Daily News Archive
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April 1,
2013 by in UnCategorized 
By Aggregated Content in licensing on April 2, 2013
from http://www.gulfcoastnewstoday.com/people/features/article_8e73799c-9afa-11e2-9d5c-0019bb2963f4.html
Annie Sloan has mesmerized multitudes of American women. She has convinced us that every single piece of wood furniture in our homes must immediately be covered with paint. Not just any paint - shabby, scruffy, worn and buffed Annie Sloan Chalk Paints.
Annie Sloan is a British decorator who hit her stride with her own brand of paints that produce a weathered, old and worn finish.
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March 31,
2013 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in on April 2013
As of press time, the country was just going into the Final Four weekend of March Madness of the NCAA championship. The four teamsLouisville, Wichita State, Michigan and Syracusehave made their way to Atlanta, soon to be followed by ardent fans of the sport.
I absolutely love college basketball.
Some of that love comes from growing up in North Carolina where passions run deep and rivalries are hot. Back in the day, who could argue with the strength of Tobacco Road, and its majestic cluster of basketball powerhouses? Much of my love for the sport comes from spending my college years in Chapel Hill, N.C., at THE University of North Carolina. (The REAL Carolina, for all my friends in Columbia, S.C.)
While my beloved Tar Heels fell to the Jayhawks of the University of Kansas in the third round of play, Im still watching. My bracket, chosen through loyalties to the Heels and the Atlantic Coast Conference, started to fall apart weeks ago. Its pretty much disintegrated now with none of my chosen four anywhere near Atlanta. Every year, I say Ill fill in the bracket without following my heart. THAT isnt likely to happenEVERand even if it did, given this years topsy-turvy, unpredictable month of games, my picks still would have gone down. I might could have improved my chances of winning the pool had I collected a few quarters and opted for a heads-or-tails strategy.
Thats the beauty of March Madness. Short of my team winning it all, the craziness and excitement of the unknown keeps me tuned in for just one more game.
Im sure youre wondering what the heck college basketball, March Madness and the Final Four has to do with the furniture retailing business.
The way I see it, retailing, like college basketball, is an extremely competitive sport.
To succeed and play well, it takes practice, the right tools and of course, some information on who your competition is. I have no doubt that each of the teams playing in the Final Four in Atlanta have been studying and reviewing the other teams to decipher their strengths and weaknesses in an effort to develop the most effective game plan. Coaches and assistant coaches are all poring over strategies that have been successful in previous games, but to do that, they must know their competitor.
Preparation is the key to success. Knowledge is power.
Who is your primary competition in your market? Is it Amazon? Your neighborhood pharmacy? Walmart? Target? The local bookstore? The Best Buy in the local shopping hot spot? Look around, youre likely in the fight of your life with someone other than what we think of as a traditional furniture retailer.
Duking it out for those elusive consumer dollars, and the consumers time and attention.
So jump in with both feet, figure out who your competition is and be ready for the big win. Find the tools that make the most sense and put them to work in your operation. Youll be thankful when you come out on top.
Now, back to basketball.
Thank goodness for Cinderella teams, underdogs, enthusiastic players and coaches with the desire and will to win. Going into the weekend of play, my heart lies with the Wichita State Shockersa fabulous mascot given the circumstances.
March 31,
2013 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in on April 2013
Heres one you probably dont hear often: Imagine a store that, when it doesnt have what a customer is looking for, refers them to a competing retailer.
Thats exactly what Martins Town & Country Furniture, a longtime seller of bedding and furniture based in Canby, Ore., does. Its one of the many ways the retailer will go the extra mile to ensure that customers are well taken care of, whoever they ultimately end up buying from.
We dont want to close the sale today and give somebody something that might not be whats best for them just to get a few dollars in the till today said Martins owner/president Neil Martin. We want to get something thats right for them, and if we dont have (it), well look it up online and find where they can get (it).
This philosophy pays off in the long run, he added: Theyll remember that. Theyll remember the honesty, and, I think, the integrity, and come back and see us when they do have something that we can help them with. So those are the long-term relationships that were trying to build and keep going for generations.
Runs in the Family
Generations are something Martin knows abouthes part of the third generation of Martin family members to work in the Canby store, which will celebrate its 50th anniversary this year.
