Daily News Archive
Brought to you by Home Furnishings Business
December 17,
2009 by in UnCategorized 
By Home Furnishings Business in on December 18, 2009
The Furniture Bank of Metro Atlanta will hold its annual fundraising gala, Chairish the Future, on Saturday, Feb. 27, at the Foundry at Puritan Mill.
Chairish the Future showcases the work and creativity of local artists and designers who have donated their time, talents and energy to create original works of art out of used chairs and furniture. Fueled by the spirit of goodwill, the results are stunning artistic reincarnations of the furniture in the style of each artist and designer. The event offers guests the opportunity to own these sophisticated, artistic and useful home furnishings during both live and silent auctions, which will also include restaurant, entertainment and travel packages.
In a continued effort to further incorporate the many creative talents in Atlanta's architectural and design community, Furniture Bank has made the Design Firm Competition an annual addition to the fundraising gala. The competition challenges teams from 20 Atlanta-area design firms in the Atlanta area to transform a child-size wooden table and chair set into a work of art that is kid-friendly, functional, and fun. All entries will be available for viewing and purchase at Chairish the Future, where the winning teams will be announced.
For more information about the event, or to order tickets, please visit the Chairish the Future
Web site.
In 2008, the Furniture Bank of Metro Atlanta directly served 3,036 people in 1,144 households, including more than 1,700 children. The average household received 14 pieces of furniture, most of which were beds. The Furniture Bank also provides a green option for individuals, hotels and companies who need to discard furniture by recycling 420 tons of furniture each year that might otherwise end up in a landfill.
December 16,
2009 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in on December 17, 2009
Pier 1 Imports (PIR), Fort Worth, Texas, is in black for the third quarter of 2009, reporting on Thursday net income of $39 million on sales of $327.1 million, with comparable-store sales increasing 13.7 percent.
Third quarter 2009 results include the effect of recording a $56 million tax benefit as a result of recent changes in tax laws increasing the net operating loss carry-back period from two to five years. It is anticipated that the related tax refund will be received during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2010, and may be subject to future adjustment by the Internal Revenue Service.
In third-quarter 2008, Pier 1 had $301 million in sales and lost $35 million.
Year to date, Pier 1 reported net income of $52 million versus a net loss of $100 million for the same period last year. Total sales for the first nine months of 2009 declined to $895 million from $931 million in the year-ago period. Comparable store sales for the first nine months declined 0.6%.
"The results of this past quarter were very gratifying for all of us at Pier 1 Imports," said President and CEO Alex W. Smith. "Critical business metrics including traffic, conversion rate and average ticket improved throughout the quarter yielding strong positive comparable store sales. Excellent input margins and lower markdown activity generated the highest merchandise margins in over six years.
"As we move toward the conclusion of our holiday selling season and the remainder of our fiscal year, we expect to continue to generate positive comparable store sales and year-over-year improvements in merchandise margin. Supported by a multi-faceted marketing campaign, our sales growth has continued into December and our Christmas merchandise is selling well. Reduced markdown inventory levels and stronger pre-Christmas sell-through will put some pressure on our sales comparisons in January but will positively impact merchandise margin."
Smith added that Pier 1 now plans to close fewer stores, 40 versus the 50 previously reported, during the fourth quarter due to rental reductions that will save around $10 million on a cash basis in fiscal 2010. Year to date, the company has closed 33 locations and expects to close 7 locations during January and February. Pier 1 ended the quarter with 1,059 Pier 1 Imports stores in North America.
December 16,
2009 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in on December 17, 2009
Imagine Retailer, a new joint venture, is offering turnkey Web sites for furniture stores for $399 per month.
Imagine Retailer is a joint venture among three companies:
* Imagine Advertising & Publishing specializes in strategic marketing solutions, offering creation of print, direct mail, in-store signage, television production, radio and Web design.
* Studio98 designs and builds each Web site and provides search engine marketing services. While Studio98 created a complex code behind Imagine Retailer's exclusive product catalog system and shopping cart, it also emphasizes user-friendly simplicity and statistically reliable results.
* The Lively Merchant will manage customer service and sales. As former owners of a retail store twice named one of the "Top 100 Independent Furniture Stores" by FurnitureToday, The Lively Merchant brings a retailer's perspective to the venture.
David Lively, president of The Lively Merchant said brick-and-mortar furniture stores can increase profitability using Imagine Retailer's fast, effective and affordable online selling solutions.
"Using our experience in retailing, marketing and programming, we've developed powerful solutions to maximize marketing dollars with a step-by-step system to convert Web site visitors to loyal customers," Lively said. "For a very small portion of the typical advertising and marketing budget--just $399 a month--retailers can customize a unique Web site loaded with features."
Lively said Imagine Retailer got positive industry feedback when Imagine Retailer was introduced in Las Vegas in early December.
"Retailers don't have time for complicated technical jargon, and they always appreciate our straightforward strategies and uncomplicated explanations," Lively said. "We provide a comprehensive and transparent price list, just like you get from furniture manufacturers. And everything we do has only one person in mind: the retail customer. When we make her happy, everyone's happy."
