What is Wayfair?
Wayfair Inc., a global e-commerce website, was formerly CSN Stores. The company is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, and it has warehouses and offices all over the country, as well as in Australia, Ireland, the United Kingdom, and Germany.
CSN Stores, which began in 2002, only sold a few pieces of furniture, such as stereo racks and stands. Over the next few years, the website grew to become the largest online store for home goods such as furniture, as well as travel accessories, toys, and pet supplies. The site expanded from a single website to over 250 distinct stores selling a variety of goods.
After nearly ten years, the website's creators decided to consolidate all of its locations and rename it Wayfair. This was in 2011, and by 2012, the website had millions of products available in a variety of categories, designs, and price ranges, bringing in over $600 million in annual revenue.
As of 2013, the company featured over 7000 suppliers and offered over 7 million products through its five distinct brands: Wayfair.com, AllModern, Birch Lane, DwellStudio, and Joss & Main.
Why Invest in a Furniture Store Mobile App?
An offline furniture store is enticing, but if one chooses to go the online commerce route, it would wreak havoc on revenue generation. Looking at the figures below can give you a good idea of how the online furniture commerce industry has evolved and how it will continue to break down barriers.
In 2018, the furniture industry in the United States generated a staggering $304.3 billion in revenue. Although it has already exceeded its targets, its revenue will continue to rise in the coming years.
From 2018 to 2021, the furniture industry is expected to grow at a 0.2 percent annual rate. This sum may appear insignificant at first glance, but when we consider the $304.3 billion it has amassed, we can estimate that it will grow by a whopping $60 billion per year.
Different Home Decor App Business Models Like Wayfair
You can build an online furniture purchasing platform similar to Wayfair on one of three different business models.
We have provided an overview of each of these models so that you can make an informed decision.
- Model for a Single Home Decor Business
This business model has proven to be an excellent choice for individuals who own a furniture store or a network of businesses.
You will be able to present your furniture online and appeal to a large audience if you create an online furniture shopping app based on this business model. Customers can place online orders and make payments using a secure payment system.
- Business Model for B2B Home Decor
Instead of focusing on customers, this is the best option if you want to target smaller businesses that also sell furniture.
You can develop a B2B online furniture purchasing application so that small businesses can browse your home decor selection and place bulk orders.
- Marketplace for Home Decor
Wayfair.com offers over 14 million products from over 11000 international suppliers. You can also bridge the gap between buyers and sellers by developing an eCommerce mobile app for home decor, similar to Wayfair. You may need to create separate apps for buyers and sellers for this purpose. There is also an admin panel where you can monitor and control the entire virtual furniture purchasing process.
Steps To Building An App Like Wayfair
Step 1 – Identify Your Goal
Before beginning the app development process, it is necessary to set a goal and sketch it out. Setting a goal is an excellent way to demonstrate the functionality of your software. List the features you intend to include in your app and investigate how they will interact to achieve the desired result.
You don't need sophisticated technology to describe the app's goal; a simple notepad will suffice. Furthermore, there is no need to overburden your app with functionality. Add one, but make sure it works properly.
Step 2 - Conduct Market Research
The best way to stay ahead of your competitors is to examine the market for gaps or flaws. Developers frequently skip this stage, not realizing that doing market research reduces the likelihood of making mistakes.
Talking to potential customers can also help you figure out exactly what they want from a product like your app. Understanding your customers' needs will assist you in developing an app that meets their expectations.
Step 3: Create A Mockup
Before you begin programming, sketch a quick diagram of the various modules, UI elements, and their interactions. It simply refers to how your software is organized. There is no need for advanced technical knowledge. Just a rough sketch illustrating the goals the app would attempt to meet.
It helps the developer explore the program virtually and see how data flows through it. When working with a customer, using mockups is the simplest way to present a virtual representation of the app.
Step 4 - User Interface Design
We've arrived at the app's actual view. If you're good at it, you could design the app yourself, but if not, you should hire a graphic designer. If you want to create your own designs, you can use existing mobile app templates. However, be wary of usage and rights restrictions. Graphic design programs such as Photoshop, Sketch, and Affinity Designer are extremely useful.
Step 5: Create an App
It's time to start writing the front-end and back-end code for the app. You can now plan and build the app using the features you identified in previous sections. You can use a variety of tools and frameworks to make the process of developing apps easier.
The app's front end is where users interact with it in real-time. The data fed to or retrieved from the app is then saved in the back-end database. You must integrate the front end with the back end in order for the app to function properly.
Step 6: Launch the App
After finishing the design and programming, you can now publish the app on the PlayStore. You must first log in as a developer, then use AppBuild to upload your app after giving users a brief overview of it.
Following review and scrutiny, the application would be accepted or rejected (if it disregards certain rules). At this point, you're finished. After the arduous process of app creation, you finally see your app appear on the PlayStore.
Step 7: Promote Your App
After finishing the design and programming, you can now publish the app on the PlayStore. You must first log in as a developer, then use AppBuild to upload your app after giving users a brief overview of it. Following review and scrutiny, the application would be accepted or rejected (if it disregards certain rules). At this point, you're finished. After the arduous process of app creation, you finally see your app appear on the PlayStore.
