The Curtain Industry Life Cycle Explained
Why Moving Your Curtain Business Online is Essential to Stay Ahead
As a curtain and blind retailer or supplier, you might be noticing changes in the market in the last few years. Competition feels tougher, or customers’ demands seem more specific and complex? You’re not alone. The curtain industry is evolving—and understanding exactly why and how is critical for your future success.
In this article, we will give you a clear guidace and what steps you can take to help your business. After you will read and study this article, we can promise that you’ll learn about the Industry Life Cycle (we'll explian what the life cycle is) and discover why moving your business online is no longer optional—it’s essential. We’ll also introduce practical digital tools and provide inspiring examples of businesses just like yours that successfully made the leap online
What is the Industry Life Cycle?
Every industry goes through four main stages:
• Introduction: The market is new, products are unfamiliar, and growth is slow.
• Growth: Demand rapidly increases, sales rise, profits grow, and businesses expand quickly.
• Maturity: Growth slows down significantly, the market is saturated, and competition increases.
• Decline: Demand falls, products lose relevance, and businesses struggle to survive.
Understanding which stage your business currently faces is crucial for making strategic decisions. It’s important to remember that even if you’ve been in the curtain and blind industry for the last five years and feel that things have never been better, you might be experiencing growth because you’ve improved your products, refined your marketing, or simply become more efficient compared to your past performance. However, this personal growth doesn’t necessarily reflect the broader market reality. Different markets—and even different segments within the same market—can experience varied stages simultaneously.
Therefore, even if your business feels healthy, recognising and responding proactively to where your broader industry is heading is crucial. It helps you stay ahead, seize emerging opportunities, and avoid potential future pitfalls.
Current State of the Curtain and Blinds Industry
We had a chance to review the current curtain and blinds industry across several key markets—the UK, United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand—and found that they all share very similar patterns.
Overall, the curtain and blinds market continues to grow, driven by increased consumer spending on home décor, rising interest in customised and sustainable solutions, and growing popularity of smart-home integration. For example, the UK market alone is projected to reach approximately £681 million in revenue by 2025, growing steadily year after year. Similar positive growth is also visible in the US, EU, Australia, and New Zealand, where increased home renovations, energy efficiency concerns, and the adoption of technology contribute positively.
However, despite this optimistic overall trend, traditional curtain and blinds businesses operating primarily from physical stores are encountering notable challenges
Key Challenges Facing Traditional Curtain Retailers:
• Shift to Online Shopping:
Customers increasingly prefer buying curtains and blinds online due to convenience, instant price comparison, and easy customisation. In the UK alone, over 40% of curtains and blinds purchases now happen online—and this number is rising every year.
• Reduced Footfall in Physical Stores:
High-street shops are seeing fewer visitors, impacted by changing consumer behaviour and the attraction of convenient, online alternatives. As a result, many physical stores are experiencing declining sales.
• Increasing Economic Pressures:
Traditional retailers face higher operating costs, including rising rent, wages, and taxes. These pressures make it increasingly difficult for offline businesses to remain profitable without embracing new strategies. A small butique showrooms and a very intuitive and easy to use online store at the moment is winning most of the deals globaly.
Indicators that Your Curtain Business May Be in a Mature or Declining Market:
Carefully review the following indicators:
• Slow or flat sales growth
• Intense competition causing shrinking profit margins
• Difficulty differentiating products from competitors
• Noticeably reduced foot traffic in physical stores, affecting overall sales
If you recognise at least two of these factors in your own business, it’s crucial to reconsider your current business strategy immediately. Experiencing two or more of these issues is a strong signal that your current market might be approaching maturity or even decline, and proactive change is needed.
Businesses in the curtain and blinds industry who identify these early signals and respond strategically—particularly by transitioning towards online channels—are far more likely to adapt successfully and continue thriving.
