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With 2016 well under way, we checked in with retailers to see how laminate is fairing thus far. This year, laminate sales make up 8% of Enhance Floors & More鈥檚 business in Marietta, Ga. An uptick from 2015, Have You Ever Lost Customers Because Of A Dirty Office??-Janitorial Services in Wellsville, NY 14895. 听Go To for some free cleaning videos. where laminate brought the operation 7% of its sales, co-owner Elisabeth Stubbs partly credits the increase to Enhance Floors鈥� showroom displays.

鈥淗ave laminate installed in your showroom,鈥� she said. 鈥淢ost people that are opposed to laminate are standing on it and think it is real wood.鈥�

Currently, Enhance Floors has dedicated two areas of its showroom to display laminate for customers, which helps consumers to see the laminate in use.

鈥淥ne in particular we sell a lot of because it鈥檚 installed,鈥� she said. 鈥淐ustomers see it, they like it, there鈥檚 no doubt in their minds what it鈥檚 going to look like.鈥�

Sometimes the Enhance Floors鈥� team takes the sales process a step further by showing customers the laminate in action in their offices.

鈥淥ur office space is on laminate with rolling chairs; UPS bringing heavy boxes in and out; high heel shoes,鈥� Stubbs said. 鈥淪o people can really see鈥攂ecause we will let them back to take a look鈥攍aminate that鈥檚 been in a working environment for two years with no scratches.鈥�

Websites like Houzz and Pinterest are exposing consumers to the latest in every aspect of design, including flooring. Because of this, many have an idea of what they鈥檇 like before they enter a showroom, however it is up to retailers to help them decide which floorcovering will work best in their environment.

For the folks at Kelly鈥檚 Carpet in Omaha, Neb., this is done by analyzing customer needs.

鈥淲e do a needs analysis to find out what their lifestyle is, as far as kids and pets, and then we put them with the best product that鈥檚 going to fit their lifestyle,鈥� said Tommy Hughes, general manager of the retail operation.

According to Hughes, although consumers come into the showroom with an idea of what they鈥檇 like to purchase, they are often open to exploring other options with the guidance of a knowledgeable sales associate.

鈥淭here might be that customer that has come in looking for hardwood, but maybe a laminate is a better option for them,鈥� he said.

Manufactures鈥� ability to recreate the realism of hardwood with laminate has allowed end-users to enjoy the classic look of wood with more durability and often at a lower price point. While wood grain looks in general continue to be the most popular laminate design across the board, the majority of laminate sales for Kelly鈥檚 Carpet are that of a rustic, reclaimed look, according to Hughes.

Similarly, reclaimed laminate looks like Armstrong Industries鈥� Architectural Remnants and Mannington Mills鈥� Restoration Collection are top sellers for Phoenix-based Baker Bros, according to Phil Koufidakis, president of the operation.

鈥淭welve-mil products with real special looks are selling鈥攈igher end wood visuals that are significantly more cost prohibitive in hardwood,鈥� he said.

Although laminate units are likely down for Baker Bros, according to Koufidakis, dollars are slightly up.

鈥淚t鈥檚 always best for us to sell up the chain,鈥� he said. 鈥淏etter products, better visuals, better stories, higher dollars per unit.鈥�

As with most operations, Koufidakis and the Baker Bros team not only compare and contrast laminate products to find the best fit for customers in the market for flooring, they also explore other flooring products to help consumers make the most informed decision.

鈥淭he bulk of the questions surround the difference not between laminates, but between laminate and other surfaces (i.e. hardwood and luxury vinyl plank),鈥� said Koufidakis. 鈥淎s always the most important part of the product is the visual, followed closely by the performance.鈥�

For Ramtown Carpet One Floor & 网曝门 in Farmingdale, N.Y., consumers are moving away from laminate toward luxury vinyl tile because of its ease of maintenance.

With LVT you don鈥檛 have to worry about spills in places like the kitchen; it鈥檚 the waterproof qualities that sell them,鈥� said Pam McKay, sales representative and project manager.

When laminate is sold, the most popular is the Quickstep in Dominion and Reclaime styles. 鈥淟arge planks and long-plank looks like the Mannington Restoration collection are very popular,鈥� McKay added.

At Ramtown, 95% of customers will have the laminate professionally installed, but there are a few die-hard do-it-yourselfers who will tackle the installation.

鈥淭he customers who are tradesmen will install it themselves, and we welcome that, but we make sure to give them the installation information and links to videos on YouTube so that that they know what they are doing,鈥� she said.