Daily News Archive
Brought to you by Home Furnishings Business
April 19,
2012 by in UnCategorized 
By Home Furnishings Business in Case Goods on April 20, 2012
Anthony Arthur Furniture, a new wood furniture vendor, debuts tomorrow at High Point Furniture Market in Space M-1301 of the International Home Furnishings Center.
The 16,000-square-foot showroom takes up the entire 13th floor of the IHFC's Main wing, said Art Lanciers, a co-founder of the company with Tony Yang. Lanciers expects the location to be a "destination showroom," with product presented in fully accessorized vignettes organized by lifestyle collections.
At market, Anthony Arthur Furniture will launch five collections in styles ranging from traditional to transitional and contemporary. The collections include bedroom, dining room, home office, home entertainment, upholstery and occasional furniture. Three of the collections will be available in two finish options, and one of the collections will feature three finishes.
"We are bringing out a comprehensive program of fresh styles with exceptional value," said Lanciers, a former vice president of merchandising with American Signature who has nearly 40 years of retail experience. "We are reaching as high as we can with fashion and quality while still delivering very strong values."
In creating the line's initial collections, Lanciers and Yang--former vice president of international sourcing at Value City with 26 years of experience at retail and 23 years in furniture manufacturing--tapped some of the industrys best-known designers. They include Leonard Eisen, the creator of Pulaski's legendary Keepsakes collection; Hilco Woudstra and his son Derek; Dave Miedema; and Chuck Montalbano.
Eisen, who has created a European traditional collection for AAF, will be at market along with all of the other designers, said Lanciers.
"Designers are often hidden away in the back room at market, or not there at all," he said. "We want our retailers to be able to spend time with our designers so they can get a complete understanding of why this furniture is so different."
According to Lanciers, all of AAFs collections incorporate "the types of construction, style and finishing details you don't typically see. And across the board, the quality is truly exceptional--it's heirloom quality."
Anthony Arthur Furniture will be sourcing all of its collections from Asia, where Wang, a Taiwan-born engineer, has deep experience and contacts.
"We've 'engineered out' the problems retailers typically see in import product so problems do not end up on store floors or customers' homes," said Lanciers. "We have developed a great group of manufacturing partners."
AAF is based in Columbus, Ohio.
April 19,
2012 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Retail Technology on April 20, 2012
MicroD Inc. will launch its iPreVue App, a powerful iPad-based mobile application at High Point Furniture Market.
This application is initially designed for manufacturers' sales representatives, providing them with a multitude of time-saving and revenue-generating tools to present and create product line-ups; to browse, configure and visualize products; and to place orders.
iPreVue App offers features for both case goods and upholstery manufacturers to represent their product catalogs on any version of Apple's iPad. The high-resolution images and merchandising features in this application utilize MicroD's exclusive fabric- and finish-draping as well as visualization capabilities consistent with the product displays found on Web sites that use MicroD's ePreVue and ePiphany platforms.
According to MicroD, iPreVue App is the only industry iPad application that supports both case goods and upholstery catalogs with dynamic fabric and finish visualization, providing ordering capabilities for both standard as well as highly-configurable custom products.
"Consistent with MicroD's mission for providing leading-edge technology solutions for the home furnishings industry, we believe the iPreVue App brings substantial benefits in terms of time savings and ease of product line ups, product visualization and order placementespecially since many of the leading manufacturers' representatives are now equipped with mobile devices like iPhones, iPads or other tablet devices," said Manoj Nigam, president and CEO of MicroD Inc., Charlotte, N.C. "This unique and robust application is a further example of MicroD's commitment to the industry in continuing to develop and introduce comprehensive solutions as a technology partner for the furniture industry's leading manufacturers and retailers."
iPreVue App will allow sales representatives to select manufacturer-authorized retailers, browse and visualize items, add items to purchase orders for those retailers, review order histories, add notes, and bookmark items for later review. Additionally they will be able quickly to email tear sheets and product information pages, conform to manufacturer rules for merchandising and order minimums, add new customer information, and manage current customer information: all while seamlessly integrating with the manufacturer's ERP or management information system.
Because iPreVue App is a native iPad application, sales representatives are able to use the application with or without an Internet connection. Once the user has an Internet connection, the stored order information and notes can be transmitted to the manufacturer and emailed to the retailer.
After iPreVue App's introduction at the High Point Market, MicroD expects to have a full production version of iPreVue App operating in many of the manufacturer showrooms at this summer's Las Vegas Furniture Market. Additionally, MicroD's longer range plans are to offer iPreVue App as a merchandising tool for retailers.
April 19,
2012 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Green on April 20, 2012
The Sustainable Furnishings Council and sponsor Mitchell Gold+Bob Williams will release the fourth annual Green Home Furnishings Consumer Study.
The study was conducted in April among 432 female home owners across the country between the ages of 30 to 60 years. As in the first three studies, the purpose was to provide trend data on consumer awareness, attitudes and behavior as each relates to a variety of environmental issues and the home furnishings industry.