The Good News: Digital Transformation Offers a Clear Path Forward
The best way to overcome these challenges is by taking your curtain business online. Digital solutions help you attract customers, simplify your operations, and increase profitability.
Here’s how you can embrace digital transformation quickly and efficiently:
• Establish an Online Presence:
Launch a user-friendly website or an online store. This makes it easy for customers to browse, customise, and buy curtains directly from their homes.
• Offer Customisation and Convenience:
Utilise intuitive online curtain calculators and configurators, allowing customers to effortlessly select fabrics, measurements, linings, and curtain styles, providing instant quotes and easy checkout.
• Highlight Sustainability and Quality:
More customers now prefer eco-friendly and high-quality products. Promote these values clearly online to attract loyal, conscious consumers.
By moving online, your curtain business can adapt effectively to changing consumer behaviours, benefit from new growth opportunities, and gain a strong competitive advantage in today’s evolving market landscape.
Why is Moving Online Essential for Curtain Retailers?
The online curtain market is experiencing massive growth, driven by modern customer habits and the demand for personalised, convenient shopping. If your business remains offline, you’ll inevitably fall behind.
Here’s why going online is critical for your success:
• Reach New Customers:
No longer limited to your local area, your business can sell across your country or even internationally.
• Offer Personalised Products:
Customers increasingly want tailored products. Online configurators, customisable selections, and interactive websites make this simple.
• Reduce Costs & Increase Profits:
Online businesses typically have lower operating expenses, allowing you higher profit margins.
• Stay Competitive:
Businesses that don’t embrace digital solutions lose customers to innovative online competitors.
🚀 How InterioApp Helps You Easily Transition Online
At InterioApp, we’ve created user-friendly digital tools designed specifically for the curtain, blinds and wall covering industry. Whether you’re completely new to online selling or looking to enhance your current offering, we’ve got you covered.
InterioApp offers two clear, practical solutions to transition your curtain business online:
1. Quoting & Management System (In-house Use)
This easy-to-use software helps your business quickly create professional quotations, manage orders, and calculate accurate fabric requirements for every curtain or blind.
Ideal for:
• Curtain retailers who prefer personal consultations
• Interior designers and curtain makers
• Businesses who need accuracy, simplicity, and efficiency in their day-to-day operations
2. E-commerce & Shopify Plugin (Selling Curtains Online)
This powerful Shopify plugin lets your customers easily configure and order bespoke curtains directly through your online store. Your customers can select fabrics, measurements, linings, headings, and more, generating instant quotations right from your website.
Ideal for:
• Businesses ready to scale online
• Retailers offering made-to-measure solutions
• Companies aiming to reduce operational complexity and increase sales
3. Our Comprehensive ‘Done-For-You’ E-commerce Solution
If you’re looking for a fully managed approach, we also offer a complete turnkey solution to help you launch your curtain business online with maximum confidence. With this premium option, we:
• Build your fully functional, customised online store ready to accept orders immediately.
• Create comprehensive store documentation, making it easier for you to manage and sell online, significantly simplifying ongoing operations.
• Automate your quoting, ordering, and email processes, removing manual workload and reducing errors.
• Upload your first fabric and hardware collections, ensuring your online store is fully stocked and ready for launch.
• Set up product customisation and instant quoting systems, including fabric, headings, fullness, motorisation options, and more.
• Create engaging blog content to attract your first customers organically.
• Provide strategic digital marketing guidance to help your new store generate initial traffic and sales.
• Offer dedicated training and personal support for three months after launch, ensuring you feel fully confident managing your online store independently.
Typically, our clients see their first few online sales during this supported period, which is a great head start for your new online journey.
Why InterioApp?
This tailored service is personally led by Darius Baltunis, founder of InterioApp, who has over a decade of hands-on experience in the curtain and blinds industry. Darius has successfully helped businesses globally—from independent curtain shops to established Hunter Douglas dealers—to embrace online sales, refine their operational strategies, and significantly increase their profits.
