From physical store to specialized webshop: gap in the market for Deurmatdirect.nl

'Customers often need specific sizes of doormats that are not available in stores as standard,' a gap in the market, saw a physical flooring and carpet store in Wolvega. Meanwhile, their webshop Deurmatdirect.nl has been selling custom-made doormats online for more than 10 years, delivered to consumers in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Austria and France. In 2007, the store started the specialist webshop Kunstgrasdirect.nl. That proved a success, and Deurmatdirect.nl followed in 2012. 'Switching to a webshop allowed us to reach a wider audience and provide them with fully customized solutions. From our warehouse, we now cut each mat exactly to the customer's requirements,' says Hermen Klasen. He is responsible for the purchasing and collections of Deurmatdirect.nl, but if necessary he also jumps in in customer service, or in the workshop where the mats are cut to size.

Varied range

How does he choose which doormats to include in the collection? 'There are mats of 100 euros per square meter, but also of 30 euros. In the webshop, we want to offer a choice in all price ranges. When putting together a collection, we start with about 5 to 8 qualities of clean walking mats and 5 to 8 qualities of dry walking mats, and then we select further. That leaves us with a varied selection in different price ranges.'

Less plasticizers

Does he see any trends in the supply? 'More and more people are buying PVC floors. These contain plasticizers to make them flexible. Doormats also contain plasticizers, which makes them pliable. And these plasticizers can react with each other. This can cause discoloration if you place a mat on the PVC floor. This also applies to PU molding floors, by the way. That is why we now have more and more door mats without plasticizers in the collection.'

A website that makes sense for users

In terms of marketing, the webshop focuses mainly on organic reach, Hermen explains. 'With deurmatdirect.nl we were quickly number 1 in the organic search positions. We invest mainly in a clear website, because under SEO we also mean: a website that is logical for users. Customers must be able to find the information they are looking for quickly and easily.' The team occasionally conducts A/B tests and keeps a close eye on the website. 'But when you see your website yourself every day, you sometimes overlook things. That's why we regularly ask friends and acquaintances to test the website for usability.

Shorter texts on the website

The webshop is also in regular contact with an SEO specialist to keep abreast of the latest developments in that area. The team does the SEO work itself. One of the changes Hermen sees is the shift to more mobile use. "And AI, we are not really working on that yet, but of course we will pick that up. Right now we're mainly focusing on short-tail keywords and short copy. We're trying to get everything on the website more concise and clearer, even the product information is being shortened. So no more long texts on the pages.'

'Reviews are incredibly important'

How does the webshop deal with reviews? Reviews are extremely important to us. Good reviews and returning customers are our most important marketing channels. We actively respond to reviews, both positive and negative, because we take customers seriously and want to improve where possible. For example, reviews showed that the product description of our padding mat did not state clearly enough that the maximum width is 100cm. We changed that immediately. We also recently started using product reviews to give customers an honest picture of our doormats.' Word-of-mouth advertising also helps the webshop enormously, Hermen says. 'And with new customers, the WebwinkelKeur quality mark reinforces trust. The hallmark offers our customers extra confidence and security. It also helps us to be transparent about who we are and how we work. In addition, we appreciate the accessibility and quick support of WebwinkelKeur, which helps us to continue to grow.

[caption id="attachment_116798" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] The team behind the webshops Kunstgrasdirect.nl and Deurmatdirect.nl[/caption]

The challenge of customization and fast delivery times

As one of the biggest challenges for the webshop, Hermen mentions balancing fast delivery times with providing customization. 'In general, the delivery time is about 2 to 4 working days. Our team now consists of 6 people. We are expanding with staff and a new cutting machine that can cut even faster to shorten that delivery time.' And what does he like best about running a webshop? 'The best part is being able to make customers happy with a product that fits their needs perfectly. The interaction with customers, seeing good reviews and working in a dynamic online environment make daily work very enjoyable.' Future plans are also there: 'We want to serve our customers even better by further improving our product range and our service. We also want to continue to grow, both nationally and internationally.'

'Listen to your customers'

What would Hermen advise other online retailers who want to start up? 'Stay close to yourself and focus on quality. Make sure you know what your unique value is and be prepared to invest in good customer service and a clear, user-friendly website. Listen to your customers, because they are your best source of feedback.'