Today we’d like to introduce you to Alex Back.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Alex. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
We opened our virtual doors in 2011- at that time, the economy wasn’t strong and many people were downsizing their lives. At the same time, the e-commerce boom was just starting to move into the furniture and home decor sector so we saw a lot of opportunities there.
Additionally, there aren’t too many brand names in the furniture space- it’s sort of either a big box or chain store or a mom and pop furniture store. We set out to create a place where customers could conveniently furnish their homes or apartments online where were also bridging the gap between mom and pop furniture store and huge corporation.
Initially, we were intensely focused on apartment living and offering very affordable home furnishings. As we grew over the past few years, our tastes changed and so did that of our customer- they wanted to buy nicer furniture online and we wanted to offer nicer furniture. Since then, our brand has evolved into one that offers stylish, well made (mostly made in the USA) furniture that is still actually affordable. Our bread and butter items are our sofas and sectionals and upholstered furniture which is actually virtually all handmade here in Los Angeles!
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
There were a lot of struggles along the way to where we are and there continue to be challenges. They’re just different ones.
In the beginning, building a brand and a reputation is extremely difficult, especially online. While it a scalable place to start a business, the upstart can be tricky because, unlike a retail store that has some foot traffic and can use traditional advertising methods to get people in the door, we had to use many different methods to gain a customer base.
In the beginning, it was all about offering discounts and promotions- we did a ton of discounting the first year or so that we were around. Getting away from that was very tricky- customers were trained to wait or look for a sale which isn’t exactly a healthy place for a brand to be in. We’re now in a much healthier place in that regard, where we’ll offer sales and discounts on a much less regular basis and put the focus on offering fantastic everyday pricing on quality products with a lot less schtick.
Another huge challenge is simply maintaining a great reputation for service with such a high liability commodity such as furniture. People spend a lot of money with us so we have had a laser focus on service from day 1- no one said it would be easy 😉
Now, the biggest struggle is continuing to grow in a far more heavily saturated market. When Apt2B.com went live and opened in 2011, we were one of the only players in the furniture space online! Now, they’re a dime a dozen. But we’ve continued to grow year over year and remain relevant by keeping the focus on the important things:
-our brand
-our products and quality
-our customers
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Apt2B – what should we know?
The thing that sets Apt2B apart most from our competitors is that we’re not tech or finance people who saw an opportunity in the home furnishings space or just randomly decided to get into this field; we’re furniture people through and through.
We have been on both the wholesale and retail end of furniture- my partner, Mat, grew up in it as his dad was a furniture manufacturer’s rep his entire life. Mat followed in his dad’s footsteps quite a bit as well. Our customer service manager and fulfillment coordinator have been in the furniture industry for 15 years. Our entire staff from soup to nuts is traveling with us to the Las Vegas twice yearly furniture trade show for better industry perspective. Our board of directors is full of real furniture industry people and our focus hasn’t been on the next financial play or tech app or marketing scheme- it’s been on the core roots of the furniture business.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
We’ve had to be very patient over the past few years while our brand has grown into what it is today. Slow and steady wins the race. We’ve had opportunities to supercharge Apt2B like so many of our competitors who have come and gone over the past few years (taking on VC investors, trying to grow at a more rapid pace) but have always believed in organic healthy growth of our business. It’s our patience that has kept us in business.
While remaining patient from a business perspective, it has always been important for us to push the envelope with our brand and do fun interesting things. Being an LA-based company has really helped with this because it’s opened the doors to a lot of opportunities.
-Our longstanding collaboration with renowned interior designer Kyle Schuneman
-Tons of in-person events here in LA from pop-up stores to art installations. Helped us build a local following.
-Our products and brand represented on TV- furnished the MTV Real World House, were on Shark Tank, the Ellen show, used in production a lot (commercials, tv shows, etc.)
Generally, not being afraid to take on a big opportunity just because we are a smaller boutique brand has been huge for us.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.apt2b.com
- Instagram: @apt2b
- Facebook: @apt2b
- Twitter: @apt2b
Image Credit:
Joe Schmelzer