Pricing and budgets vary, and we offer flexible solutions tailored specifically to your unique business requirements, ensuring your investment aligns perfectly with your ambitions.
📌 Case Studies: Real Success Stories from Curtain Retailers Like You
Case Study #1: “Curtain Call – From Local Shop to Nationwide Success”
Challenge: Curtain Call, a small local curtain shop, faced declining sales, increased competition, and shrinking local footfall. Their traditional business model was losing relevance.
Solution: They adopted InterioApp’s Shopify plugin, launching a seamless online shopping experience. Customers could easily customise curtains online, get instant quotes, and make purchases.
Results: Wit a total budget of £3500, Curtain Call saw an incredible 95% increase in sales within the first 8 months. Their customer base expanded nationwide, and they dramatically improved their profit margins. The ease of online shopping attracted more customers than they ever imagined.
Setup Cost: €3,500 (one-time)
Subscription: €299 per month (unlimited users, product updates, and ongoing support)
Our Shopify plugin transforms your website into a powerful e-commerce platform, allowing customers to easily configure and order bespoke curtains online. Features include fabric selection, instant quoting, measurement calculators, and product customisation such as headings, fullness, linings, and motorisation options.
Perfect for:
• Businesses ready to rapidly grow online
• Retailers offering personalised, made-to-measure products
• Companies looking for automation, increased sales, and reduced manual workload
Get Your E-commerce Store Started →
Case Study #2: “Fabric & Flair – Simplifying Operations with Digital Quoting”
Challenge: Fabric & Flair, a boutique curtain retailer, spent hours manually calculating fabric, managing client quotations, and organising paperwork. Mistakes were common and costly.
Solution: They implemented InterioApp’s in-house quoting and management system, instantly simplifying their workflow. It automated quotations, fabric calculations, invoicing, and order tracking.
Results: Efficiency improved by 70%, significantly reducing operational costs. Errors dropped dramatically, customer satisfaction improved, and they could focus more on customer relationships and less on admin tasks. Total
Setup Cost: €1,400 (one-time)
Monthly Subscription: €299/month (unlimited user access, including your entire team, from sales staff to curtain makers)
This powerful in-house software streamlines your quoting process, order management, fabric calculation, and invoicing, ensuring accurate and professional quotations in minutes.
Perfect if you:
• Primarily work with face-to-face consultations
• Want simplicity and accuracy in daily operations
• Wish to grant unlimited access to curtain makers, seamstresses, and internal team members for seamless collaboration
Select Plan for your Quoting in-house System →
✅ Quick Quiz: Is Your Curtain Business Ready for Online Success?
Take this simple quiz to assess where you stand:
1. How do customers currently buy from you?
• A) In-store only
• B) Mostly in-store, some online
• C) Primarily online with customisation options
2. Do you regularly update your products online?
• A) Rarely or never
• B) Occasionally
• C) Regularly
3. How important is customisation for your customers?
• A) Not very important
• B) Somewhat important
• C) Extremely important
4. Have you considered digital quoting or an online shop?
• A) No
• B) Thinking about it
• C) Already using or implementing soon
Quiz Results:
• Mostly A’s: You’re in danger of falling behind—time to move online urgently!
• Mostly B’s: You’re at a crossroads—it’s a great time to adopt online solutions.
• Mostly C’s: Fantastic! You’re already on the right track. Keep going!
Conclusion: It’s Time to Act
The curtain industry is evolving, and now is the ideal time to position your business for success. By transitioning online using clear, practical solutions like InterioApp, you can revitalise your business, attract new customers, simplify your operations, and boost profits.
Whether you’re choosing our easy-to-use quoting software for in-house use or launching your curtain business online with our Shopify Plugin, InterioApp is your partner in making this important transition simple, efficient, and profitable.
Don’t wait until your competitors get ahead—start your journey online today and put your curtain business firmly into growth.
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