In a move to streamline operations and elevate the digital customer experience, Home Société Group has amalgamated its three e-commerce websites under one unified online platform. The decision, according to President Walid Laaraba, was a natural evolution of the company’s brand and retail strategy.
The company has launched a newly rebranded and consolidated e-commerce website, mustsociete.com.
Designed to mirror the experience of visiting the brand’s large-format stores in Toronto, Montreal, Quebec City and Ottawa, the refreshed platform brings together the company’s full portfolio–including Maison Corbeil, MUST, Jardin de Ville, Galerie du Meuble and Home Société–into one elevated and intuitive digital space.
“For us, it was a natural move,” said Laaraba during a recent conversation while driving from Quebec City to Montreal. “When you look at our positioning and our strategy as an organization, we aim to be a leader in the furniture market and beyond. We focus on designing high-quality, internationally recognized brands in the furniture industry.”
Previously operating multiple e-commerce sites for its five brands, the retailer realized it was offering the same core value across separate digital platforms. “It didn’t make sense for us to have three different websites offering essentially the same value proposition and brand values,” said Laaraba. “All five of our brands share the same DNA—design-first principles and internationally recognized quality.”
Laaraba said the move was driven by two key reasons. “First of all, in terms of marketing efficiency, sales growth opportunity online, let’s combine our three websites under one umbrella so our consumers can have a better experience overall and find what they want in one website.”
The second driver came from how consumers already shop in Home Société’s physical stores. “You have all our brands in one stop shop,” he said. “So for example, you go to Home Société in Ottawa, you have a Must section, a Maison Corbeil section, the Jardin de Ville section. Even in Montreal in our Maison Corbeil stores, we can also find some Must product. Actually, we have a similar concept in all our stores.”
That same cross-brand experience, Laaraba noted, is already how customers behave in-store. “Consumers are already shopping like that, doing cross-shop between our brands. So why don’t just do it online?”
Though Laaraba declined to share exact figures, he did say the online channel is “growing.” When pressed on the proportion of total sales, he noted: “We are closing the gap to be close to the 10% ish.”
Despite changing market conditions post-COVID, online shopping remains highly relevant. “We are in 2025,” said Laaraba. “I think that online plays a critical and a crucial role in the customer journey in any industry.”
Having worked across sectors such as grocery and fashion before joining Home Société, Laaraba pointed out the unique challenges of selling furniture online. “Fashion is over 25% contribution of the online versus brick and mortar. Others are more complex like furniture… just the price of the product is different versus fashion. Consumers need to think, they need to fit the product in their house.”
Still, the web plays a major role in how shoppers make decisions. “Even if consumers are not buying online the majority — they prefer stores — over 90% of the customer journeys start online,” he said. “They pre-shop online before going to the store. So I mean, e-comm is not only a sales tool, but also a tool that consumers use to pre-shop and to start choosing what they want to buy.”
Laaraba also shared optimism about current market conditions. “For us, it’s better this year than last year, for example.”
Home Société has not been impacted by recent U.S. tariffs. “We are fortunate enough to not have any supplier from the U.S., so we’re not impacted by the tariffs,” he said. “And we don’t sell in the U.S. We carry on mainly European brands and some Asian, very well established brands.”
He acknowledged some temporary consumer hesitancy during geopolitical shifts, but said that has now calmed. “We had some drop in volume during the announcement of Trump because I think people in Canada were a little bit scared about what’s going to be the future of our economy… but I think now things are getting stable.”
The furniture industry, closely tied to the housing market, has seen some steadiness in Home Société’s core region. “Here in Quebec, the housing sales are stable. The furniture industry is stable.”
When it comes to what today’s consumers are seeking, Laaraba highlights that quality, design, and international credibility are key. “We target consumers who prioritize high-quality, design-driven products and internationally recognized brands. While we’re not in the same mass market category as companies like IKEA, we focus on customers who truly want to combine exceptional design with lasting quality.”
The customer experience is also key. “In our stores, we don’t just sell products. We create decor. We help consumers to redecorate their home,” said Laaraba. “We take the time with each consumer.”
Customization is another core differentiator. “You can choose any tissue, any colour. You take any product in our store, we can customize it for you. We can change anything in the product.”
Laaraba emphasized that this e-commerce launch is not just a digital upgrade—it’s a foundational shift in how the company serves its customers. “This e-commerce platform is a huge milestone for our business,” he said. “We are focusing on our DNA instead of having five different brands. At the end of the day, they are sharing the same value proposition, same DNA.”
The goal, he said, is clear: “Let’s combine all that under one umbrella and be one big monster online potentially. And if this works, let’s refocus potentially in the future on our stores as well. But for sure, the goal is to improve our customer experience online. That was the first step.”
Related Retail Insider stories:
A smart and forward-thinking move by Home Société! Consolidating e-commerce platforms not only streamlines the customer experience but also strengthens brand presence in a competitive market. Excited to see how this digital transformation enhances product accessibility and drives innovation in the luxury home space