HomePortfolio makes searching more social
New service takes syndication one step further
Brian Carroll -- Furniture Today, June 30, 2008
NEWTON, Mass. — HomePortfolio is seeking to harness some of the Web’s popularity as a social networking tool by rolling out its Customized Collaborative Search, a service that allows retailers to offer visitors to their Web sites the same search experience available HomePortfolio’s site, www.homeportfolio.com.
The new service isn’t just syndication of HomePortfolio’s product database, according to the Internet company.
“While we have powered dealer and showroom Web sites in the past, this new service takes syndication of our search technology and database of 2,000 premium and luxury-tier brands to a whole new level,” said Rolly Rouse, CEO of HomePortfolio, based here. “With Customized Collaborative Search, we give local showrooms … networked tools for collaboration that deepen their relationship with customers.”
As before, users can search using an array of criteria, such as style, shape, type, material and color. Users can find products based on product attributes — “stainless steel,” for example — or combinations of attributes. Images help users decide what they want.
Customized Collaborative Search is designed to accommodate searching, saving and sharing. Each user can collaborate with his or her design team or with friends and family using a personal Home Design Portfolio. Images are exchanged electronically. Notes are attached to images and sent back and forth.
“In the past, consumers would buy stacks of magazines and tear out pages to show others what they wanted,” said Jocelyn Hutt, editor of the HomePortfolio site. “With Customized Collaborative Search, saved products … work across HomePortfolio’s entire search network. When users save a product at a retailer Web site, they can see it at HomePortfolio.com alongside all of the products they’ve saved at all of the sites they’ve visited,” provided those sites are members of the HomePortfolio network.
“It drives traffic to showrooms. It facilitates clear communication, and expedites purchasing decisions,” Hutt said.
