Vesternet, one of Europe’s most successful e-commerce sites for home automation products and solutions, has entered the U.S. market and joined the Z-Wave Alliance. Offering a wide selection of Z-Wave products and extensive value-added support and purchase advice, the site aims to be the premier online destination for B2C home control.
Founded in 2007, Vesternet brings with it a longstanding track record of customer satisfaction throughout Europe, and is the leading home automation shop in the U.K. About 90% of the site’s business is based on Z-Wave products, though audio/video and security accessories such as IP cameras are available as well. The company is also the first U.S. distributor for the Fibaro line of Z-Wave enabled home control products.
“We’re pleased to bring Vesternet to these digital shores, and we think American customers will love our value proposition,” said Vesternet Founder and CEO David Bell. “We understand that being successful at selling home automation means more than simply moving boxes. We are a resource for the customer. We speak to them about their needs, make sure they find the solutions they’re looking for, and offer extensive pre- and post-sale support. We serve as the customer’s expert friend in the home automation business.”
Added Mark Walters, Chairman of the Z-Wave Alliance, “Vesternet’s entry into the U.S. market is a great step forward for consumer choice and convenience. “Z-Wave is already the leading home automation technology available through integrators, security companies and service providers. Now, Vesternet can offer a similarly informed experience for do-it-yourself consumers, empowering them to create their own smart home solutions, easily and affordably, with the help of experts that understand their needs.”
Vesternet offers more than product sales. The site is conceived as a complete solution center for home automation products and services. The company retains a full-time content creation team that develops application notes, resource guides, how-to instructions and product synergy guides. These provide the consumer with rich, one-on-one pre-purchase information that saves hours of research and confusion. Pre-sale support is offered through live chat, phone and email.
Post-sale, Vesternet offers comprehensive tech support, having tested all the products and solutions themselves in-house, and having developed its own product reports and usage guides. Free lifetime technical support is offered to customers through a knowledge base, application guides, YouTube tutorials, white papers and articles. If the customer still can’t find their answers through these resources, Vesternet offers direct support.
While e-tailing giants like Amazon and TigerDirect have moved aggressively into smart home products with dedicated departments, not to mention hundreds of smaller sites selling home automation products, Vesternet offers expertise as a value-add. Says Bell, “You can’t just make a starter kit and hope to satisfy the customer. There’s an element of what the customer wants to achieve. That’s where we fit in, with pre-sale guidance and after-sale support.”
Vesternet can be found on the web at www.vesternet.com/us
