Check it out! SolidSurface.com launched a new website! One of the primary goals of the new site was to enhance the overall experience for visitors searching for solid surface sheet material and related products. To further our goal of an improved customer experience, we’re also very excited to announce our new interactive custom bathroom vanity top designer. The look and feel of the new website might be different, yet it boasts all the same great products. Explore the many new features to enrich your shopping and educational experience!
Since there is so much to explore, we thought it would be helpful to highlight some of the most important, time-saving enhancements, such as:
- The new experience of sheet material;
- Intelligent material recommendations;
- A visual custom vanity top design tool;
- Smart search capabilities; and
- Advanced account tools for business customers – coming soon.
There is something for everyone on this site, whether you are a DIY homeowner, a designer, or professional contractor or remodeler.
Starting with the home page, there are many different ways to shop. Click the links to shop for sheet material or accessories, including tools and adhesives for your project, or learn interesting tips and tricks on how to do it yourself. Skip down to the featured overstock and sale items, or shop by popular brands, or by application. For the DIY’er, if you’re not sure whether you can tackle a project, start with our resource center Solid Surface 101 or watch our intro video.
Solid Surface Sheet Material Organized More Efficiently
In the previous version of the website, overstock and in-production sheets were in two different parts of the website. Now they are combined, as you can see when you mouse over a material selection choice. All buying options, including all the various sizes and thicknesses are listed when no filtering is selected. The price is also shown, making it super simple to identify exactly what solid surface sheet material you need.
Intelligent Material Recommendations
This feature can really save time in researching color choices! Once you are on a particular page for that certain color of solid surface sheet material you were looking for, for instance Pompeii Red by Corian®, you can scroll down to the bottom of the page to “Similar Products” to see other swatches of colors that are in the same family as the one you chose first. This is particularly helpful when you are looking to compare pricing, or particulates, or shades of colors. You can get a “quick view” of options that are similar to your original selection.
Custom Vanity Top Designer
This handy tool allows you to design your own custom Corian® vanity top using visual feedback. Previously, you had to fill in a form and choose options without clearly seeing what those options were. Now you can see what you are creating real-time using interactive tools that change how your vanity top looks as you add or swap colors, sizes and components. You can even “save” your designs in your account to refer to later, or share them for a second opinion. Gone are the days of blind configuration when width, depth and sink type are just numbers on an order form.
The Search Tool
If you have something in mind, the easiest and fastest way to find what you’re looking for is to use our “smart” search tool. As soon as you start typing, it starts searching. A drop down appears showing what it thinks you may be looking for. It searches the entire website and presents the best matches for your search word(s). It also groups the search result options into sections like “Suggestions,” “Pages,” “Category,” and “Products.” A “Results” page will also appear showing Products and Other content, so there are many ways to see your results.
For illustration purposes, let’s suppose we are looking for the phrase “shower wall kits” (by the way, that is a new offering on the new website!). As you start to type the first letter “s” in the “search box,” the search tool starts to display what it is finding. As shown in the image below, for the letter “s,” it displays “Suggestions” followed by “Pages,” then “Category,” and “Products.”
“Suggestions,” “Pages,” “Category,” and “Products.”
As you continue to spell out the phrase “shower wall kits,” it now has more information and narrows the search to “Pages” with the option of “Shower Wall Kits.”
Click on the “Shower Wall Kits” option and you are at the correct page.
Using the intuitive search box will speed up your research and help you find solutions quicker.
What’s Next: Account Tools for Business Customers
The next phase of our new website roll-out will include account tools for business customers. With Advanced Account Management, business customers can manage their own accounts online and set up multiple tiers of buyers with specific roles and permissions.
For example, a company with these advanced features can have several people within the company that can order items at special pricing. The order would then transmit instantly to a supervisor within the company who can then approve/disapprove the order. Supervisory personnel can also add or delete individuals within the company who have permissions to order. The order contents can also be changed without changing the order number.
Another great feature is ordering by SKU. You will also have the ability to upload CSV files or pre-set requisition lists. Need a quote first? The quote management tools provide for a quote workflow where you can request a quote directly from the shopping cart. And for those on the go, mobile ordering will be available from any device at any time.
With specific and time-saving components in place, orders, approvals and transmissions can be accomplished quickly and smoothly without the need for extraneous communications. The added value of improved, cost-efficient shipping options means you can save even more on that bottom line.
Feedback is Welcome!
Overall we think you’ll find searching the new website for solid surface sheet material much more user friendly and intuitive. If you need assistance, our Customer Service Department is ready to assist you. We will continue to make improvements and we encourage you to contact us with any suggestions or comments as you navigate our new site.