and fulfil orders all through the brand’s usual system.
“As part of the onboarding process, each brand is provided with a personalised dashboard which shows real-time data from The Roost sales,” Will continued. “This not only monitors current and past orders, but it also provides live updates on deliveries, granting vendors have immediate access to their progress with The Roost ecosystem.
“Our commitment to a streamlined process underscores our dedication to minimising the workload of brands, regardless of their size. From start to finish, the process is swift and efficient, we can have you onboarded and live on The Roost overnight!”
Furthermore, The Roost also assumes responsibility for customer service queries with any orders placed through its platform, as well as efficiently manging any returns – although to date, The Roost revealed it has had virtually zero returns and all 5-star reviews, with most commenting “how fantastic our customer service is”.
“We put this down to our pre-purchase visualisation tools and configurators,” Will said. “These tools offer customers with a clear preview of how the product will look in their home, accompanied by precise dimensions and visuals which help customers to make informed purchasing decisions.
“The process works for new rooms where you need to start from scratch as well as an existing space where you may only want to explore new furniture or a different colour scheme. Once you’ve made your room choices, all items can be added to the basket for one simple checkout.”
Looking ahead to 2024 and beyond, The Roost aims to bring its brands together to embark on partnerships and collaborations. From exclusive product Edits to brand-building exercises and expanding customers bases, being part of The Roost is about fostering collaboration and creativity as they look to shape the future of online shopping.
“Designing a home can be stressful and time-consuming,” Will said. “I know first-hand how tricky it can be when you’re wrestling with colour schemes and product dimensions all the while trying to identify your personal taste.
“We live in a society that is so saturated with trends and an abundance of furniture and lighting brands, it’s hard to even know where to start. That’s where The Roost comes in, I wanted to help consumers turn a blank space into a room that they love, while also making sure the process was enjoyable. Not only that, but without breaking the bank for the service!
“With careful planning using our free, one-of-a-kind, Roost Visualiser, users can design a room based on actual sizes, and reduce the risk of making costly mistakes of ordering items that do not fit or suit your space.
“Beyond being a marketplace for brands to trade, we actively champion their products by providing invaluable exposure and access to a tool that customers can visualise their products, along with marketing and revenue channel support.”
