Big Furniture Group Magazine June 2023

Irish Furniture & Homewares Show; Spring Furniture & Bed Show; INDX

Barfoot, furniture agent and National Sales Manager at Bentinck / Sofa Factory

Editorial

Dan Squires

Managing Editor

dan@bigfurnituregroup.com

07531 854718 | 01223 298489

Advertising Gary Hall

Sales Director

gary@bigfurnituregroup.com

0207 096 1010

Publisher Stephen Smith

Production Juan Morante

GraphiC Design

www.bigfurnituregroup.com

EDITOR´S NOTE

Dan Squires Managing Editor

Welcome to June’s Big Furniture Group Magazine ”

This month we have a special feature all about trust. We spoke with Trustpilot about why the review platform plays a key role in building trust between a business and customer, as well as why the furnishings sector is such a popular category.

One such business that has built plenty of trust and a solid reputation over the years is London’s oldest furniture retailer, Heal’s. We caught up with the company following the reopening of its flagship store, as well as gaining an insight into an exclusive piece of research dating back 60 years, delving into the transformation of the modern home. From one store reopening to another launching, we spoke with Sussex Beds – a year on from the start of their hunt for the right retail locations, to learn about their progress and the most recent Caterham store opening.

BigFurnitureGroupLtd

UK registered company number 05484239

2 Jordan Street, Knott Mill, Manchester, England, M15 4PY

Print: Buxton Press

ISSN No: 2753-3387

Copyright © Big Furniture Group 2022

Issue No: 10

No part of this publication may be reproduced without the specific prior written consent of the publisher. Big Furniture Group Ltd accepts no responsibility for variations in colour reproduction and cannot be liable for the safe custody or return of any solicited or unsolicited material. We are committed to producing a true, factual, fair and unbiased publication through the editorial content within and takes appropriate measures to do so. Big Furniture Group Ltd reserves the right to edit any content other than advertisements, with the editor’s decision being final. All material submitted for inclusion in Big Furniture Group is done so entirely at the owner’s risk. Advertiser information is accepted in good faith and Big Furniture Group accepts no responsibility in in adverts appearing in the magazine, and do not necessarily reflect the publisher’s views. Contributors are advised to keep copies of all material submitted.

In the BFG hotseat this month is Kevin Barfoot, furniture agent and National Sales Manager at Bentinck / Sofa Factory, who talks about the job, what he enjoys most and who has been a particular inspiration, as well as why his wine rack is his most treasured furniture item. As for the other regular, independent furniture retailer Harrison & Brown goes under the Retail Focus spotlight, where they share an update into recent investments from external consulting to online expansion, as well as plans to hit the small screen and why quoting production times needs more clarity.

Our Bed Expert, Vic Smith, is back for another insight into the beds industry, while our Letter from China returns with some more helpful tips when sourcing from the country, with this month talking about the importance of quality control. As for our Green Retail sustainability-focused feature, we concentrate on Next’s green credentials. On this topic, we also covered Mattress Online’s recycling insight, where they pose the question: Is the mattress industry recycling all it can?

You’ll also find a preview of the upcoming Irish Furniture & Homewares Show, as well as a recap on the recent Spring Furniture & Beds and the INDX Beds & Bedroom events, with a look at the next INDX Furniture show taking place this month. Meanwhile, GNG shares some news on their recent appointment, Protect-A-Bed talks about how they can help link sales to maximise opportunity and Gallery Direct explores why choosing a table and chairs for the dining room is key to a family home.

We also spoke with Vogue Beds on their latest product developments and the move into importing bedframes. To wrap things up, our Big Question this month is all about the customer approach, while the latest insight from Furniture Sales Solutions, reveals why seven is the magic number.

That’s enough from me, so enjoy our latest magazine. Oh, and if you have any news you want to shout about or keen to get involved in our Retail Focus and Big Interview features, drop me an email on dan@bigfurnituregroup.com We’d love to share your story.

