January 13,
2012 by in UnCategorized 
By Aggregated Content in Furniture Retailing on January 14, 2012
from http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2012201140355
NEW YORK -- Target is teaming up with specialty shops to offer limited-edition merchandise, from dog biscuits to platform shoes, as it attempts to further distinguish itself from rivals.
The company also confirmed reports that it will test expanded displays of Apple products in 25 stores.
Target became a discount-store darling when it began offering stylish clothes and trendy decor under the same roof with toothpaste and cereal. Yet sales growth has been uneven, with rivals copying its 12-year-old formula of partnering with designers. Target's latest strategy ups the stakes.
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January 12,
2012 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Financial Reports on January 13, 2012
Williams-Sonoma (NYSE: WSM) lowered its fourth-quarter earnings guidance on Thursday despite increased holiday revenues.
The San Francisco-based parent company of Pottery Barn, West Elm, Pottery Barn Kids and PBteen revised its anticipated fourth-quarter 2011 earnings to $1.10-$1.15 per share from its previous guidance of $1.15-$1.20.
Net revenues for the 8-week holiday period ended Dec. 25 rose 4.2 percent to $901 million versus the 8-week period ended Dec. 26, 2010, including a comparable brand revenue increase of 4.9 percent, but President and CEO Laura Alber said the company was lowering its earnings guidance due to discounted pricing.
Williams-Sonoma still expects to record pre-tax operating profits and diluted earnings per share for the 2011 fiscal year. The company also announced that it is increasing its quarterly dividend by 29 percent to $0.22 per share for shareholders of record on Jan. 27, 2012; and is authorizing a new $225 million stock repurchase program.
"Our home furnishings brands had strong performance, particularly West Elm and Pottery Barn," Alber said. "Williams-Sonoma faced greater challenges on a year-over-year basis given the heavy market discounting on nationally branded products.
"In total, the strength of our merchandising strategies, operating model and execution continued to allow us to drive increased sales and profit on a year-over-year basis during the holiday selling period."
January 12,
2012 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Furniture Retailing on January 13, 2012
Robb & Stucky International has unveiled a Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams specialty boutique in its 60,000-square-foot store in Fort Myers, Fla.
Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams is carried in such national chains as Pottery Barn, Restoration Hardware, Williams Sonoma and Bloomingdale's, as well as in more than 60 independent retailers nationwide. A growing chain of Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams Signature Stores also carries the vendor's products exclusively in cities such as New York, Washington, Chicago, Los Angeles and Portland, Ore.
"Innovative design superstars Mitchell Gold and Bob Williams present a young sophisticated style for a great value," said Mark Stuart, creative director for Robb & Stucky International. "We are pleased to offer the highly recognized and respected Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams brand to our customers through this unique retail partnership."
"Bob and I look forward to bringing our classic modern style and comfort to Robb & Stucky International's Southwest Florida customers," said Mitchell Gold, cofounder and chairman of Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams. "And we hope to meet many of them when we attend RSI's upcoming Grand Opening event. Robb and Stucky International has created a beautiful setting, and its staff shares our goal of making furnishing a home easier and more comfortable for everyone."
January 12,
2012 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Las Vegas on January 13, 2012
The Western Home Furnishings Association and National Home Furnishings Association have set their Las Vegas Furniture Market educational seminar schedule.
Sponsored by Furniture Wizard Software, sessions take place in the Retailer Resource Center, World Market Center, space C-496.
Speakers will address a diverse range of specific retail issues. These complimentary workshops are designed to motivate, educate and accommodate busy buyer schedules while still providing a wealth of quality information. Sessions feature topics such as sales and sales management, social media, design, operations, promotions and much more.
Furniture Wizard Software has been providing intelligent solutions for retailers since 1996 and is always on the forefront of technology. We continue to push forward with the latest in iPad application development, including use of cutting-edge scanner technology. Our sponsorship of the seminar series is to help encourage people to embrace technology and evolve their businesses as the industry changes, said Marty Fischbein, president of Furniture Wizard Software. To see the newest version of the iPad application, stop by and see one of our team members in the Resource Center. We look forward to some great seminars.
Monday, Jan. 30:
* "What is the Essence of Effective Selling?" 9-10 a.m., presented by Philip Gutsell, GutSELL & Associates: This seminar will demonstrate the techniques and skills that separate the professional salespeople from the average to below average performers. Gutsell will show and demonstrate the art and science of professional sales communication that leads to relationship selling including: building rapport with your customers, uncovering their home furnishings problems, overcoming common customer objections and of course, closing the sale.
* "Setting The Stage for Effective Mattress Sales Training," 10:30-11:30 a.m., presented by Gerry Morris, Inner Spring: Mattress sales associates may be the only touch-point shoppers have with a retailer. With today's emboldened consumers, under-prepared associates can be quickly placed upon their heels and on the losing side of a power struggle. With social media spreading word-of-mouth at light speed, retailers can't afford for shoppers to have a bad experience. This seminar will teach mattress retailers how to create a more effective training system to help your sales associates be up to the task of serving customers.
