Daily News Archive
Brought to you by Home Furnishings Business
September 26,
2011 by in UnCategorized 
By Home Furnishings Business in Upholstery on September 27, 2011
The H.T. Hackney Co., owner of case goods supplier
Holland House Furniture, is moving into the upholstered furniture business with the creation of H.Home.
H.Home is producing stationary upholstery, occasional chairs, headboards and banquettes in an existing manufacturing facility in Athens, Tenn. The company is currently working on a production facility in Bean Station, Tenn., where the H.Home will manufacture home theater seating and other motion upholstery.
We are excited to enter the marketplace at this time with a comprehensive product line and a wide range of services where H.Home can become more of a partner with our customers rather than a vendor, said Bruce Pearl, vice president of marketing with the H.T. Hackney Co.
The H.Home organization brings to the furniture industry a commitment to quality, style, service and value delivered through an experienced management team and highly skilled production employees. They will use the resources of the entire corporation allowing for the shipping of products to occur at several locations across the country.
September 26,
2011 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Legal on September 27, 2011
The North Carolina Attorney General has ordered online furniture store Grand Furniture Gallery to stop taking orders until it fills existing orders or gives refunds.
N.C. Attorney General Roy Cooper filed suit last week against Cary-based Grand Furniture Gallery its owner, Max Robert Godfrey Jr., based on numerous complaints from consumers who paid the company money but never received their furniture. Thirteen consumers filed complaints about Grand Furniture Gallery with the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division, and 51 consumers complained to the Better Business Bureau, which gave the company an "F" rating.
Wake County Superior Court Judge Osmond Smith agreed late Friday with Cooper's request to temporarily bar Godfrey and his company from taking any new orders or payments until all existing orders have been filled or consumers have gotten refunds. Cooper also seeks to permanently bar the company and its employees from unfair or deceptive business practices.
As alleged in the lawsuit, Grand Furniture Gallery requires consumers to pay for orders in advance. Since late 2010, the company has either required payment by check or encouraged it by offering discounts. Consumers who place orders with the company are usually told that their items will arrive in four to 16 weeks, but the items don't arrive as promised. Under federal law, mail order companies must tell consumers if their orders will be delayed and offer them a new delivery date or a refund.
"Companies that take your money need to be prepared to make good on your order or they shouldnt be in business," Cooper said in a release. "Our goal is to make sure consumers get what they paid for or help them get their money back."
According to their complaints and affidavits, most consumers who've complained about Grand Furniture Gallery say they're still waiting to receive their furniture or get their money back. For example:
* A Guilford County consumer ordered $618.70 worth of furniture on Feb. 4. After sending several e-mails asking when his order would arrive, he was told that most orders are delivered within four to eight weeks, but that it sometimes takes as much as 10 to 12 weeks. More than 30 weeks later, he still hasn't gotten his furniture or a refund.
* A Georgia resident paid Grand Furniture Gallery $2,249.51 for furniture on Nov. 26, 2010. The company gave him a 5 percent discount for prepaying by check. After he repeatedly tried to contact the company, he was told that they were working on his order and would deliver it in another few weeks. Neither his furniture nor his refund has ever arrived.
* A New York consumer paid $2164.17 by check for his furniture order on Nov. 15, 2010. His check was cashed four days later, but 10 months later he has yet to receive his furniture or a refund.
Cooper contends that Godfrey has previously owned and operated two other furniture companies, and at least one of those companies, NC Home Furniture, had problems delivering orders as promised. Between 2004 and 2006, 74 consumers complained about NC Home Furniture. The Consumer Protection Division was investigating the company when it filed for bankruptcy on December 6, 2006.
September 26,
2011 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Bedding on September 27, 2011
Longtime Kingsdown head of training and Executive Vice President Tom McClean is retiring after 42 years with the Mebane, N.C.-based mattress vendor.
Vice President of Training Craig Wilson, who joined Kingsdown last year from Simmons, will take over McClean's responsibilities.
McLean will remain a member of the Kingsdown board of directors.
"I am most proud of changing the way our company and industry sells sleep," said McLean. "When Kingsdown created the Sleep To Live Institute, it was a game changer for our industry and our retailers. When you help a retailer understand the importance of selling the sleep experience, not only a mattress, you are helping them improve their business, create a closer bond between them and their customers, and help their customers get a better and more restorative nights sleep. I really loved the fact I could help so many people all these years."
Kingsdown Chairman and CEO Eric Hinshaw credited McLean with helping the company grow from a regional to international brand.