CONTENTS

16. Big on Social

44. Is the mattress industry recycling all it can?

46. New venture for Vogue

48. GNG invests in strengthening its team

50. The hunt delivers record success

52. The Bed Expert

54. Safety issues ongoing, says NBF

56. A Letter from China

58. The Big Question: Approaching customers?

60. New Products

64. Linking sales to maximise opportunity

66. Last Word with Furniture Sales Solutions on why seven is the magic number

BIG INTERVIEW KEVIN BARFOOT

Furniture agent and National Sales Manager at Bentinck / Sofa Factory, talks about the job, what he enjoys most and who has been a particular inspiration, as well as why his wine rack is his most treasured furniture item.

BUILDING TRUST

Trustpilot talks about why the review platform plays a key role in building trust between a business and customer, as well as why the furnishings sector is such a popular category.

RETAIL

Harrison & Brown shares an update into recent investments from external consulting to online expansion, as well as plans to hit the small screen and why quoting production times needs more clarity.

INTERVIEW SPECIAL

London’s oldest furniture retailer, Heal’s, has released an exclusive piece of research dating back 60 years, offering an insight into the transformation of the modern home alongside the reopening of its flagship store.

NEWS

Independent retailer installs new electric vehicle charging stations

“With Cousins Furniture’s userfriendly interface, you can quickly and easily start a charging session, monitor your charging status, and pay for your session, all from the comfort of your smartphone. Plus, with the fast-charging capabilities, you can get back on the road in no time.

“Cousins Furniture understand that range anxiety is a common concern for EV owners, which is why we are proud to offer our charging stations as a way to ease those worries. Now, you can shop with peace of mind knowing that your vehicle is being charged up and ready for your next adventure.

Commenting on the appointments, David Main, CEO of Shankar, said:

“We are delighted to welcome Paul Bell to our family. With his wealth of knowledge and experience in the industry we are confident that he will be a great asset as we continue to grow.

“We are also delighted to welcome Stuart to the Shankar team and we’re excited to incorporate his experience and knowledge too.

Independent furniture retailer Cousins has boosted its sustainable practices by investing in new electric vehicle charging stations.

Located at its HQ and Shrewsbury store, Cousins also has plans to roll them out into the Birmingham and Dudley stores.

Commenting on the investment, Cousins said: “As we move towards a more sustainable future, the need for electric vehicles (EVs) and their charging infrastructure is becoming increasingly important.

“Cousins Furniture are committed to reducing their carbon footprint and promoting sustainable practices. The electric vehicle charging stations offer a convenient and hassle-free way for EV owners to power up while they shop and have an impressive maximum power of 22kW.

“Whether you’re enjoying a day out or browsing for your new furniture in-store, the charging stations make it easy to charge your EV on-the-go. But what sets the charging stations apart from others is the ease of use.

“But our commitment to sustainability doesn’t stop at our charging stations. Cousins Furniture are constantly looking for ways to reduce their impact on the environment. From using renewable energy to sourcing sustainable materials, we strive to be a leader in sustainable practices in the Midlands and Shropshire, and promote a greener future.”

Shankar appoints new National Sales Manager and South East Agent

Furniture wholesaler Skankar has announced the appointment of its new National Sales Manager as well as an agent representing the South East of England.

Paul Bell has joined the business as its new National Sales Manager, bringing a wealth of knowledge and expertise to Shankar having been in the furniture industry for over 35 years.

Furthermore, Stuart McDonnell has been appointed as its new South East of England Sales Agent, while Andy Terry and Andy Gardiner have both left the business.

“We would also like to take this opportunity to thank Andy Terry and Andy Gardiner for their support and achievements while working with Shankar and wish both all the very best in the future.

“Shankar continues its development, with this year once again bringing a new collection that combines innovative inspiring designs that will meet current market challenges. This year Shankar realised their objective to achieve a commercial on trend collection of furniture that would support the retailer during these testing times.”

Independent department store chain to open in Salisbury

Independent department store chain Bradbeers has revealed plans to open a new store in Salisbury. The retailer plans to open in the former Debenhams store on Blue Boar Row, which has been vacant since 2020.

Bradbeers expects to open at the site during October later this year with refurbishment works currently ongoing. The new department store will feature a homeware section as well as clothing, cosmetics and a restaurant.