* "Speaking from Experience: What Works in Retail Social Media Marketing and What Does Not," 12:30-1:30 p.m., presented by Crystal Vilkaitis, SnapRetail: Since with social media involves much trial and error, this seminar is designed to uncover what works and what doesn't when marketing your store on Facebook and Twitter.
* "More clients, More sales, More Profit," 2-3 p.m., presented by John Egger, Profitability Consulting Group: Egger will provide the latest on developing more clients, getting more sales with higher profit margins.
* "How to Use Smartphones, iPads, and Other Mobile Devices as Furniture Sales Trainers," 3:30-4:30 p.m., presented by Mark Lacy, The Furniture Training Company: Sales associates spend down time every day surfing the Web, posting on Facebook, tweeting and watching YouTube videos. They waste time tapping smartphones, swiping tablets, and clicking Web links on laptops. Learn how to easily and affordably turn your associates' time wasted on mobile media for entertainment into mobile education. Turn mobile devices into personal tutors teaching furniture product knowledge, room design, and selling skills that increase furniture sales. Learn how to deliver with mobile technologies the consistent, essential training associates need but you and your managers never have time to provide.
Tuesday, Jan. 31:
* "Its All About Synergy Baby: Combining Offline & Online Media Together," 9-10 a.m., presented by Kyle Doran, R&A Marketing: Facts and figures allow us to figure out where the world is moving, and what we are supposed to be looking for, but they are not the game changers to make money today. It's a combination of gut, knowledge and numbers. This seminar will explore not viewing "online" and "offline" as exclusive, but as inclusive of each other to produce sales for retail today. This seminar will provide five ways to combine online and offline media, and to figure out what all of these media do today.
* "What's All This Buzz About QR Codes," 10:30-11:30 a.m., presented by Ron Gordon, MicroD: QR Codes seem to be appearing everywhere in the home furnishings industry, but are they really ready for prime time? Are they practical? Who's using them, and what kind of results are they getting? How are they generated? Where does the data come from? What are the benefits of using QR Codes? Are they a "better" way or just "another" way of doing something you're already doing?
* "Social Media--Connecting the Dots to ROI," 12:30-1:30 p.m., presented by Tim O'Neill, STORIS Management Systems: Social media is the secret element that drives many great marketing campaigns' success. Today, prospects research your company before moving forward. They listen to what's being said both among friends and complete strangers. What they find will impact the image of your business, and sales. This seminar will examine the numerous social media tools helping to drive lead generation and sales; and review key social and mobile enablers for Web sales, unique social media selling points, and blogging acting as a way to reduce customer calls. Additionally, we'll introduce tools such as social bookmarking and many more essential social media tactics.
* "The Skill of Asking Questions--The Key to Great Sales Results," 2-3 p.m., presented by Jody Seivert, oneXone Companies: While there are personal talents and characteristics that contribute to the success of great salespeople, not to be overlooked are the skills of managing and executing the sales process masterfully. The greatest skill, and one that is present in every step of the process, is the skill of asking questions. Learn the questions that connect, qualify, manage concerns, and get commitments to increase your own sales results or those of your sales team.
* "Creating The Ideal Sales Team," 3:30-4:30 p.m., presented by Joe Milevsky, JRM Sales & Management: What are the "must have" qualities and how do I avoid making a hiring mistake? How do I utilize incentive compensation but avoid conflicts? How do I train, coach and hold salespeople accountable? How do I know if I have the right amount of salespeople? What do I need to do to get my lower performers towards the middle, the middle performers toward the top and help the top performers reach their goals?
Wednesday, Feb. 1:
* "Creating a Winning Team: Strengthening Your Organization from the Inside Out," 9-10 a.m., presented by Rene Johnston-Gingrich, Profitability Consulting Group: This workshop focuses strengthening your internal team and increasing your bottom line; and highlights a positive and proactive approach to creating a highly productive sales team and a harmonious work environment, as well as how to make the most out of every opportunity.
* "The Secret's Out! What to Expect When You Hire a Promotion Company," 10:30-11:30 a.m., presented by Ron Cooper and Berry Gevertz, Profit Management Promotions: Get a sneak preview of an actual case study of a struggling independent furniture retailer who transformed their image in 2011 and redefined their future by hiring a promotional company to run a high-impact sale. Learn how to determine if you need to rebrand your image--and if so, just how to accomplish this. Get the inside scoop on the changes that promotional companies implement when they partner with an independent retailer to run an event. Find out how this retailer produced high-volume while maintaining their profit margin, and subsequently unlocked their true potential in the marketplace.
* "How to get NEW Customers into Your Store Every Day," 12:30-1:30 p.m., presented by Daryl Oldenkamp, Color Ad Inc.: Advertising is not an option. Good signage inside and out is not an option. Learn about targeting, how to design the right brand for your customer, how to get a customer into their "Buying Cycle" and how to measure, manage and adjust your monthly strategy.
