Payless Cashways has a distinct mix of contractor and consumer customers. Under the terms of this deal, Payless Cashways is in a unique position to bring these two customer segments together in a mutually beneficial relationship. Customers of this service are then able to access ImproveNet's nationwide staff of Personal Project Advisors, who can provide personalized service and answer any questions via phone or e-mail that may come up during the course of the renovation project. Additionally, the online program will provide new opportunities for sales growth to Payless Cashways' contractor customer base supplying them with qualified business leads on upcoming projects. Contractors will be provided with information on the scope of the work, the timeframe of the project and a cost estimate.
Contractors receive only leads, which meet the criteria specified by the contractor.
It also serves as yet another example of how ImproveNet has become the preferred choice among both contractors and homeowners alike and demonstrates Payless Cashways forward thinking vision about the future of the building materials services business. Mr. Barron stated that Payless Cashways chose ImproveNet for this partnership because of their intricate understanding of the home improvement industry, as well as their sophisticated knowledge of the Internet as a services matching and deployment tool. Currently, Payless Cashways is piloting web-based special ordering capabilities in some of its stores with several vendors participating. The Company plans to roll this program to all stores utilizing multiple vendors the second half of the year. The Company is also exploring potential fulfillment arrangements with a number of e-commerce companies utilizing the wide network of distribution centers already in place.