Beds retailer introduces 60-night sleep trial

Norfolk-based independent beds and mattress retailer Mattressman has announced the introduction of its new 60-night sleep trial.

Mattressman is now offering customers the opportunity to try out a new bed for 60 nights “risk-free” across of its mattresses the company sells.

Commenting on the initiative, Louis Kerry, Marketing Manager at Mattressman, said: “We wanted to give our customers an extra level of confidence when they purchase from us and our Sleep Trial will do exactly that.

“Mattressman are proud to be the first retailer to offer the trial across their entire portfolio of mattresses and we feel that not only will it improve customers experience, but we also expect it to increase sales in the short and longer term.

“This service will be great for the consumer and one we are delighted to help celebrate with them.”

Long-serving Aberdeen independent to close as owners retire

Long-serving independent furniture retailer Ewen and Company has confirmed it will close next month

after the owners deciding to retire.

Ewen and Company, which is situated on George Street in Aberdeen, first opened back in 1922 and will officially close during June, ending over 100 years in the trade.

Owners, and husband-and-wife, Bryan and Joanna Ewen, are the third family generation to run the business but have decided the time is right to retire, paying special thanks to their “loyal customers” over the years.

Ahead of its closure, a final closing down sale will run at the store. In retirement, Bryan and Joanna plan to spend more time with their family.

Parked domain website ads found misleading by ASA

A parked domain website advertising sofas has been deemed as misleading by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) following an investigation.

A content discovery network ad, seen on 21 November 2022, on a national newspaper website at the bottom of a news article stated “Unsold Sofas Selling For Nearly Nothing In London (Search Here)” accompanied with a stock photo of a sofa. Beneath the text there were the terms “Sofas” “Search Ads” “Sponsored”.

The link led to a website (https:// pr.couches-sofas-94612.com), which consisted of a list of links under the headings “Corner Sofas UK”, “Leather Sofas”, and “Fabric Sofas”. These ultimately linked through to a number of further paid-for ads for sofa retailers.

The ASA challenged whether the claim “Unsold Sofas Selling For Nearly Nothing In London (Search Here)” was misleading as to the nature of the content that the ad linked through to and that the ad falsely implied the marketer was acting for purposes outside its business.

The person or company behind the website, pr.couches-sofas-94612.com, did not respond to the ASA’s enquiries.

In a statement on the case, the advertising watchdog said: “The ASA was concerned by Person(s) unknown t/a pr.couches-sofas-94612’s lack of response and apparent disregard for the Code as well as their failure to provide their full name and geographical business address, which were in breach of CAP Code (Edition 12) rule 1.7 (Unreasonable delay) and 1.7.1 (Compliance). We reminded them of their responsibility to provide a response to our enquiries without delay and told them to do so in the future.

“We considered consumers would understand from the text “Unsold Sofas Selling For Nearly Nothing In

London (Search Here)” that the ad linked to information about discounted sofas, or that it led directly to a website or product listing page selling such discounted sofas. We considered that “Search Here” implied that consumers would be immediately able to find discounted sofas once they clicked on the ad. While we acknowledged that the label “Search Ads” was featured in small print beneath the claim, we considered that this would be understood in the same way as the “Search Here” text of the headline, and therefore did not override the overall impression of the ad.

“When clicked on, the ad took consumers to a landing page which featured a brief list of links under the headings “Corner Sofas UK”, “Leather Sofas” and “Fabric Sofas”. The page did not contain any information about, or product listings for, discounted sofas. Each subheading led to further paid-for ads that ultimately led to the websites for various sofa retailers. There was no indication that the retailers the ads led to offered sofas at a significantly discounted price.

“We understood that the landing page (https://pr.couches-sofas-94612. com) for the ad was a ‘parked domain’ website. We understood that domain parking was the registration of an Internet domain name without that domain being associated with services such as e-mail or a website. Domain parking could be done for various reasons, including reserving the domain name for future development or to protect the domain name from use by others. Domain parking could also be monetised by operating a single-page website which hosted ads, as was the case here. Ads which linked through to the parked domain website would then generate income from the host of the parked domain through the impressions it collected.