The business actually began in 1947, when Martins grandfather Walter opened his first Martins Furniture and Appliance Co. store in Molalla, Ore. During his daily commute to and from his home in Canby, a plot of property in his hometown caught his eye. He bought the land, and in October of 1963, a new store, Martins Town & Country Furniture, opened.
Walters son Robert joined the business in 1965, as did his brother Neil eight years later. When the stores longtime delivery person retired in 2000, Roberts son, also named Neil, joined the family business, which he now owns. While the Mollala store has closed, the Canby location continues to serve the rural community of Canby and its surrounding area.
Sharp Focus
Martins is a full-line furniture store, but the company has done well with bedding by keeping its offerings in this category sharply focused. The retailer has carried Sealy for, in Neil Martins words, as long as I can remember, but added Tempur-Pedic in 2004.
This has been a successful move, in Martins opinion: Its a good line and were happy to have it. Everybody seems to be really, really happy with their purchase. Weve had two comfort returns in the last five years and one was not really a comfort returnit was just a size return, the twin was too small and (the customer) wanted to go to a full. The other, the fellow was commenting that he loved the bed, thought it was very comfortable but he was just having a little difficulty turning. So I said, Why dont you come in and try that new Tempur-Weightless collectionits like your Cloud Supreme on the top; it just has that Tempur Float layer in there. So we switched him out and he called a few days later and said Its perfectexactly what I was looking for. Weve had a couple of switches in the last five years, but they havent switched to another brand in the line.
Going the Distance
Martin takes the concept of going the extra mile literally. Not only does the business offer free delivery on beds and other furniture, but Martin and his co-workers have been known to go great distances to take care of customers.
Weve had deliveries that were over 250 miles one way, Martin said. A lot of the deliveries that are farther out are maybe people that live closer but have a second home in central Oregon over the coast. But its not uncommon to have folks from 30, 40 or 50 miles out come in because theyve seen an ad or heard about us from a friend. They come in and give us a shot.
While shoppers may come from far and wide, Martin still attributes much of his stores staying power to his loyal, local customers.
We have a real supportive community, he stated. Its not really bigmaybe 16,000 people. Were just about halfway between Portland and Salem, about 30 minutes from either. Its just a little community here, but there are a lot of outlying communities, at least another six or seven ZIP codes within a 15-mile radius, so we have a pretty big area that we service here.
Family Practice
Tradition is important to Neil Martin, and his fidelity to his family elders influences his stores bedding sales approach.
There are really only five people who have worked on the sales floor in the whole 50 years, he recalled. Weve never had any commissioned salespeople on the floor. I think that creates a different approach right there, because were not worried about getting a sale today. If we dont and (the customer) comes back tomorrow or a week later, maybe (another staffer) gets a part of that. ¦ It seems like the different positive comments we get about the store are related to the fact that they can come in and look around, do their research; were here to answer their questions but theres not pressure. So when somebody walks out and doesnt buy something, I dont look at that as any kind of failure or lost opportunity. If weve done our job, weve answered their questions and had the time to get to know them a little bit ¦ I figure when theyre ready, theyll be back. I really think our be-backs are somewhere around at least 50 percent.
This care and respect shown for consumers doesnt just occur in the storeit also is the way Martins does business in customers homes.
When we deliver a bed, we often vacuum the floors when we pull the old mattress set out, help them clean up, Martin said, because it might be another 10 or 20 years before they get under there again. Any little thing that we can do to help them get that (good) feelingmany stores used to do this naturally, but its harder and harder to find customer service at the level that we try to maintain. ¦ So I really dont see much competition in the way of stores like us. There are other stores that sell the lines that we have. ¦ But with our service, and with our (low) pricesmy (family owns) the building and property, so our overhead is very low, so all things considered, it creates an unusual business model.
The Next Generation
Is there another generation poised to carry on taking care of Martins customers in years to come?
Neil Martin may have a few contenders: I have a four-year-old son and a newborn son about a month old. Wed love to see this go to a fourth generation. ¦ Certainly, once I got here and got to know more about the business, and then take ownership in it, its something I take a lot of pride in. ¦ I feel grateful and blessed to have the opportunity to be here. HFB
March 31,
2013 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in on April 2013
So, who are your competitors? Seriously, think about this a minute before reading further, list them in your head. You probably named the traditional retailers in your area, but did you think of your local grocer or drug store? They didnt make my list either, but after doing a bit of research and reading a rough draft or two of articles appearing in this issue, my list would be a lot longer.
