By Joseph F. Schuler Jr. Ebuild, the interactive product catalog, and Builderfinish, maker of product selections software, have created an online tool for remodelers offering the best of both systems.
"Builder Showrooms, Powered by ebuild" can be linked to a contractor's Web site and accessed by clients to organize, research, and select products by room and category. Although the companies have nearly 75,000 products online--and expect to double that by year's end--remodelers can specify that their catalog only include certain products.
Ebuild is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hanley-Wood, LLC, publishers of REMODELING.
Howard Weiner, Builderfinish president, says Builder Showrooms can be a valuable sales tool. By allowing prospects to earmark products they like in advance of first meetings, it lets remodelers define the scope and budget prior to the sales call.
"If we save a remodeler a couple hours on each project, we'll have achieved our goal," says Ward Downing, ebuild's business development director. "We're not trying to change the way contractors do business, we're taking one thing they do and helping them help the customer."
Builder Showrooms costs $125 per project, $1,000 for 12 projects, or $2,000 for unlimited use, all over a year's time, and can be purchased at www.ebuild.com.