“The ad therefore misleadingly implied that consumers would find information or product listings for discounted sofas when they clicked on it, when that was not the case. We considered that the nature of the content the ad

linked through to, particularly that it linked only to ads and search results, was likely to have a significant impact on whether or not consumers chose to engage with it. We therefore considered that the nature of the content the ad linked through to should have been made clear in the ad, and because it did not do so we concluded the ad was misleading.”

The ASA ruled that the adverts were misleading and stated that they must not appear again in the form complained about.

“We told Person(s) Unknown t/a pr.couches-sofas-94612.com to ensure that their ads did not mislead consumers as to the nature of the content they would receive if they engaged with them, for example by using phrases such as “Selling For Nearly Nothing” and “Search Here” when the ad did not direct to a product listings for discounted products,” the ASA said.

“Ads for parked domain sites should make clear if the only content consumers would be served with by clicking on the ad would be more ads or links to search results. We referred the matter to CAP’s Compliance team.”

Danish homeware retailer plots another summer opening

Danish homeware brand Søstrene Grene has unveiled plans to open a new store in High Wycombe. The new store will be situated in the Eden Shopping Centre and is expected to open during the summer of this year.

The store, which will feature products within the furniture, home accessories, kitchen and craft categories, forms part of Søstrene Grene ongoing UK expansion and follows recent openings in Cheltenham and Wandsworth. The plans also add to its recent announcement of a new store to open at The Lexicon Shopping Centre in Bracknell, which is also expected to launch during the summer.

Cavendish Cancer Care partners with Mattress Online

Sheffield based cancer support charity Cavendish Cancer Care has linked up with South Yorkshire based e-Commerce mattress and bed retailer Mattress Online to form an innovative wellness partnership.

The charity, which has been delivering cancer support including complementary therapies and counselling to people affected by cancer since 1991, will be supporting Mattress Online through its Cavendish Wellness brand. This includes delivering wellbeing sessions, including highlighting cancer awareness, with staff and collaborating on online advice content and guest blog posts for customers on a host of sleep related topics.

Chloe Angus, Corporate Wellbeing Manager at Cavendish Cancer Care, said: “A cancer charity and a mattress retailer might seem an odd combination however this is an innovative and exciting partnership for us. Key to our work is helping people to live a healthy lifestyle by considering things like their sleep, nutrition and mental health. We’re looking forward to working with the team and helping them in their mission to become experts in getting a good night’s sleep.”

Steve Adams, Chief Executive Officer at Mattress Online, said: “We’re thrilled to be working with Cavendish, from collaborating on relevant blog content connected to health to partnering with our team to deliver wellbeing sessions and contributing to fundraising.”

“Knowing that our work with them is adding value to what they do for their patients and families, by funding therapy hours, makes it so worthwhile. At the outset it was clear that as organisations we have aligned values, it’s a great match.”

Cavendish Wellness works with corporate clients to focus on improving wellbeing for employees. Using the expertise from within Cavendish Cancer Care, the team provide training sessions, online platforms, focus talks, mental health first aider training and bespoke wellbeing services. Proceeds from Cavendish Wellbeing support the wider work of Cavendish Cancer Care to deliver complementary therapies and counselling to people affected by cancer in the South Yorkshire and North Derbyshire region.

Pictured: Emma Draper, CEO, Cavendish Cancer Care, Chloe Angus, Corporate Wellbeing Manager, Steve Adams CEO Mattress Online, Martin Eastwood Chief Operating Officer, Sharon Robson Head of PR & Communications and Laura Ross, Marketing Manager.

Committee from 1993 to 1995, during which time he led the committee in successfully persuading both retailers and manufacturers to fund The Sleep Council, which was launched in 1995 to promote the importance of a good bed to getting a good night’s sleep and contributed to reducing the replacement cycle of mattresses from around 17 years to 10.

John was joint chair of The Sleep Council until 1998 when he was elected President of the NBF.