I could list a few more for you here, but will let you uncover that information for yourself in later pages.
We all know the importance of real estate on your showroom floor, and I would imagine its the same in the grocery industry, so why is the widest aisle in my local Kroger the one with furniture and accessories?
I dont believe its for the convenience, heck Ive never said lets run by Kroger real quick and check out those recliners. Id like to know who has. I mean really, how would you get it in you basket and through the 20 items or less lane? I joke, but the only reason they would give up this floor space is because they are making profit on these items.
The same thing is happening at my local CVS. Now they havent ventured into furniture, but they have a few accessory products that could appear on your retail floor. Granted the quality is probably much different than what you offer, but my point is consumers have options besides the traditional furniture retailers today. In my opinion, these places seem very strange for a furniture purchase. I dont believe
I would ever take a serious look at either location when shopping for something new for my home. That said, others must be purchasing items from them if the merchants are willing to give up the floor space to feature the products.
Traditional brick-and-mortar furniture stores are facing more competition than ever before. The days of being the only game in town have long past. Its up to you to find a way to reach your customers and get them in your door. It can be done, you just need to point out your strengths and tell them why you are the better selection for making any furniture purchases.
Your core business is furniture and it always will be. You have a vast selection of products and designs to fit any home. You have the fabric and color selection that will allow them to have a custom piece in the home. Your staff is knowledgeable and can answer any questions or help with overall room design. Your delivery and customer service people will help them if needed after leaving your showroom. None of these items can be said for a grocer, drug store or most any other non-traditional competitor you might name.
This issue of Home Furnishings Business magazine takes a look at all the channels retailers face daily while trying to conduct business. After reading this issue, you will have learned a few things from other retailers and how they are positioning the traditional furniture stores to remain the first choice for customers.
Are you the first choice for home furnishings in your marketplace?
March 31,
2013 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in on April 2013
Got a smartphone? Next time you have a few minutes, run a search on the App Store for shopping apps.
Youll find a lot of companies already on the mobile technology bandwagon. Best Buy, Walmart, Toys r Us, Overstock, Amazon, Zappos, Office Depot, Staplesthe list could fill a lot of this page.
In home furnishings youll see names such as One Kings Lane, Ballard Designs and Ikeano big surprise thereon the App Store, but for the most part furniture retailers are playing catch up with other consumer products sectors when it comes to granting their customers access to their products and services via mobile phones and tablets.
Sales of those units are growing every year, and theres a generation of consumers entering their buying years that has never known a world without digital mobile technology.
Just when we were getting used to shoppers heading first to the Internet, it appears that not too far into the future, theyll be heading for their smart phone or tablet insteada lot of them already are. When that time comes, will they find you?
OPPORTUNITY & CHALLENGE
Mobile technology presents both opportunities and challenges to retailers, said Myriad Software Principal Carolyn Crowley. The San Diego-based home furnishings retail automation specialist made mobile the centerpiece of a couple of sessions at its user conference last month in San Antonio.
With so many consumers using their smartphones during the shopping, and sometimes purchasing, process, Web sites optimized for mobile users and in-store mobile-friendly features for product information and such can be a competitive advantage.
Crowley pointed out that Lowes is deploying iPhone-based mobile POS to compete with Home Depot. Furniture retailing, she pointed out, has some catching up to do.
When you go to places like Best Buy, the capability of what you can see and do online is better in other industries, she said in a phone interview after the conference.
One reason is that furniture retailers looking to put information onto customers phones face challenges unlike, say, an airline selling tickets or taking reservations via mobile.
That airline controls what its selling, its own tickets, Crowley said. The challenge a furniture retailer has is that youre working with products that arent yours, youre getting them from a lot of different vendors.
Take QR codes that could be on product in your store.
Does that QR code lead the consumer to the retailers Web site or the manufacturers Web site? Crowley said. Manufacturers need to make the information available on the retailers Web site. Thats an initiative that needs to happen.
From a technology providers standpoint, the more connections we can give the retailer to the manufacturers information, the more the consumer will come into the store.
She added that from her clients feedback, she believes manufacturers are more comfortable driving traffic to their Web sites versus the retailers sites.
The customers often already doing the shopping on line and knows what they want, but not all retailers carry the all the product they see on the manufacturers Web site, Crowley said. Wouldnt it be great if the retailer could tell the customers (who visited the manufacturers site) we dont have that particular product in the store, but we can tell you everything you need to know.
