Daily News Archive
Brought to you by Home Furnishings Business
October 17,
2011 by in UnCategorized 
By Home Furnishings Business in Retail Technology on October 18, 2011
SuperCat Solutions, the provider of the eCat iPad sales app, has added new features for easier order taking.
MyStacks is a user-definable product grouping to prepare customer presentations in advance, save customer "maybe" lists for follow up, and to create stacks of territory best sellers.
"Our eCat users are delighted with eCat's new MyStacks feature, which is a great complement to the SmartStacks published to all of the organizations iPads by home office management," said Steve Thrasher, president of SuperCat Solutions, Wilson, N.C. "MyStacks saves sales reps hours of preparation time by emabling them to group products into presentation 'modules' in advance, which in turn allows them to spend more time with customers actually selling product. Management finds SmartStacks useful for showroom and product planning along with other product related back office tasks."
Other recently added new features include the ability to print tear sheets and product reports from the iPad;
the ability to quickly email product photos in several different formats, with the choice to display any price level or no pricing at all; the ability to add notes through enhancements to the product option features; enhancements to the order e-mail format, giving customers the ability to check product images in the order email and to create tear sheets for pre-selling product; the ability to easily publish custom product information to the app, including information specific to product type, like bulb wattage and shade dimensions for lighting companies or seat depth and arm height for case goods companies; the ability to select a customer to associate with an order in the app; the ability to pre-load customer lists including details such as contact information, billing address, shipping address, pricing discounts and the designated distribution center.
Pricing can also be pre-set for each customer by categories set by the company, such as wholesaler, designer, retailer or preferred dealer. Pre-determined calculations can be made as the order is taken based on, for example, multiples and net price as well as by layered pricing based on volume, weight or distance.
October 17,
2011 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Internet on October 18, 2011
Online training resource Furniture Training Co. has launched a new online selling skills module, Setting and Achieving Sales Goals Part II.
The new module now is available on Logan, Utah-based FTC's subscription web site. This module completes the two-part series that shows associates' how-to set, track, and achieve their own sales performance goals. The modules are based on the idea "desire is the turning point of all achievement," championed by Napoleon Hill in his motivational book, "Think and Grow Rich!"
"We show associates the direct connection between greeting more people, closing more customers, and selling more to each customer and their own financial goals for higher income, vacations, and other personal goals," said Furniture Training Co. President Mark Lacy. "We motivate them to assist every customer like never before."
The Setting and Achieving Sales Goals modules are part of the continually expanding library of online furniture training resources at FTC's subscription web site. All 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.
FTC's users RC Willey, Dufresne's, Star Furniture, Pilgrim Furniture, Michael's Fine Furnishings, Chariho Furniture, Leader's Casual Furniture, Rothman Furniture, Vermont Furniture Gallery, Continental Furniture, Dearden's and Olinde's.
October 17,
2011 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Furniture Retailing on October 18, 2011
Retail solutions and service provider
Storis Management has introduced Vision9 that offers retailers horizontal and lateral scalability with an enhanced mobile-ready user interface.
As mobile technology continues to evolve at a rapid pace, the device options and apps available to the market have become numerous. Vision9 is designed to allow clients to leverage the already existing capabilities that are organic to both the devices and their respective mobile applications.
Its important as a forward-thinking software provider that we offer a mobile-ready application that can be run on virtually any device, said David Berger, director of product management at Storis. Rather than developing device-specific mobile applications that would otherwise result in additional license fees and maintenance costs, we have developed a product solution that offers the same powerful capability to any user, on any device, without the need for a limited feature mobile version.
October 17,
2011 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in licensing on October 18, 2011
Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia and ML Brands International have partnered to create a line of home furnishings, Martha Stewart Fine Furniture.
MSLO previously had a furniture licensing partnership with Bernhardt Furniture, which debuted in October 2004.
ML Brands International is a joint venture between Miles Talbott Furniture and Lefa. The new line will be introduced this month during a private preview at High Point Furniture Market in the Miles Talbott Furniture showroom.
Miles Talbott and Lefa had announced the creation of their furnishings brand management firm in September. Rob Casey, former manager of licensing programs for Polo Ralph Lauren and Martha Stewart, is the managing partner of the venture.
"Martha Stewart and her brand continue to excite and inspire consumers with their unique designs and their fresh eye for practical details," said George Jordan, president of Miles Talbott Furniture. "We are thrilled to be partnering with MSLO on this new furniture line and look forward to unveiling it at High Point."
"We are very excited to be working with MSLO, a company that shares commitment to providing consumers with beautiful, well-crafted furniture that will enhance their homes," added Lefa President Ab Lechter.
This new Martha Stewart Fine Furniture line is a comprehensive assortment of upholstery frames, fabrics, case goods, and occasional pieces created using the finest materials and time-honored construction methods. For the first time, Martha Stewart is offering a custom-design upholstery program, enabling consumers to create upholstered furniture pieces that meet their individual scale and style preferences.
"Martha Stewart is a trusted and influential name in home decorating, and consumers look to our brand for beautiful design crafted with the finest materials," said MSLO Senior Executive Vice President, Merchandising Patsy Pollack. "We are very proud of the Martha Stewart Fine Furniture line and look forward to the debut at High Point.
The new collection will hit select furniture stores and trade showrooms in North American and international markets in Spring 2012.
October 16,
2011 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Furniture Retailing on October 17, 2011
The Home Furnishings Independents Association has announced the organization's 2011-12 board of directors.
Verona Mair, owner of The Emporium, Ponca City, Okla., succeeds Stephen H. Kidder as chairman of the board.
"HFIA is extremely committed to advancing the efforts of home furnishings retailers," Mair said. "I am confident that HFIA's membership will benefit from the board's diverse talents and ideas. I look forward to working closely with the entire board and management team as we pursue the exciting opportunities in front of us."
HFIA board members represent the needs of the association membership, provide strategic and financial guidance on the mission of the group and contribute to HFIA's authority in the industry.
In addition to Mair, others on the board's executive committee include Bob Bolton, general manager, Ashley Furniture HomeStore, Beaumont, Texas; Frank Brame, general manager, Carroll Furniture, Alexandria, La.; Karen Craig, manufacturer's representative, Houston, Texas; Randy Greengus, owner, Sun Furniture City, Shreveport, La.; Stephen H. Kidder, general manager, Ashley Furniture HomeStore, Williston, Vt.; and David Lively, owner, The Lively Merchant, Lancaster, Ohio.
Additional members of the board include: Melissa Bunker, general manager, Crazy J's Bed Shop, Wichita, Kan.; Amy Castleberry, Castleberry's Ethan Allen Home Interiors, Tulsa, Okla.; David Davis, CEO, Provencal Home, Austin, Texas;
David Dodd, owner, Dodd Home Furnishings, Guin, Ala.; Richard Glabman, president, Deere Park & Associates, Northbrook, Ill.; Glynn Irby, Irby's Home Furnishings, Clute, Texas; David Jacobs, owner, Bedford Furniture Galleries, Bedford, Ind.;
Kerry Peavey, owner, Garland Furniture, Garland, Texas.
"The new board of directors brings with it a wealth of professional experience necessary to provide strong leadership and association guidance," said Mary Frye, president of HFIA. "Their insight and counsel will be a strong asset as we work toward our strategic goals."
HFIA offers a comprehensive range of business services dedicated to providing solutions to meet home furnishings business owners' needs. HFIA manages the behind-the-scenes store services that allow owners to focus on their top priority, customers. Member services include discounted bankcard processing, consumer financing, competitively-priced business insurance, and more.