Jessica Alexander, (outgoing) executive director of the NBF said: “John was admired and respected throughout the industry. Only someone like John could have persuaded the industry to get together and launch the Sleep Council initiative, which had such a positive impact. Personally, without John’s support and encouragement, I would not have had the opportunities or the courage to achieve all I have done in my own career. He was and always will be one of my heroes.”

John was also very active in promoting business in his adopted home county of Cumbria, where he and his wife Barbara moved in 1986. He was a founder member of the West Cumbria Development Agency, becoming its Vice Chairman and then Chairman, before relinquishing the role to set up and chair the Cumbria Marketing Initiative. He also chaired the Maryport Heritage Trust and sat on the North-West Industrial Development Board.

Obituary

John Hancock, MBE DL

The National Bed Federation (NBF) has announced the sad death of one of the bed industry’s greats and NBF Past President (1998-2000), John Hancock, MBE.

John enjoyed a 40-year career in the furniture industry, with Englender, then Silentnight-owned Buoyant and finally, for the last 14 years as Managing Director of Sealy United Kingdom, also part of the Silentnight group, before retiring in 2000.

He served on the NBF Council for many years, chairing its Marketing

In 1993 he was named Cumbrian Businessman of the Year and in 1994 was awarded an MBE for services to industry.

Since his retirement, John remained active in the industry as a consultant, while also indulging in his passion for golf both here in the UK and a second home in Florida. As recently as 2019, he helped to broker the purchase of his former company Sealy by Sealy Australia and Tempur Sealy. In 2020, he was a judge for the NBF’s Covid Community Champions Award. He also held a number of non-executive director’s roles with Cumbrian based businesses.

John is survived by his beloved wife Barbara, his son Alan and three grandchildren.

Independent luxury furniture business celebrates milestone year

to launch new products and expand its showroom in Alfold, Surrey, to mark the milestone.

Commenting on their journey so far, the couple said: “La Residence Interiors was founded after we started designing our own furniture while renovating properties in the UK and France.

“We really struggled to find highquality, luxury furniture to style and furnish our homes. So, we decided to design a few items of furniture and have them made specifically for us.

“To celebrate 10 years in business, we have plans to launch new products, redesign and extend our Surrey showroom, and explore opportunities to expand our reach and grow our business.

“We wouldn’t be where we are today without our loyal and devoted customers and we are grateful for the support we have received over the past 10 years and look forward to what the future holds for La Residence Interiors.

Founded by Dan and Sarah Cook a decade ago, the business has plans

“So many people who saw our furniture kept asking where it was from and wanted to buy similar pieces themselves. It was then that we decided to create an exclusive collection of our very own and La Residence Interiors was born.

“Our goal is to continue providing high quality products and services to our customers and to also continue to grow our team.”

Independent luxury furniture store La Residence Interiors is celebrating 10 years in the industry.

Gallery Direct acquires Art Marketing

collections of wall art, clocks, photo frames and decorative mirrors.”

Home and outdoor furniture supplier

Gallery Direct Ltd has announced it has acquired Art Marketing Ltd, bringing together two brands within the home interiors and outdoor market.

With its development strategy of organic expansion and acquisition of selected high quality brands, Gallery has become the complete home and outdoor supplier to retail and contract customers. Art Marketing joining the Gallery group will strengthen the business still further, bringing deeper expertise to the wall décor category and an opportunity to widen Gallery’s art offering through the skills of their inhouse artists and designers.

Peter Delaney, Sales and Product Director of Gallery, commented: “We have long admired the Art Marketing business and its ability to produce on trend artwork, clocks and photo frames, fashioned by talented artists and graphic designers under the guidance of founders Nigel and Anthony Waller. They have created an outstanding business, trading for over 40 years. The quality and depth of their range is industry leading, being the stand-out brand within the wall décor sector.”

