Learn how this furniture giant turns returns into revenue with SaySo’s co-branded online shopping experience.
The Dufresne Group is a multi-brand, international retail organization specializing in furniture and home appliances. As the largest licensee of Ashley in Canada, with 39 locations from B.C. to Ontario, TDG combines the best styles, prices, and product availability with a proudly guest-centric experience.
Returns have long been a thorn in the side of furniture retailers. And as one of the world's largest retail organizations, The Dufresne Group felt the sting, too. While return rates at TDG's Ashley storefronts hovered just below the industry standard of 5%, returned furniture still cluttered showrooms as clearance inventory.
Executive Vice President of Supply Chain Kristi Ellis knew the excess clearance could erode margins just as much as a retailer’s reputation. “Relying on our stores to sell end-of-lifecycle inventory comes at a cost beyond just price,” Kristi explains. “We lose inspiration in our showrooms, confidence from a sales perspective, and even customers.”
To combat the additional product, sales staff spent nearly a third of their days attempting to offload clearance. This not only cut into the time they’d rather invest in selling newer, high-margin pieces, but also resulted in more showroom clutter as furniture stayed on the floor longer.
Kristi knew clearance had a place in the industry with its own unique demand and customers. However, she still wanted to preserve the higher-end feel of TDG's Ashley showrooms. In doing so, retailers could keep their most inspiring — and profitable — products front and center for both shoppers and sales staff alike. De-cluttering clearance from stores with an online outlet could do exactly that.
It was a bold goal that initially felt like an uphill battle, especially when TDG's first solution “had minimal traction with customers,” according to Kristi. Without mirroring Ashley’s signature branding, the new platform confused shoppers who didn’t recognize its connection to the retailer. This confusion also impacted sales staff, who lost even more time adjusting to the new system. Within months, they pulled the plug.
Kristi needed a third-party partner who could truly lift clearance off TDG's plate so its retailers could focus on the highest ROI inventory. That’s when she found SaySo.
“SaySo was the key to lifting our clearance profits and our team's confidence. They were easily losing 30% of their time handling returned items. With SaySo, we can keep our showroom stocked with inspired pieces that our associates are excited to sell.”
With SaySo, Kristi found a flexible clearance partner who’s as invested in TDG's success as any in-house team. Collaborating with SaySo enabled her to launch a new co-branded online storefront, Ashley x Descend, where retailers can showcase and sell clearance inventory directly from distribution centers, no showroom space required.
To supplement the new site launch, SaySo also implemented a "buy clearance" widget on each PDP that would direct bargain-hunting shoppers to the Descend storefront. This not only helped TDG avoid losing sales from price-sensitive shoppers, but also created a seamless end-to-end clearance shopping experience.
The impact on TDG's bottom line was near-immediate. By upending the entire clearance process, retailers now save significant operational costs once dedicated to transporting inventory from one showroom to the next. Plus, Kristi’s team easily frees up showroom space for the highest ROI pieces (without hiding discounted items from potential buyers).
Customers are also more inclined to engage with SaySo’s co-branded storefront than TDG's previous solution. Using a Dutch auction model, SaySo lists clearance products at a high price that incrementally decreases until the largest bid wins. This encourages shoppers to buy now, knowing they could be outbid at any moment, and sales on the Descend site have recently doubled thanks to this pricing model.
Best of all, the digital storefront has created an unexpected touchpoint in TDG's customer lifecycle. Today, many customers who buy clearance furniture from Ashley x Descend navigate to Ashley’s primary site for additional full-price purchases, unlocking potent cross-sell opportunities.
“SaySo doesn’t feel like a separate company from us. The team acts like a true partner who is equally invested as we are in getting our clearance inventory into the hands of customers. It has been a breath of fresh air.”
Empowered by SaySo’s partnership, The Dufresne Group energizes customers, showrooms, and staff alike. With the Ashley x Descend storefront, the retail giant effectively turned the logistical burden of returns into a competitive advantage:
Looking to the future, Kristi is eager to double down on SaySo’s reach and expand its footprint with even more clearance inventory sold on the platform.
“With SaySo, we’re seeing customers engage with our clearance inventory, leave great reviews about the experience, and ultimately come back for more. Our team is thrilled and eager for more.”
Founder
February 25, 2025
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