Toasting 2013

November 30, 2012  by in UnCategorized   

By Home Furnishings Business in on December 2012

As we put the final touches on HFB for 2012, I can€™t help but hear the song €œAuld Lang Syne€ in my head. For me this indicates the end of one chapter and the exciting beginnings of a fresh start in a new year.

Many will sit around and vent on how difficult a year our industry may have had in 2012, but now is the time to plan and focus on the changes you will make in the New Year. As you reflect on what you have done, or not done, in these last few days of the year, scratch a couple of things off your list.

We all had a challenging year; we all did it with less people; we all worked harder than ever before; and we all will be expected to do it again in 2013, but with even better results. Just look around you, ask a friend, they are in the same boat, so you get no bonus points for these items. If you didn€™t hear it from your boss, let me say it for them, €œAtta boy€ or €œAtta girl€.

As the New Year rolls in, a new question will be asked, €œWhat have you done for me lately?€ All quotas, goals and benchmarks have now been set back to zero. So, have you structured a new marketing plan that will help drive traffic to your retail location? Have a few fresh ideas that you are excited about implementing? Maybe this is the year when you finally decide to tackle the Internet and social media thing you have been hearing so much about.

Whatever you do, be sure to try something different. You cannot expect any changes if you aren€™t trying some sort of new approach. We are not the same industry we were just a few short years ago.

In this issue of Home Furnishings Business, we discuss the state of our industry with input from experts and various retailers. They take a peek into the crystal ball and predict what we may expect in the New Year. We also include our 2nd Annual Power 50. The Power 50 is our ranking of home furnishings retailers.

We take into account more than just revenue generated. We put our spin on it by included a popular vote, industry involvement, Klout scores and the editorial team€™s input. We have been asking you for the past three months for your nominations; then, we opened up the voting polls. Throughout this issue, you€™ll see how the list shakes out.

As you read through the issue, take note of the retailers that made our Power 50 rankings. These retailers are good resources for borrowing an idea or two from for 2013. They made our Power 50 list, so they must be doing something a bit different from the masses, giving them a leg up. Use them as sources for ideas that will help you gain an advantage in 2013.

Thank you all for being a part of our conversations this year. We encourage each of you to continue to send in your e-mails and comments about our coverage of the furniture industry. It€™s you, the retailers, who help us deliver the best product possible so that we can continue to be the €œRetailers Choice for Relevant Content€. 
Happy holidays to you and your families. Here€™s to a prosperous 2013 for all!
Cheers!