Is 'Virtual' a

While 'virtual' may not be the reality for most kitchen and bath dealers, the Internet continues to have a profound impact on the industry, particularly in the areas of consumer education and business-to-business communications.

By Janice Anne Costa

E-commerce, Web sites offering "virtual" showroom tours and sophisticated communication software are barely out of their infancy, yet kitchen and bath professionals are already seeing marked changes in the way the industry does business, particularly in the areas of consumer education and business-to-business communication. 

In fact, technology is rapidly advancing the entire kitchen and bath industry by creating a more sophisticated consumer, speeding up inter-business communications and allowing more frequent software upgrades (communicated to users by e-mail, of course) as well as by offering more "virtual" options. 

And, while the recent crash of the dot.coms may have caused many to step back and take a "wait and see" attitude toward e-commerce and online technology, there's no question that the Internet will be a major force in shaping the future. 

While e-commerce may not be replacing the "real-time" sales or showroom experience any time soon, the "e" in e-commerce is clearly showing a strong presence in education, in EDI communication and in the enhanced speed of numerous other business and production functions.

Virtual showroom

But while the idea of a virtual showroom is no longer an impossibility, thanks to new innovations in technology, many kitchen and bath dealers and manufacturers still don't see this as something that will be replacing actual showrooms any time soon or ever. 

Notes Steve Krengel, president of Chicago-based Kitchens.com, "People want to touch the cabinets, look at the countertops, [and] the screens don't really give you the same perspective." In fact, he adds, "I don't think [the whole process] will ever be done online there's too much work involved in the whole kitchen design process. To try to bring all those things together online with all the details involved, well, I think it's almost impossible."

Designers seem to agree. Jerry Weed, president of the Chevy Chase, MD-based Kitchen & Bath Studio notes that, "In Japan, they tried to eliminate showrooms, and tried to use virtual reality, but it didn't work. People want to really be able to look and see the finish of a product and that personal touch cannot be underestimated. I want to remain face to face with customers to establish credibility and trust. You don't develop that kind of bond by communicating over the Web."

Leading manufacturer's rep John Morgan, of the Baltimore, MD-based Jack Morgan & Associates, believes that "kiosk technology" wherein a computer kiosk might be used in a showroom in place of physical displays to illustrate design possibilities, or even to facilitate ordering full kitchens by computer "can go over in a home center situation," but he doesn't see it working in a high-end kitchen and bath dealership.

Harris Friedman, president of the Woodland, CA-based Cabnetware agrees: "I think the virtual showroom is many years ahead it's still a touchy-feely industry. I do think you will see more and more of that in the 'big-box' places, but for the average kitchen and bath firm, it's still going to be hands on the customers come in, they don't know what they're looking for, they have general ideas, but they need that type of human reinforcement to help them focus."

Kitchens.com editor Charlotte Rowe, who researched and wrote the Web site's remodeling and design section geared toward educating consumers, adds one caveat: "There's always that group of people who are getting what they need by seeing the photo, so you don't want to totally preclude the possibility [of a totally virtual showroom]. The photo gallery on Kitchens.com is one of the most popular areas because people do want to see photos on line." However, she concludes that "because [remodeling a kitchen] is such an investment and an emotional decision, I still think people are going to want to see it in person."