Nigel Waller, Managing Director of Art Marketing is remaining within the Gallery business and will take a new role as Category Director for Wall Décor. Nigel said: “I am delighted to be joining Gallery who continue to lead the market in home and outdoor. It is an exciting time and joining a larger design led business will have benefits to our team and customers. Working with our new colleagues, I want to broaden Gallery’s category offer with fresh new innovative

The acquisition of Art Marketing comes at an exciting time for Gallery Direct as it continues to develop. With this in mind, Peter Delaney will take on a new role of Sales and Product Director, allowing him to focus on bringing products to the market and driving the sales and marketing functions further within the business. Michael Last, CEO of the Gallery group, will take on the responsibilities of finance, customer service, people and operations, becoming Managing Director of Gallery Direct.

Michael added: “These changes underpin our ongoing strategy of financial strength and stability, operational excellence and relentless focus on customer service. Importantly it gives Peter increased time to focus on the development of Gallery’s next generation of products, whist driving our sales and marketing efforts with our valued customers. Over the next few years we are well set to scale and grow our business and are pleased to welcome Nigel and the Art Marketing team into the Gallery group, to help us on this journey.”

as strenuous, was more than double Jessica’s normal daily walking distance. Supported along the way by friends, Jessica set off on her walk at 9.00am and crossed the finish line at 7.00pm. Jessica had set herself the target of raising £1,000 for the charity, but at last count, she had raised £1,604 (including gift aid).

Jessica said: “I’m delighted to have completed my hike round Harrogate in one piece, thanks to the support and companionship of many friends. After 10 hours, 50,000 steps and the equivalent of 54 floors climbed, I was beginning to flag – but knowing I exceeded my fundraising target by over 50% makes the pain well worth the gain! There’s still time to donate on my Just Giving page.”

Bed Show 2023 registration now live

The National Bed Federation (NBF) has announced that the online registration for the 2023 Bed Show is now live.

raises £1.6k for industry charity

Jessica

Jessica walked the popular 20-mile circuit which surrounds her hometown of Harrogate on Saturday 29 April. The length of the hike, which is classified

Taking place from 26 – 27 September 2023 at the Telford International Centre, the Bed Show, organised by the NBF, is the only bed-specific exhibition in the UK and continues to offer its unique mix of British and Irish bed manufacturers and component suppliers.

Visitors will have the opportunity to see all the big industry names, such as Breasley, Deluxe Beds, Harrison Spinks, Highgrove Beds, Hypnos, Kaymed, Sealy UK, Silentnight and Vogue Beds. The Supplier Innovation Zone will once again host a selection of key component suppliers, including Apropa, Boyteks, Enkev, Handy Ltd, John Cotton Nonwovens, Legget and Platt, Spinks, Wolf Components and many more.

“We’re really looking forward to this year’s Bed Show,” says NBF executive director Tristine Hargreaves. “Not only is it my first show as the NBF’s executive director, but the team has several exciting plans in store for the exhibition and gala dinner. Book your tickets now to secure your place at the UK’s biggest and best bed event!” To register, visit: www.bedshow.co.uk.

Alexander

Jessica Alexander, outgoing executive director of the National Bed Federation, has raised over £1.6k for industry charity The Furniture Makers’ Company by hiking the Harrogate Ringway.

Sofa Club appoints new Head of Supply Chain & Merchandising

With over 15 years of experience in the furniture industry, Brooker brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the company. Before joining Sofa Club, Brooker was Head of Supply Chain at Furniture Village, where he was responsible for overseeing the end-to-end supply chain and logistics operations.

In his new role, Brooker will be responsible for ensuring Sofa Club has a robust supply chain that can keep up with the demands of the customers, managing stock levels to ensure customers have access to sofas that can be delivered fast.

“We are delighted to welcome Matt Brooker to our team,” said Louis Rose, Co-founder of Sofa Club. “With his extensive experience in the

industry, we are confident that he will be a great asset to our company as we continue to grow and expand our operations. We are excited to have him on board and look forward to working with him to deliver exceptional value to our customers.”

“I am thrilled to join Sofa Club and work with the team to drive the company’s growth and success,” said Brooker. “I look forward to leveraging my experience and expertise to further enhance the company’s supply chain and merchandising operations, and ensure that we continue to deliver high-quality products and services to our customers.”

Sofa retailer Sofa Club has announced the appointment of Matt Brooker as its new Head of Supply Chain & Merchandising.

