November 1,
2011 by in UnCategorized 
By Home Furnishings Business in Community/Charitable Support on November 2, 2011
Art Van Furniture, Warren, Mich., is challenging other local businesses to offer employees paid time off for charity work.
Art Van, Michigan's largest furniture retailer, is investing more than $100,000 by giving its 2,500 associates two hours of company paid time to do volunteer work for the Art Van Furniture Million Dollar Charity Challenge partner of the associate's choice.
"This is a perfect example of how one person can make a difference," says Art Van Elslander, chairman and founder of Art Van Furniture. "Each associate will pick the charity they will do the work for from our list of 150 Million Dollar Charity Challenge winners. Our challenge winners win again."
The program runs Nov. 1-Dec. 31, and Art Van Furniture is now challenging other businesses to do the same.
"Just imagine the impact this will have on our community if other businesses join us in this endeavor," said Art Van Furniture CEO, Kim Yost. "It's all about people joining together to help those in need. You can't lose like that."
The Million Dollar Charity Challenge is an Art Van program that awards challenge grants from $5,000 to $50,000 to support Michigan-based nonprofit organizations that focus on children, health and human services programs. Within the last three years, 150 Michigan charities have been awarded a total of $3 million dollars.
November 1,
2011 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Internet on November 2, 2011
Blackfoot, Idaho, outdoor wood furniture retailer JS Custom Wood has launched a new e-commerce Web site, TheBestLawnChair.com.
The site offers a wide range of outdoor quality cedar wood furniture including table sets, chairs, ottomans, benches, garden pieces, miscellaneous sets and more. Cedar is a wood species that repels water, moisture and insects to prevent expensive wood rot. Visitors can search available products by keyword.
All wood furniture offered on the site is marked below suggested retail price. The time needed to ship merchandise will vary depending on the shipment's location and the particular time of year. Customers should expect a 7-10 day delivery time. With holiday seasons, large orders, custom items, special orders and out of stock items, shipping may take longer.
Burnside added, "Customer care is our top priority," said JS Custom Wood Founder and President James Burnside. "We continually update our site to offer our customers the latest discount outdoor furniture as it becomes available."
New products are added to the site routinely and in addition to online sales, a customer service team is available during normal business hours for customer support.
November 1,
2011 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Markets on November 2, 2011
Dallas Market Center will host "Digital Day," a full day of educational seminars led by digital marketing experts, at the Jan. 18-24 Total Home & Gift Market.
Classes will be conducted in the Internet Lounge, World Trade Center 1-147A on Friday, Jan. 20.
The day will provide attendees with expert advice from SnapRetail and Constant Contact on how to expand their digital footprint via social media, email marketing, search-engine optimization and more.
An array of classes will address audiences at all levels of expertise. Each mini-session will include a question and answer portion so attendees will receive personalized attention for their specific needs.
Constant Contact helps small businesses connect with their customers with easy and affordable e-mail marketing, online surveys and event marketing tools. SnapRetail, recently recognized by Entrepreneur as one of Americas 100 Brilliant Companies, helps independent retailers market their stores, increase sales and compete with larger retailers.
"As we continue to invest in our own social marketing, we want to empower retailers to do the same," said Jane R. Robertson, executive vice president of marketing, Dallas Market Center. "Digital Day will benefit buyers who are looking to increase the online presence of their business."
November 1,
2011 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Case Goods on November 2, 2011
Luxury furniture maker
Theodore Alexander is expanding its international sales and marketing team to build on its growing base of markets outside of North America. To further this objective, a global stocking program and showroom is currently being added at its world headquarters in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
As part of this strategy, Theodore Alexander has named Werner Freundel country manager and director of its business in China, and Meera Kakar regional sales manager of India. In addition, the company recently promoted Dinara Reziapova to serve as regional sales manager for Russia and Eastern Europe. Each of these is a new position.
We have a well-established network of distributors and retailers in a number of key global markets and the list is expanding, said Harvey Dondero, chief executive officer of Theodore Alexander. In addition to these three new positions covering China, India, Russia, and Eastern Europe, we are looking at other important international markets to see which could best be served by having a Theodore Alexander business presence. These appointments will help us continue building our very strong global brand with wide international appeal.
In his new role, Freundel, who had been serving as director of merchandising, is responsible for developing and servicing all aspects of Theodore Alexanders business in the dynamic, strategically essential market of China, Dondero said. In addition, Freundel will establish a business office within the new Theodore Alexander showroom in Shanghai. He continues to report to Dondero.
Prior to her new appointment, Kakar was business development manager at a global real estate company and as a promoter of Indian fine arts. She will work with key retailers in India to enhance product awareness and sales. Based in Delhi, she will travel throughout the country as she works to create new business opportunities. Kakar reports to David Parker, vice president of international sales.
Meera has extensive experience in sourcing luxury product, which will be very beneficial in the development of future programs, Parker said.
Reziapova was named regional sales manager for Russia and Eastern Europe in late December of 2010. Reziapova previously served as a sales representative for Theodore Alexander in Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States.
In her new position, Reziapova works with existing distributors and retailers to enhance awareness and sales of the Theodore Alexander brand and also to develop new business opportunities. Based in St. Petersburg, Russia, she reports to Parker.
The promotion of Meera and Dinara to these new roles will ensure Theodore Alexander products are marketed and merchandised in a manner in keeping with the brands luxury position, and provide customers in the region with unparalleled service and support, Parker said.
According to Parker, relationship building is a key component of the luxury brands success in all markets in which it does business. For example, the companys sales and management teams maintain personal contact with every international customer, including conducting store visits, to find out what their needs and the needs of their consumers are in terms of style, scale, finish and materials.
These new initiatives will enable us to increase our service level to our customers," Parker said. "We listen closely and develop product to suit those needs. We also solicit input from our international customers on our marketing and public relations plans.
Lizzy Freundel, director of communications and innovation for Theodore Alexander, will continue in her current role of managing the companys online presence. Her responsibilities include the development and execution of the companys social media and online strategies. She also manages the company's Web site and the new Theo blog located on the site.
One indication of the deep commitment being made to global markets is the new stocking program Theodore Alexander is developing at its Vietnam headquarters that will provide quick-ship service to retailers globally. In addition, the company plans to open a 10,000-square-foot showroom at the site in the spring of 2012, which will be especially convenient for Middle East and Asian customers, Dondero said.
November 1,
2011 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Accessories on November 2, 2011
Home accents and furniture supplier
Uttermost has introduced two iPad 2 apps.
The first app is a business-to-business app for use in Uttermosts wholesale showrooms. Developed specifically for Uttermost, the app allows for orders to be scanned into the iPad using a miniature bluetooth scanner. The objective is to allow sales representatives to focus on their customers needs, while seamlessly scanning orders into the iPad.
The other app is for use by Uttermost sales representatives, retailers, and consumers. The functionality includes nearly everything that the Uttermost Web site includes, plus swiping from image to image, pinch-zooming for extreme enlargement, etc. This app is ideal for presenting product one-on-one, or when connected to a big screen or monitor, to a group of people. The consumer version of
this app is available on Apples iTunes for $2.99.
We love new technology, but only if it benefits our customers," said Mac Cooper, president . The images on our new App are incredible, second only to seeing the product in person.