Lighting by Lux Success Illuminates How to Succeed in a Highly Competitive Business
When Hershel Yousef launched his first online store www.LightingByLux.com in June of 2008 he had a basic goal: “Offer a level of customer service that’s akin to walking into a store and being waited on rather than being told to take a number and get in line.” That sounds simple enough, but accomplishing that while selling something as competitive as light fixtures would be a daunting task to any ecommerce first timer. However, instead of letting it overwhelm him, Hershel drew on his more than 25 years of experience in the retail lighting business. He explains, “We represent some of the most exclusive names in lighting and offer a broad range of economy fixtures as well. To us, it’s about satisfying the customer not counting beans, the beans will come later.” And the beans certainly have been piling up! Despite only launching about six months ago Lighting by Lux has more than doubled their first year sales projections already.
According to Lighting by Lux, their customers rely heavily on Volusion’s “email a friend” and wish list features when browsing the site, allowing them to get feedback on a particular product from friends and family before making a purchase. These advanced features give customers the confidence they need that they are getting the perfect lighting accessories for their home. Additionally, Hershel notes that using Volusion’s vZoom is also important to their customers so that they can get a realistic look at each lighting fixture.
While the customers like the glitz and glam Lux Lighting can create on their website, Hershel states that the most vital aspects of Volusion’s software to him are the “full featured back-end to the store” and “level of customization and specification even at the product level.” He cites that these technical aspects and ability to call into technical support 24 hours a day are essential for running his business. But a business is more than the nuts and bolts that keep it running. As Hershel explains, “I can’t imagine trying to run an online store by selling products that are unfamiliar to us. If I had to give one piece of advice to those considering e-commerce it would be sell something you know, in the end you’ll have a big advantage over your competitors.” With a solid focus on customer service, retail business savvy, the right tools to make his website work for him, and a passion for the business Lighting by Lux and Hershel Yousef have achieved what online retailers everywhere are looking to accomplish this New Year- phenomenal success.
-Kate Pierce eCommerce Specialist
After researching different Ecommerce Solutions in the US and Australia, Jason choose Volusion as the solution provider for his first online store. Although he had some experience in web design and marketing due to previous job roles, he notes that he designed the website on his own without the need for any technical expertise. “The best thing is, I don’t need to know coding in order to update the website. I did a little tweaking of the templates to manipulate them design-wise, but other than that Volusion is very easy to use. I learned the basics and worked it out with a little help from the Volusion staff.”
Like most new online store builders, Andrea Bridges went through some trial and error before finding the right solution for her online business. “I started with a web company that couldn’t deliver the right backend and had no way of tracking inventory. All products needed to be input by the web builder. I wanted more control and needed a website that performed like a large company’s would. ” She found Volusion’s all in one solution by chance and built her online store using the Gold plan which she notes “was the perfect way to start for a beginner.”