"Tom has made important contributions to our company at every step of his career," he said. "He was a dynamic sales representative and manager, and then took that field knowledge to lead our corporate marketing to new levels of professionalism. He also played a critical role in our international expansion, for which we will always be grateful. But I think Tom will best be remembered in our company for his passion in delivering sales training and education to our retailers this past decade, and helping them improve sales and deliver a more meaningful customer experience. He embraced the science of sleep messages through our Sleep To Live Institute, which had a hugely positive impact at the retail level."
In addition to his recognition at Kingsdown, McLean was very active in the International Sleep Products Association. He served on the Better Sleep Council for 17 years, serving as it chairman for 12 years. He also played important roles on the Consumer Products Safety Council and the Product Safety Committee studying industry standards for flammability. He was honored with the industry's Russell Abolt Service Award, its highest recognition for an industry executive.
Over the past year, McLean has worked closely with Wilson who joined the company to assume the role of chief training officer.
Wilson has extensive sleep products industry experience having worked on Simmons for 15 years, where his last position was vice president of sales and training development. Previously, he had been a sales representative and regional sales vice president for the company.
"When we looked within the industry for someone to fill Tom's shows, we were keenly aware of the cliche that we needed someone respected and accomplished. I believe we found that person in Craig," said Kingsdown Executive Vice President of Sales Kevin Damewood. "Moreover, because Tom gave us time in this transition, he and Craig were able to spend important time together so there would be no departure from the high standards and practices we have developed as a company."
Kingsdown Inc. serves retailers across the United States and in more than 20 countries. Research and development, training and distribution facilities, as well as two manufacturing facilities, are also headquartered in Mebane. International offices are located in Bangkok, Thailand; and Tokyo, Japan. Additional manufacturing and distribution centers are located in Winchester, Va.; Muskogee, Okla.; Lakeland, Fla.; Stockton, Calif.; Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver, Canada; Derby, United Kingdom; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Istanbul, Turkey; and Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth, Australia.
September 26,
2011 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Furniture Retailing on September 27, 2011
Furniture care specialist Guardsman and online training provider Furniture Training Co. have launched a new Online Furniture Protection Plan Sales Training Program.
This Internet-delivered training series is available free to all Guardsman retailers from Guardsman's Web site.
"We partnered with The Furniture Training Company to develop our furniture protection training modules because of their documented track-record for creating online furniture sales training that significantly increases the sales of thousands of furniture sale associates," said Grand Rapids, Mich.-based Guardsman National Sales Manager Greg Perkins. "We wanted training that changed selling behaviors and they've delivered."
The Guardsman Furniture Protection Plan Sales Training Program consists of 10 fully interactive learning modules that show furniture sales associates how to increase their sales of furniture protection products and services. Associates learn to explain exactly what each of the Guardsman furniture protection plans protect. The modules also show associates how to introduce furniture protection plans to customers during the selling process, to present customer relevant plan benefits, and to close customers on buying furniture protection with confidence. The individualized modules require very little effort from store management. Owners and managers can monitor associates progress through the training program 24/7.
"We began using the Guardsman E-Learning just recently and have already seen increases in our furniture protection plan sales. It is an easy tool to help reinforce the pros of the Guardsman products," said Rob Waddell, regional manager west division, The Dump. "We even asked our managers that took the training and they all agree that this made them better. With help from our rep and the e-training, we are more knowledgeable and more profitable."
September 26,
2011 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in High Point on September 27, 2011
Reclaimed teak furniture vendor Groovystuff will again sponsor students from the
Appalachian Supply Chain Club at the fall
High Point Furniture Market.
The ASCC is Appalachian State University's student-led supply chain management club. The club emphasizes six sigma, and quality management techniques as a core business philosophy and apply information systems and quantitative analysis to support this approach. All members are also members of
APICS, the Association for Operations Mananagement and the club's parent organization. Most members are working towards their minor in supply chain management.
The students will attend Market to network with industry professionals and demonstrate how they can competitively improve the bottom line for market attendees. As a mission statement, the ASCC promotes supply chain management by offering student members the chance to interact with industry professionals, while promoting career and professional development with networking and community involvement.
ASCC has 28 board members from various companies, including Transportation Insight, IBM, Lowes Home Improvement, and Total Insight. This semester, the club is hosting speakers from several board member companies to talk about their companies, how they use supply chain management, and what opportunities they have for students. The club also plans a trip to Lowes Regional Distribution Center in Statesville N.C., have an Advisory Board meeting in Boone; attend the
American Home Furnishings Alliance show; and get involved in the community through community service.