* "Merchandising Your Store in Today's Ever-changing Climate," 2-3 p.m., presented by Bob Moorman, JRM Sales & Management: Does your merchandising engage customers through a better understanding of their preferences and behaviors? How should your merchandise lineups be structured? What does the first 500 square feet near the entrance of your store tell the customer? How are you merchandising your floor, what's new? Your product tagging strategy--is it customer friendly? Your customers--what demographics are you merchandising to? Merchandising must enhance the customer experience and create environments that make customers want to buy.
* "Every Delivery Tells a Story," 3:30-4:30 p.m., presented by Kevin Truett, SpeedyDelivery Inc.: This session will recap real life stories of delivery crews that became heroes and some that produced zeros. Learn from these stories and discover exactly what went right and what went wrong. From amazing repeat customers to tragic accidents in the field, the delivery tells all.
Thursday, Feb. 2:
* "Turning Display into Dollar Sales," 9-10 a.m., presented by Barry Rishton, deBarry Designs: This seminar shows dozens of pictured examples of how to take your current retail setting to the next level. Additional sketches and examples of how to sublet to lessees such as coffee shops, snack bars, bookshops, even clothing boutiques, that would drive more customers to your showroom. Rishton will share how to showcase your space, whether a large showroom, or small store, in order to enable the customer to see products better, and how they will be used in their homes. A final emphasis will show how to use your sales staff to get customers back into the store, see fresh displays and develop key customer relations.
* "The Model Store for The New Economy!" 10:30-11:30 a.m., presented by Brad Huisken, IAS Training: When people walk through your door they are not looking to buy furniture. They are looking for a connection with someone and something. Do you know your story? Does your staff? How are you connecting with the customer before, during and after the sale? No longer can you sit back and wait for customers to come to you. How are you engaging with this new consumer and how are you sharing your unique story to capture that loyal business. The main responsibility of a sales manager is to give his/her people the help, training, and guidance that they need in order to achieve success. Learn how to share stories, share success, and stimulate your business and your staff.
* "This Old Dog Had to Learn New Tricks," 12:30-1:30 p.m., presented by Bill Napier, FurnitureDealer.net: Your customer today is much different than your customer of five years ago. They are younger and grew up in a wired world. The baby boomer generation, 47-65 years old, is not the primary consumers of home furnishings as it once was. Generation X & Y, totaling 112 million, are the new demographic for home furnishings, and they are "wired for the Internet." Your Internet strategy must attract these new buyers to your retail store, and to do this you must be found in online searches. Three out of four furniture purchases (76 percent) are influenced by online research, and 81 percent of home furnishings shoppers cite the Internet as their number one source of information. In a recent survey of these generations, 59 percent of people use their smartphones to find: nearby stores, research product details, research reviews and more. If you are not found in search engines, you risk not making the connection.
January 12,
2012 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Special Events on January 13, 2012
The American Society of Furniture Designers has announced the winners of the Student Design Challenge 2011.
ASFD and partner Stanley Furniture designed the competition as a benefit to design students, to add excitement to design program curriculums and continues to foster student mentoring.
The Design Challenge was open to junior, senior and graduate level students enrolled in an accredited college design program. The design goal for Challenge 2011 participants was to create a writing desk or an executive desk that could transition into one of four style categories within the Stanley Furniture product line. A panel of professional ASFD-member furniture designers and Stanley Furniture executives judged the entries on the criteria of presentation, creativity, originality, selection of materials and the feasibility of manufacturing.
Jacob Court, a senior at Kendall College of Art and Design in Grand Rapids, Mich., took first place in the competition. His entry, "Driftwood Writing Desk," impressed the judges with the creative use of materials. The judging panel felt the design would easily fit within the Stanley product line in the Casual Artisan/Transitional category. One judge called it "a stand out piece."
Stanley Furniture will manufacture a prototype of the winning design and showcase the piece in the Stanley Furniture showroom during the April 2012 High Point Furniture Market. The winning entry also will be featured on the Stanley Furniture Web site. Court also won a cash prize of $1,000.
Daniel Jacobs, a junior at Kendall, took second place and a $500 prize for his "Shoreline Writing Desk."
In third place, Jacob Blok, also a junior at Kendall, won a $300 prize for his "Cabinet Maker's Executive Desk."
Receiving honorable mention were Susannah Dirkse, a senior at Kendall, for her "Cottage Style Writing Desk"; Christopher Eitel, a Kendall junior, for his "Criedor Writing Desk"; and Jerri Hobdy and Joseph Willet, both of the Savannnah College of Art and Design, for their "Writing Desk."
Cash prizes were made possible by the ASFD scholarship fund and a sponsorship by Zenith Global Logistics. All winners and honorees will receive a free one-year membership to ASFD.