Independent retailer closes Marlow store

Independent furniture retailer Sara Hughes has announced the closure of its store to focus online. The retailer has been situated on West Street in Marlow for the last decade, but the owner, Sara Hughes, has decided to call time on the physical store. “I want to focus on building the business’ website and on designing my own furniture,” Sara said. “It really is a natural step forward to focus more on selling designs online and to other shops.”

John Lewis teams up with The Floor Room

John Lewis and The Floor Room have announced an exclusive partnership, creating a new fitted flooring offer across the retailer’s department stores and online. Under the agreement, the flooring specialist will take over responsibility for all of John Lewis’ fitted flooring, from customer consultation to installation.

Danish furniture retailer opens 30th UK store

Danish furniture retailer JYSK has announced the opening of its 30th UK store in Warrington. Situated at Unit 5 on Riverside Retail Park in Warrington, the new store is managed by David Marshall-Smith and features a layout of 12,884 square metres of floor space. The new store features products from outdoor living collections, furniture, accessories, soft furnishings, and lighting. In addition, JYSK has also created over 12 jobs.

Flooring group moves HQ

Victoria PLC, the international designers, manufacturers and distributors of flooring, has announced that it has changed the address of its registered office with immediate effect. The new address is Worcester Six Business Park, Worcester, WR4 0AE, with the new Victoria Head Office located within the Company’s state-ofthe-art, carbon-neutral, purpose-built 185,000 square foot distribution and administration centre.

Somerset independent to close

Independent furniture retailer Orchards The Furniture People has announced plans to close due to the owners retiring. The business, which is situated at Somerset Square in Nailsea, Somerset, has been trading since 1985 and is running a final £975,000 closing down sale.

Dunelm to open new store in Watford

Home furnishings retailer Dunelm has announced plans to open a new store in Watford. Dunelm is set to open in the former John Lewis store within Atria Watford, which will feature a retail space of 33,000sqft. An opening date is yet to be confirmed, although plans state it will open later this year.

Lifetime Achievement Award

Edward Tadros – long-time chairman of British manufacturer Ercol – has been awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by The Furniture Makers’ Company, the City of London livery company and charity for the furnishing industry, recognising his 50-year career. The Lifetime Achievement Award is presented annually to a leader who has devoted their life to the furtherment of the furnishing industry and left an indelible mark on the trade.

IKEA UK’s new distribution centre

Furniture retailer IKEA UK has opened a 452,000sqft distribution centre in Dartford, Kent, operated by Wincanton. The new multi-millionpound facility will enable faster, more sustainable home deliveries across London and the southeast of England. The launch marks latest milestone in ongoing London expansion, as IKEA seeks to enhance accessibility and convenience for UK customers.

Independent carpet retailer secures seventh store

Independent carpet and flooring retailer 1to1 Flooring has announced

plans to open a new store in Leighton Buzzard. The 2,500sqft store is located on North Street and will undergo a complete refurbishment with an estimated opening date set for August this year. The new store adds to the retailer’s six other locations, which include St Albans, Harpenden, Luton, Barnet, Shefford and Berkhamsted.

Sofa retailer partners with Home-Start UK charity

Furniture retailer Sofology has announced a new partnership with charity Home-Start UK, which helps families with young children through challenging times. The new partnership sees Sofology commit to fundraise and donate furniture to the charity. The retailer has already donated furniture sets to people based in the North West, as well as agreeing to fundraise, volunteer and promote Home-Start UK across its stores.

eBay launches ‘Better Than New Homeware’ hub

As UK households discard around half a million tonnes of furniture a year, eBay has launched the ‘Better Than New Homeware’ Hub – a curated destination designed to help shoppers consider pre-loved first when updating their interiors. The new Hub aims to boost sustainability, with data from eBay showing that pre-loved Home & Garden purchases on eBay over the past year resulted in 6.5M kg of avoided waste – the equivalent of 520 double decker buses.

