Zinc Details

With scads of product in its two retail venues, maintaining an uncluttered Web presence that affords effortless shopping — as well as seamless integration from store to site — is a job that requires special attention. Having been called a “fun museum” by its shoppers, Zinc Details strives to live up to its reputation.

The San Francisco retailer, which operates two stores within two blocks in the city's trendy Fillmore District, is known for unique gifts and home furnishings. Retaining that image online, and in marketing materials, means translating Zinc's enthusiasm for great product. “We want to convey the idea that we love each and every piece we feature in our store,” says president Vasilios Kiniris.

Kiniris notes that Zinc's website serves as a billboard that speaks to the public and is essential to broadening the retailer's reach. To keep the navigation simple, the site offers an overview of each category of merchandise before zeroing in on a specific item. Necessary specs for each item are provided as well. For instance, customers learn that the blu dot modulicious bedside table is available in three finishes and seven drawer colors.

For those shoppers interested in a particular brand, Zinc's site enables them to select certain design lines, such as marimekko, Alessi or Kartell. Obtaining a gift certificate or consulting the company's design service is as simple as a click of the mouse.

“Our customers are busy professionals who already know about Internet capabilities, so we do not burden them with time-consuming animation and complicated graphics,” says Kiniris.

Instead, Zinc Details realizes its customers appreciate the concept of design, and are interested in learning more about local and national artists. “We are fortunate to have a curator who understands and is able to find work that complements the style of our merchandise,” Kiniris notes. Several walls feature works from artists across the country, for whom the store holds open receptions that are publicized on the site, via e-mail blasts and mailed postcards.

In-store promotions are an effective marketing tool for Zinc Details, which hosts everything from trunk shows to lectures by representatives of key design companies. Recent events have included a lecture on Isamu Noguchi by the director of the Noguchi Museum in New York, a new product introduction by the U.S. head of Kartell and a presentation on design trends for 2008. Each of these events drew nearly 250 people — which carries over to the cash register. Sales of Noguchi items, both in-store and online, jumped 50 percent following the event.

Since the launch of Zinc's website and the integration of its marketing tools, the retailer has seen a 25 percent increase with its store traffic. Website traffic has increased to 50 percent in the last year, with Internet purchases jumping to 35 percent of the total in 2006. “All of this takes a lot of effort and diligence, but we feel it's worth it,” concludes Kiniris.