Daily News Archive
Brought to you by Home Furnishings Business
August 20,
2012 by in UnCategorized 
By Home Furnishings Business in Retail Technology on August 21, 2012
Buying group BrandSource has announced the addition of furniture products to its BrandSource App.
This latest enhancement will allow BrandSource members to leverage changes in consumer shopping habits, which include the use of mobile devices, to compete better in their local markets.
As consumer behavior evolves and mobile devices play a more significant role as a shopping vehicle, BrandSource members can now use the app during the sales process and ultimately use it to send purchase orders to their suppliers straight from their mobile device using the BrandSource App.
The BrandSource App, launched last year, has more than 70,000 individual furniture SKUs from 172 suppliers. This is in addition to an assortment of home appliances and consumer electronics included in the database.
Members attending the BrandSource national convention later this week in Las Vegas will be able to see the features available on the App including e-mail collection, price tag templates and a store locator.
"I'm very proud to see BrandSource lead the industry once again with the addition of our extensive home furnishings catalog to the BrandSource App," said Bob Lawrence, CEO. "This gives our members the competitive advantage they need to be successful in an ever changing marketplace."
"Adding furniture is just the next step in helping our members achieve their goals. With the ever-changing marketplace, it is our responsibility to keep our members ahead of the technology curve. The BrandSource App is just one of our many programs that help achieve this," added Jim White, vice president.
August 20,
2012 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Business Strategy on August 21, 2012
A new online selling skills series, "Selling Your Store's Credit Plan", is now available on the Furniture Training Co.'s subscription Web site.
The series consists of three interactive training modules with confidence building worksheets and graded tests to show associates how to introduce, present the benefits, and close more sales using a store's in-house financing programs.
"Most furniture stores have great in-house credit solutions but few have associates with the selling skills necessary to effectively introduce and close credit sales," said Mark Lacy, president of The Furniture Training Co. "This new training series shows salespeople how to introduce without fear or apprehension the many valuable in-house financing options their store offers. Once a salesperson masters the skills for selling furniture on credit, they can overnight increase their closing rate and boost the size of their average sale."
The "Selling Your Store's Credit Plan" series is part of the expanding library of online furniture training resources at the subscription Web site. Along with more than 200 training modules and resources available on the Web site, the new modules consist of fully narrated interactive audio-visual presentations, performance-changing activities, and graded tests. Store owners and managers can monitor 24/7 associate training progress and test scores.
August 20,
2012 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Business Strategy on August 21, 2012
Components supplier Hickory Springs Manufacturing Co. has named a new marketing agency.
Hickory Springs selected Lancaster, Pa-based Godfrey to manage its public relations and strategic communications program.
"We are a company on the move," said David Colburn, Hickory Springs president and CEO. "While we remain focused on a tradition of service to the furniture and bedding industries, we are also looking to the future, tapping into our entrepreneurial culture and decades of experience in the engineering, design and manufacture of seating to diversify into new markets. In the transportation market, for example, Hickory Springs has established a reputation as a manufacturer of world-class seating for the school bus, golf cart and heavy truck industry. We're excited to welcome Godfrey to our team and anticipate a partnership that will help us leverage the experience and success of the past to support and strengthen established markets while seizing new opportunities for growth."
Hickory Springs is a privately held company that supplies components for bedding and furniture industries, as well as for transportation, healthcare, packaging and the government.
"As we continue to diversify into these new markets and market segments over the next five years, this partnership will enable us to meet our ambitious growth goals," said Dwayne Welch, executive vice president and chief sales and marketing officer of Hickory Springs.
"Godfrey's deep branding and communications experience made them the best partner to strengthen our success within our existing and new market segments."
August 20,
2012 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Community/Charitable Support on August 21, 2012
Online home furnishings retailer One Kings Lane is hosting a flash sale this week with proceeds benefiting Gift for Life.
Gift for Life is the gift, stationery and home decor industries' leading charitable organization.
The three-day sale, which opened on Monday, features merchandise from approximately 20 suppliers and includes curated items from the New York International Gift Fair.
August 20 at . Participating companies include: Picnic at Ascot, Authentic Models, Barraveld/dk living, Airedlesur, Jayes, Pure Fiber, Izola, Worlds Away, Wunderley, Jamie Young, Art & cuisine, Mary Jurek, Meirco, Romanov, French Laundry, Villa Home, and Apadana.
The sale is an extension of NYIGFs Open House trend and product display, a collaboration with One Kings Lane, Pantone and Sandow Media, presented at the summer 2012 NYIGF, August 18-22, 2012 at New York Citys Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. The display showcases five home design trends, ranging from nostalgic American motifs to modern print statements, with their corresponding colorways.
We encourage everyone to shop One Kings Lane to help support Gift for Life, said Leslie Nathan-Street, chair of the Gift for Life board. Their style sense is matched by innovative support for the industry and its charitable efforts.
We are thrilled to support Gift for Life in its mission of hope and care, said Susan Feldman, co-founder and chief merchandising officer of One Kings Lane.
Each year, Gift for Life hosts events throughout the U.S. benefitting Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS.
August 20,
2012 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Community/Charitable Support on August 21, 2012
Clawson, Mich., home furnishings retailer Leon & Lulu will host its Summer Artists Market Sunday through Tuesday.
Dozens of artists from across the state will congregate at the store to showcase a variety of handcrafted wares, including wall art, jewelry, home accessories and fiber art, among other fabulous creations by local talent.
Leon & Lulu has hosted Artists Markets seasonally since August 2009. While some artists are regulars, more than half the exhibitors are new to the Market each time to ensure a unique shopping experience. There is no cost to exhibit at or attend the Artists Market aside from a gallery fee.
The event benefits Cass Community Social Services, a non-profit organization which seeks to link job training and permanent employment with ways to reduce our footprint on the planet. They employ formerly homeless men to collect illegally dumped tires off of vacant lots in Detroit. The tires are then converted into stylish mud mats.
A list of participating artists and their biographies can be viewed here.