What the Best Flooring Retailers Are Doing in 2025 (That Most Stores Still Aren’t)

The retail flooring industry is entering a new era—and not every store is ready.

We’ve reviewed data from flooring retailers across the U.S., and the gap between those who are growing and those who are stuck is only getting wider. The fastest-growing stores aren’t working harder. They’re working smarter—with better systems, tighter margins, and a focus on customer experience from start to finish.

In this post, we’re unpacking how the top performers are running their businesses in 2025—from sales to scheduling to payments. Whether you’re an independent dealer or managing a multi-location operation, this is what you need to know.

Why Flooring Stores Are Falling Behind (and How the Best Are Pulling Ahead)

There’s a reason so many flooring businesses are feeling the pinch right now. The market is evolving:

• Consumer expectations are higher than ever
• Online leads are harder to convert
• Labor is harder to find and retain
• Big-box stores are increasing pressure on price

But while many stores are still operating with outdated systems—or worse, no systems—the top 10% are using modern flooring store software to manage the entire customer lifecycle.

These high-performers aren’t just surviving. They’re growing 20%+ year over year. And it’s not because they’re selling more square footage—it’s because they’ve optimized how they operate.

1. They Use Business Management Software Built for Flooring

Modern flooring retailers are ditching the patchwork of spreadsheets, whiteboards, and disconnected tools.

Instead, they’re investing in all-in-one flooring software platforms that manage:

• Job scheduling
• Quotes and invoices
• Inventory and orders
• Customer communication
• Installer dispatch
• Payment collection

CRM and marketing

More than 65% of top-performing retailers are now using a dedicated flooring CRM and business management system. These platforms help streamline operations, improve visibility, and remove the chaos from day-to-day tasks.

• If you’re still emailing PDFs and chasing down signatures manually, it’s costing you time, money, and lost jobs.

2. They Ask for More Money Up Front (and Collect Faster)

One major theme in top stores? Better cash flow.

Instead of asking for a small deposit and billing after the job, they’ve shifted to a 50/50 model:

• 50% upfront deposit
• 50% due the day of install

This simple shift improves liquidity, reduces receivables, and cuts down on payment delays.

Many stores are also integrating flooring store payment processing directly into their software—meaning customers can sign and pay digitally the moment a quote is approved. No more waiting on checks or playing phone tag.

• Want to grow revenue? Make it easier for your customers to say yes and simpler for your team to collect.

3. They Track Margins—And Price Accordingly

Top-performing flooring retailers aren’t guessing.

They know their cost per job. They track margins by product line. They quote with confidence.

Across the board, the best stores are maintaining 30%+ margins on average—and in many cases higher. They’re using flooring business software that breaks down:

• Material costs
• Labor hours
• Freight and delivery
• Installer fees
• Gross profit per project

This level of insight means fewer surprises, better pricing discipline, and higher profitability.

And here’s the kicker: most stores think they’re hitting these margins, but without the data, they’re just hoping.

4. They Treat Their Website Like a Salesperson

In 2025, if your website can’t generate a lead, it’s dead weight.

The top flooring stores are investing in digital presence—not just pretty pictures, but functionality that drives business:

• Online Quotes that integrate to their CRM
• Google review integrations
• Mobile responsiveness
• SEO-optimized landing pages

88% of the fastest-growing retailers plan to expand their eCommerce capabilities this year. That doesn’t mean becoming Amazon—but it does mean showing pricing, availability, and making it easy for a customer to raise their hand.

And yet, most stores are getting fewer than 10 leads per month through their websites. That’s a massive missed opportunity.

• Think of your website like your top salesperson. Does it work 24/7? Does it convert? If not, fix it.

5. They Invest in Lead Generation with ROI in Mind

You don’t need to spend $15,000 a month to grow. But you do need to know where your leads are coming from—and what they cost.

Top flooring retailers are moving away from gut-feel marketing and leaning into:

• Google Ads and local SEO
• Online reputation management
• Review generation platforms
• Social retargeting
• Tracking every dollar spent vs. every lead closed

They’re using flooring CRM systems that track the lead source from the first click to the final invoice.

Contrast this with most flooring businesses that either don’t track ROI at all—or invest heavily in print, radio, or social with no attribution.

• Marketing without data is just spending. Know what works and double down.

6. They Offer a 5-Star Customer Experience (Without Needing a Huge Staff)

One secret of high-performing retailers? They appear larger than they are.

With the right tools in place, even a team of five can deliver:

• Automated customer updates via text or email
• Real-time job tracking
• Installer check-ins and job completion alerts
• Digital invoices and reminders
• Easy quote approvals and rebooking tools
• This isn’t about gimmicks. It’s about using flooring store software to automate the customer journey—so your team can focus on installs, not inboxes.

Customers today expect Amazon-level communication. The best flooring companies are delivering it, without hiring a call center.

7. They Don’t Rely on the Same 3 Suppliers

Most independent stores order from the same 10–15 manufacturers every time. That’s fine, until pricing shifts or SKUs go out of stock.

Top-performing flooring retailers are expanding their vendor base, negotiating better terms, and diversifying their product mix. And they’re using inventory tools inside their flooring software to track what’s in stock, what’s reserved, and what’s running low.

If you’re still doing this on a whiteboard or Excel sheet, it’s a margin leak waiting to happen.

8. They Train and Retain Installers with Better Tools

The labor market’s tight. Good installers are hard to find—and even harder to keep.

Top stores are investing in:

• Mobile apps that let installers view job details, photos, and schedules
• Calendar syncing and route optimization
• Real-time job check-ins and feedback
• Visibility into work history and future bookings

who feel respected and empowered tend to stick around longer. A strong system signals professionalism—and makes everyone’s life easier.

Where Most Flooring Retailers Go Wrong

Here’s what we see over and over:

• ‍They wait too long to upgrade from legacy systems‍
• They try to duct-tape tools together instead of consolidating‍
• They assume they’re doing fine because they’re busy
• But being busy doesn’t mean being profitable.

The biggest risk today isn’t losing to big-box stores. It’s losing to the flooring business down the street who’s running lean, fast, and digitally.

So—Where Do You Start?

If you’re serious about growth in 2025, here’s what we’d recommend:

Audit your current process — how do quotes get sent, how do payments get collected, how are jobs scheduled?

Measure your actual margins by product, job type, and customer.

Simplify your tech stack — move to a unified flooring business platform.

Make quoting and payments easier — digitally, from anywhere.

Use your website to capture leads—not just showcase brands.

Get visibility into marketing ROI—and invest in what works.

Automate communication so customers feel supported at every step.

Final Thoughts: This Isn’t About Features. It’s About Future-Proofing.

The best retailers aren’t just selling floors—they’re building systems. They're investing in flooring software that helps them run smarter, not harder.

If you want to be in that top 10%, it starts with making small, strategic changes today. We’ve built Service Buddy to help you do exactly that.

Because this industry deserves software that understands it.

• Want to See What Modern Flooring CRM Looks Like?

Let us show you how to quote faster, communicate better, and get paid on time—without adding more headcount.

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