Its a challenge that some of the retailers cant show (a manufacturers) product on their own Web sites because the customers are driven to the manufacturers Web site.
At a Best Buy, a shopper can know for sure via her smartphone if the product is at the local store, and maybe go ahead and pull the trigger on a purchase.
While with furniture, especially something like upholstery or bedding, the customer is more likely to want to come into the store for a touch-and-feel test, having a shopping list on the customers phone when she walks in the door is just one example of how mobile can make the furniture buying process easier.
Wouldnt it be great if you could walk them around your store with their mobile deviceyou dont even have to ask them what brought them into the store, Crowley said. Technology service providers like us should work with our clients manufacturers to get as much of that information available at their fingertips as possible. Ultimately, were trying to sell that manufacturers product line, and the more a Myriad or other service provider can provide to the retailer, to arm them for the consumer walking into that store, the better off were all going to be.
GETTING MOBILE-FRIENDLY
Myriad brought an expert in mobile applications to its conference to give retailers advice on how to make the most of mobile. Scott Gamble, vice president of digital solutions at Alliance Data Retail Services, is accountable for all the Columbus, Ohio-based companys consumer-facing digital initiatives in the areas of the Internet, mobile, e-commerce, social media and e-mail. He and his team are responsible for the development and execution of the Alliance Data mobile strategy, which has led to multiple industry-first products in the areas of mobile marketing, payments and service.
In addition to his 15 years with Alliance Data, Gamble has more than 20 years of experience in the retail payments industry, including management roles at GE Capital and SPS Payment Systems.
Things like virtual loyalty cards, optimizing credit programs for mobile users and geo-fences that alert customers to deals when theyre in a stores vicinity are ways mobile can help retailers get consumers attention and build sales.
A NEW CONTEXT
Location-based marketing using geo-fences, for example, targets customers in a defined area around a store. Its important to note that those customers have to opt in to receiving information from your store.
That location awareness ties the context of knowing that its a brand Im aware of that Ive opted to receive information from and that the brands nearbyit ties all that together, Gamble said. The cellular networks will sell you that (locational) data for customers whove opted into receiving information from you.
You can build a fence; and be notified that one of your customers is in that fenceyou can then send them a text.
Consortia of non-competing retailers in the same area, for example around a mall, have made locational marketing using geo-fences much less expensive.
A key is getting those customers to opt-in, and mobile-optimized loyalty programs are one way to inspiring that commitment. Its also convenient for customers to have that loyalty program on their phone.
I dont know anyone who has space in their wallet for another (loyalty) card or room on their key chain for another one of those tags, Gamble noted.
Alliance Data research indicates that 18 percent of consumers agree that a mobile loyalty program gets more valuable as they have begun to expect offers to arrive; and that 31 percent of consumers agree that the program gets more valuable as it gets more relevant to their interests.
Allow consumers to express preferences and filter those messages to correspond to that data, Gamble said. This context drives them to action, adding that ADS found 52 percent of those on the program will visit the stores Web site, and 50 percent will visit the store soon.
Someone isnt going to sign up for text promotions from 50 different brands. Weve found theyre open to six or seven, Gamble said.
MAKE THE RIGHT MOBILE
IMPRESSION
ADS research found that 61 percent of people have a better opinion of brands when they offer a good mobile experience.
Be careful hereif that experience is unsatisfactory, the reverse is true. Say you have a QR code shoppers can scan. Gamble related an anecdote of a retailer whose code generated a message telling shoppers they needed to view the target site on a computer.
If you dont connect the dots all the way to the end, it creates bad vibes from the consumer, he said. There are plenty of options for you to make your Web solutions mobile-friendly without spending a lot of money. Dont do anything just to go mobile without tracking everything all the way through.
Retailers can go out and buy an e-mail list, but they cant buy a list of phone numbers for a texting campaign. Engage customers in the store and on your Web site to create that buy-in to what you have to offer.
Create a database of mobile short-message service (thats text in common parlance) users, and engage them responsibly with relevant content, Gamble said. Seventy-nine percent of active shoppers would opt in to store alerts for special offers and discounts; and 75 percent are interested in receiving location-based offers when near the store, according to ADS research.
Above all, make sure the experience is mobile-friendly from end-to-end. Provide product information and add links for consumers to share via social networking sites. HFB