March 27,
2011 by in UnCategorized 
By Home Furnishings Business in Business Strategy on March 28, 2011
The Home Furnishings Industry Conference, April 30May 2 in San Antonio, Texas, will showcase the power of social media. Social media continues to capture the attention of consumers and is now a vital area for retailers to utilize to connect to customers and future customers.
Monday mornings general session is a high-powered presentation on "Socialnomics: Its a People Driven Economy, Stupid" by author Erik Qualman. Have you ever thought social media was just a fad? Qualman will guide you through the social media revolution that is overtaking the world and attendees will walk away with the tools needed to listen, interact, react and sell through social media.
After retailers attend the Socialnomics session, they will be able to activate, connect and build their social media sites in the brand-new Conference Commons. This hands-on area is for attendees to learn the ins and outs of social media from retail experts Rich Kizer and Georganne Bender. Sponsored by FurnitureDealer.net, the Conference Commons will be the hub of all activity between educational sessions and events. Kizer and Bender will assist attendees in Tweets, setting up Facebook Business accounts, liking, recommending, connecting and everything in between.
Two additional breakout sessions will also focus on the power of social media. The Digitally Savvy RetailerUsing Emerging Technologies to Engage Shoppers (and sell more stuff!), presented by Julia Rosien, SocialNorth, will educate attendees on breaking through the clutter online and capturing the attention of customers by utilizing different tools of location-based marketing and social media marketing. Facebook Case Study: Fans Equal Sales, presented by Kevin Doran, R&A Marketing, will help attendees understand and analyze the trends taking place on their Facebook business pages to improve their business.
Retail members of WHFA, NHFA, all of the affiliates and designated partners can take advantage of the great buy one, get one free deal. One registration of $495 must be purchased and the second person can attend for free. Additional registrations for other team members are only $199 each. This makes it easy for businesses to bring multiple people from their store and learn even more valuable tools for business. Hotel registration at the Westin Riverwalk expires on April 8register your room today.
Connect with the Home Furnishings Industry Conference through
Facebook and
Twitter.
March 27,
2011 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in on March 28, 2011
Looking for a relaxed place to catch some of the NCAA Final Four basketball action while at the
High Point Market?
Cresent Fine Furniture is hosting "Courtside at Cresent", a market party Saturday, April 2 at 4 p.m. in its showroom at 204 Hamilton Square. The televisions will be one and the Cresent Chefs will be serving up their specialties alongside a martini bar, a wine bar and craft microbrews.
The case goods supplier will also feature a Final Four Pool with prizes. RSVP to info@cresent.com to attend.
March 25,
2011 by in UnCategorized
By Aggregated Content in Furniture Retailing on March 26, 2011
from http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?z4365312824&z=1250249032
Freedom Furniture and Electronics will be the new store to replace Books-A-Million in Huntersville, N.C.
Read Full Article...
March 24,
2011 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Retail Technology on March 25, 2011
Now you can take Home Furnishings Business with you wherever you go by using our handy-dandy HFB App for your iPhone or iPad.
The app is now available in the
Apple App store.
The free apps are easy to download and allow you to read every issue of the magazine in full with an easy flick of the finger.
March 24,
2011 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Bedding on March 25, 2011
Bedding supplier Southerland has signed a licensing agreement with
The Sharper Image to produce a line of specialty mattresses under the brand.
The line will feature mattresses in memory foam, inner spring, air and latex as well as adjustable mattresses. Under the agreement, Southerland will have rights to manufacture and distribute Sharper Image branded mattresses to a range of retailers in the department store, bedding, specialty, club, e-commerce and mail-order channels in the U.S. and Canada.
"We are quite pleased to have partnered with Southerland as they exemplify the standards, workmanship and quality consistent with the Sharper Image brand," said Federico de Bellegarde, senior vice president at The Sharper Image. "Southerlands vast experience in product development, production and loyal retail relationships are paramount to their success. Moreover, the infusion of new technologies will create a truly unique offering to consumers."
David Corbin, co-president of Southerland, said the agreement with allow the company the opportunity to translate the Sharper Image quality into bedding.
"Furthermore, in national consumer research into brand awareness, The Sharper Image is well-regarded and receives high marks for quality, trust and respect as well as product relevance in the bedding category," Corbin said. "The Sharper Image brand license enhances our vision for Southerlands future."