Survey results will be released and presented by Mitchell Gold, at a luncheon during Market, Sunday, 1 p.m., Ballroom B on the 11th floor of IHFC's Green Wing, in a talk entitled "Growing a Business Environmentally." While Gold does a lot of public speaking, he rarely speaks about his business strategies to anyone other than the company's own retail customers, but felt compelled to share this kind of valuable information with the industry. The luncheon will be a rare opportunity for people to hear Gold's insights.
"I was particularly inspired after hearing presidential candidate Rick Santorum speak openly and seriously about our environmental issues being a hoax," said Gold, co-founder and chair-man of Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams. "Our environment is clearly a major issue of concern and not a hoax. I was outraged. Also, after getting involved with SFC and being elected to the board, I realized so many companies in our industry are not engaged in protecting our environment and it occurred to me that I had to speak out."
In addition, Gold will reveal the results of an independent private study his company conducted with more than 100,000 consumers. That survey had a 2.2 response rate and reflects a higher demographic and the opinions of a more aspirational customer than the SFC study.
The luncheon, which is co-sponsored by Sustainable Furnishings Council and IFDA, Carolinas Chapter, will feature Gold not only delivering the two survey results, but also describing the inspiration behind his entrepreneurial venture with Bob Williams, which was launched 23 years ago in the midst of a recession, and what compelled them to build a different kind of furniture company.
A $20 fee for the Market presentation includes lunch. Advance registration is recommended. E-mail lchastain@imcenters.com, or call 336.821.1527.
Actual data from the study is available to SFC members as a membership benefit. Contact Susan Inglis by e-mail or at 919.967.1137.
April 19,
2012 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Advertising on April 20, 2012
Home Furnishings Independents Association has joined with Focus Media Co. to offer member dealers an all-inclusive marketing and advertising services.
Through Focus Media, member retailers have the ability to execute professional marketing and ad campaigns targeted to their specific customer through a broad base of Web, print, direct mail, and broadcast media. Focus Media provides the expertise to allow home furnishings dealers to focus on the details of running their business while maintaining a strategic, customized advertising program.
A veteran of the retail furniture industry, Focus Media understands the challenges facing independent retailers and brings a new approach and original ideas to meet their advertising and marketing needs.
"When youve been doing advertising for your business as long as I have, it's easy to get caught up with doing the same thing over and over," said Frank Brame, Carroll Furniture, Alexandria, La. "The Focus Media program for HFIA members gives me fresh eyes and expertise that I can use. We're spending the same money but in more effective ways."
Focus Media provides association members with annual marketing and advertising plans, nationally negotiated media rates, creative media design, Web design services, and point of sale materials.
"Independent retailers wear so many hats in their businesses that it's sometimes hard to step back enough to gain perspective on how they can be more effective," said Jim Bullock, managing director, Focus Media, Northbrook, Ill. "Marketing is a perfect example of that--doing the same thing produces the same results. For different results, you need to try another approach. HFIA's advertising/marketing program with Focus Media is that 'other' approach."
Focus Media is a national media group focused exclusively on developing and executing advertising and marketing campaigns for the home furnishings industry. Clients have included local home décor stores, publically traded multi-store chains, regional chains and boutique specialty stores in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
April 19,
2012 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Motion Upholstery on April 20, 2012
Motion furniture vendor Lane Furniture will celebrate its 100th year in business during High Point Furniture Market.
As part of the celebration, Lane will offer dealers market specials including its "Oldies But Goodies" sale, which includes incredible on more than 20 best-selling products in recliners, stationary and motion furniture. In addition, Lane will launch an external consumer campaign consisting of monthly e-mail marketing, Web site promotions, sweepstakes and more, starting on June 1.
Lane's roots began in 1912 with a focus on comfort, quality, value and innovation. These have remained hallmarks of the company from the moment John Lane and his son Edward purchased a box plant in Altavista, Virginia in March, 1912 and founded the Standard Red Cedar Chest Company. In the 1920's the company officially adopted Lane as its name and established a research and development program--unheard of in the furniture industry at the time. Lane also started mass marketing with its first national advertising campaign, which would lead to consumer popularity for decades to come.
Lane saw an opportunity to capitalize on a revolutionary technology, the television, and expanded the product line into home entertainment by producing TV cabinets for General Electric, and also began designing and building occasional, case goods and accent pieces.
In the 1970s Lane bought a small reclining chair company in Tupelo, Miss., named Action Industries. Since that time, Lane has set several industry milestones, including 19 mechanical patents, and industry firsts such as the Wall Saver mechanism.
In 1997, Lane negotiated the first joint venture between a major furniture maker and a high-profile specialty retailer--Eddie Bauer. Lane then quickly followed that with two more joint ventures with iconic brands, National Geographic and Country Living.
As a leader in recliners and one of the highest ranked brands consumers recommend to others, Lane continues to innovate with enhancements like extended footrests, adjustable headrests and perfect pitch adjustment. New modular seating solutions, C3 pocket coil seating for unsurpassed comfort and eco-responsible cushions are just a few of the examples from recent years.
As Lane moves into the next decade, design will continue to focus on innovative products for life around the TV with more built-in, technology-based functionality, more modularity, more comfort, and more value to the customers.
"It has been an incredible journey, and we are focused on the future," said Greg Roy, president of Lane. "We are committed to the same level of innovation, growth and quality that have become hallmarks of everything Lane stands for."