Current research shows that 75 percent of consumers do research online before making a store purchase.
"It's very confusing to these customers when there's no connection between a store's Web site and their traditional marketing media in print, television, radio and direct mail," said Gregg Stopher of Imagine Retailer and Imagine Advertising & Publishing. "Imagine Retailer Web sites bridge this gap and maximize advertising dollars by using traditional media to drive website traffic, where every visitor is tracked, traced and tempted with online-only offers, full-featured product galleries and relevant content."
Rafferty Pendery of Imagine Retailer and Studio98 said the new venture provides a "mindboggling" level of detail about Web site visitors.
"Retailers will know exactly what page and product each visitor clicked on, how long they stayed, what they searched for, how they found the site, and what they were looking at when they left," he said. "Retailers can access on-demand reports in real time using a dashboard control panel, which is also used to choose options and order changes to the site. Changes can be requested at any time; up to four change requests each month are provided at no additional cost."
Imagine Retailer also manages a product gallery on the furniture page to avoid what Lively called retailer frustration in finding pictures, descriptions and useful information from the furniture manufacturers. Retailers can feature pictures, descriptions, dimensions, pricing or item numbers for up to 126 products included in the base price of $399 per month (additional items are $1 each per month). Customers can e-mail, print and share products on social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter. A secure Shopping Cart module for $300 per month will allow retailers to sell furniture online. An interactive Room Planner can also be added to the site for $100 per month.
The basic package for $399 per month includes a Home page with flash animation, quick links to the online product catalog, a store locator, a search field and brand logos. Current advertising is prominently featured on every page. The Current Offer page asks for detailed customer contact information in exchange for online-only offers that drive store traffic. Customers will find links to online finance applications and detailed financing offers on the Finance page, or learn about the company on the About Us page. The Contact Us page includes a Google map with driving directions, prominent phone numbers and options to email the store or submit comments using an online form.
A blog page to engage customers can be added for $100 per month, including training on how and when to blog and where to find content. Up to four coordinating email marketing campaigns can be added for $100 per month, including access to e-newsletter content, list management and detailed reporting.
While each Web site is designed to be search-engine friendly so customers can find the retailer quickly, three additional paid Search Engine Optimization campaigns are also available. Other services include setting up staff e-mail addresses, purchasing the domain name, logo creation and customized video production. Additional marketing services such as circulars, direct mail, national direct mail distribution and in-store signage are available to complement the online message.
For a more information visit
imagineretailer.com. For an interview, contact David Lively at 800.549.9206 or by
e-mail.
December 16,
2009 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in on December 17, 2009
Lewis Herman, environmental engineer for La-Z-Boy company Kincaid Furniture, Hudson, N.C., has received the American Home Furnishings Alliance's 2009 Environmental Leadership Award.
The annual award goes to an individual who demonstrates leadership within the AHFA environmental committee, takes an active role in task groups, participates in committee projects and demonstrates proficiency in the skills required to manage their companys environmental programs.
Kincaid also received the Environmental Excellence Award for corporate environmental performance. This award recognizes an AHFA member company that embraces the AHFA message of excellence and, as a company, is on the leading edge of environmental compliance and performance.
Kincaid Furniture was the first case goods manufacturer to achieve Sustainable by Design registration from AHFA, which it completed in March 2009. Among the first steps in Kincaid's registration process was to have its case goods operation in Lenoir, N.C, and its upholstery operation in Taylorsville, N.C., complete AHFA's environmental management system, called EFEC for "Enhancing Furnitures Environmental Culture." Both locations completed EFEC in September 2008.
Kincaid recycles approximately 13,000 tons of wood dust a year for use as boiler fuel. Energy use has been reduced about 18 percent per year since 2005. From 2007 to 2008, natural gas consumption was reduced by 50 percent.
In addition, 87 percent of the company's domestic lumber is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), and another 10 percent is from forests within the Appalachian Hardwood Verified Sustainable Program. Of the company's imported lumber for components, panels and dimension stock, 82 percent is FSC certified.
To pass its Sustainable by Design audit, Kincaid was required to look beyond its domestic operations and conduct a rigorous evaluation of its corporate environmental footprint, as well as its global climate impact. For each key area on a checklist, Kincaid established numerical goals and a system for evaluating annual achievement and establishing new goals.
These key areas included:
* Assisting suppliers worldwide in the development and implementation of sustainability programs.
* Improving energy conservation, water conservation, recycling and solid/hazardous waste minimization
* Using low VOC/low HAP coatings, certified lumber, and low-emitting UF resins.
* Reducing greenhouse gas emissions and carbon footprint.
December 16,
2009 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Legal on December 17, 2009
A Toronto-area man has been charged in connection with a $420,000 furniture store fraud, CTV reported Wednesday.
Police say that between March 2006 and February 2009, Arutoru Kamiyama, then a purchasing agent for a Vaughan, Ontario, furniture wholesale company, diverted seven tractor trailers of furniture from their intended destination to other furniture stores.
Police also said the furniture stores, who thought the suspect was an independent broker, paid Kamiyama directly.