Home Brain Launches Consumer Website

Features Links to Suppliers, Merchants and Anwers to Common Questions

Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 4/6/2009 12:00:00 AM

Newton, Mass. —

For consumers whose minds boggle about the countless assortments of sheeting thread counts or the new technologies behind natural and synthetic fibers for bath rugs, comes a new website, thehomebrain.com, that aims to answer questions, narrow down the best choices among home textiles products and brands — and form the basis for new product development.

Corra Consulting Inc., which collaborates with retailer buying teams to design more differentiated products, has launched the site to tap into the consumer mindset, "take a unique snapshot of their daily experiences with home products and spearhead the creation of new items that are better suited to what people truly need in today's economy," the company said.

Chrissie McKinney, creative partner, elaborated, "This site represents a critical first step in better bridging the gap between consumers and the retailers that serve them."

Ellen McNulty, strategic partner, pointed to product durability as one factor in shoppers' choices: "Consumers everywhere are clearly feeling the pinch; and though Wal-Mart may be seeing gains because they offer the lowest price, we believe there are plenty of people out there who would pay $10 to $20 more if there was any kind of assurance that the product would last significantly longer."

The Home Brain was designed to address common questions people have when shopping for home textiles and to help them better navigate what can be a confusing market to shop. Links to suppliers and merchants are integrated into some answers on the site.

Consumers with a valid email address can register their profiles to blog about products and can also register on Corra's "Research and Trial" panel, in which some participants are provided with free products in exchange for critical feedback.