Few things are as important to flooring retailers in this post-COVID-19/supply chain-disrupted world than having a strong inventory position. Inventory is indeed king these days, and companies that can deliver the goods on a timely basis are favored by dealers.
By that metric, Novalis has been a champion to flooring retailers, according to a few of its dealer partners. But it doesn’t stop there. These same retailers cited Novalis and its new collections for quality and versatility in both residential and commercial settings.
According to Tanner Burgess, owner of Owens Flooring & Interiors, with two North Carolina locations, one word best describes working with Novalis. “Quality,” he said, “is what distinguishes Novalis’ products. They have great-looking products, and I haven’t had a single complaint from a customer.”
Novalis currently has four collections within its luxury vinyl rigid core NovaFloor brand—Maybree, Serenbe, Lyndon Plus and Dansbee, the newest. Retailers FCNews spoke with spoke highly of Serenbe, known for its flexibility and affordability. “Serenbe has been one of our best-selling collections at a moderate price and quality level,” said Sheila LePlant, sales and marketing manager, Neil’s Floor Covering, Minneapolis. “We like having the option of both the glue-down and floating products because not all customers have situations conducive to the floating products.”
LePlant also praised Lyndon Plus for its floating collection, which she said has been a nice improvement.
Derek Kutz, project manager for Richardet Floor Covering, Perryville, Mo., said they have had success with Serenbe in both residential and commercial settings, and Lyndon in residential. “They have a good quality click system, and everything has been milled well,” Kutz said. “We use Serenbe in classroom settings as it has a great finish on it.”
Cleaner, sharper looks
The wide variety of styles and colors from which to choose throughout Novalis’ collections also impressed retailers. “In general, some of the cleaner maple looks have gone over well in our market and more often than not it is the look that sells the product,” LePlant said. “Novalis has a nice variety of warm vs. cool looks and clean vs. rustic looks and that has been the best part of bringing the brand into our store. We have several clients that are looking to freshen up their homes with a new look that still complements their golden oak trim and cabinets. Several Novalis products fit that niche.”
These varied looks among Novalis’ newer products are on trend with what people are looking for in the market, according to Chad Schlosser, president, Schlosser Flooring, Minot, N.D. “Their lines are trending with rustic products to smooth surfaces and large-format tiles. I also like some of their concrete tiles, which have done well for us.”
Schlosser cited Serenbe and Maybree as collections “that never fail. The advantage they have is they make some longer tiles with wider, thicker planks and a 20-mil wear layer, which we also like.”
Invested in inventory
While the look may sell the product, flooring retailers can’t sell the look if they don’t have the stock. While all dealers have dealt with stock outs, product shortages and delays during the ongoing supply chain crisis, Novalis seems to have addressed that issue quite nicely for its customers. “Every time we order, the product has always been in stock,” Burgess said, rating Novalis’ service a “10 out of 10. Orders arrive quickly without delays.”
Kutz said he typically gets deliveries every Tuesday and has never had to wait for a Novalis product. “They have stock somewhere in the country, which we can get in a few days. That is a huge advantage these days.”
Schlosser said the last time he checked, Novalis was sitting on over 100,000 square feet of Serenbe. “They have a ton of product availability, and that’s always been the greatest thing for us,” he said.
During 2021, retailers including Neil’s Floor Covering experienced their share of angst with back orders on transition moldings; and yet, they had few issues with Novalis’ accessories. “Novalis has made improvements in their supply chains for moldings,” LePlant said. “As a result, we have experienced few issues. It’s a great go-to product line when we have time constraints.”