Rowen opens debut Gateshead store

Online homeware and interior retailer Rowen Homes has announced the opening of its first ever store in Metrocentre Gateshead after the phenomenal growth of its online homeware business. The new store opened on Friday 28 April 2023, moving into the former Laura Ashley unit located in the Upper Platinum Mall. The store showcases the brand’s luxury furniture and homeware, including their recently launched collection with TV star Rylan.

A look at what’s been going on over social media channels. Share your news with us and email

ON

BIG SOCIAL

dan@bigfurnituregroup.com

heart of the city. As we celebrate 35 years in business, this partnership is particularly significant for us as a family owned company founded in Cork. EZ Living Interiors director Caroline White is a former student of the Crawford School of Art, a connection that makes this a truly special project.

Loaf

Sofa Club

We are delighted to have designed a bespoke, modular sofa for PrettyLittleThing.com Manchester and London HQ. Of course, in true PLT style, we went for a bright pink fabric to fit the aesthetic of their space.

We kicked off the Coronation celebrations at Loaf HQ and Nuneaton, with our own Loafers afternoon tea! Scones, clotted cream, and jam were served by the plenty. Sadly the ‘great scone debate’ of cream or jam first, was not settled! Wishing all Loafers, a happy Coronation weekend.

Furniture Village

Sofa Easy

Signs up! Thanks to East Coast Signs

King’s Lynn for the fantastic finish and installation. I think it looks just beautiful.

Mobus Fabrics

Mobus are excited to announce their latest member to join the team, Sam Thornber. Sam, who has strong relationships across the upholstery industry, brings abundant experience in both manufacturing and product. With ambitious growth plans, Sam joins as a Sales Manager and will be integral in creating and developing new opportunities with existing and new customers. Sam Thornber said: “Conversations between myself and Lee (Managing Director) have been ongoing for over four years. Recent investments by Mobus and the emerging fabric strategy Lee has shared have aligned our ambitions – on growth and trends. I look forward to working closely with such a forward-thinking development team, taking new and sustainable fabrics to market.”

EZ Living Interiors

EZ Living Interiors is proud to announce our partnership with Cork’s iconic Crawford Art Gallery. The gallery’s latest exhibition, Bodywork has just been unveiled. In the expansive upper gallery, there is a room within a room to sit, dwell, read, stop and wiggle. Furnished with some of our best-loved collections, The Wiggle Room provides visitors with a comfortable, calming environment to unwind in the

After being a runaway success in Bristol, we’re excited to announce that our Home Design Studio has officially launched in Thurrock! Our customers will now be able to create a look they love, whether that’s just a quick room refresh or a whole home renovation, for zero cost with the help of our talented interior designers, Lauren Davenport and Jenny Simmons. As well as design advice and style inspiration, our Home Design Studio will also offer digital moodboards and a personalised shopping list of customers’ favourite products.

ScS

Our People Team here at ScS are making a commitment to growthsupporting and nurturing one another, creating an environment where everyone thrives. The challenge is on to produce a bumper harvest of strong, resilient, bountiful sunflowers that will represent their commitment to caring and cultivating a collaborative team culture.

BIG INTER VIEW

KEVIN BARFOOT

Let’s start with you. Can you share a bit about yourself and your

background?

My names Kevin Barfoot. I’m married and we have two sons and a Labrador called Charlie. I’m fortunate enough to live in Gods County ‘Yorkshire’.

What is your current job role and key responsibilities?

I’m a self-employed furniture agent as well as the National Sales Manager at Bentinck / Sofa factory. My main responsibility is to increase sales to the independent retail market through our team of agents. This is a great role, where I’ve been involved

in setting up reporting systems, data analysis, marketing strategies, communication and pretty much everything else at times.

What do you love about your job?

I am very privileged to work with great colleagues and retailers. Everyday throws up new challenges and finding ways to resolve them is a task I relish.

What time is your alarm clock set for?

I get up in the morning early, drink tea and then go for a walk in the fields with Charlie. When I’m at the factory I walk the production lines checking on what is being made are to the standards

we set. We are always making new prototypes and I like to see them as they come together and make changes where needed. Next is order intake across the company to see who and what is doing well and looking to push particular products that aren’t repeating as well as we think they should by way of promotions and marketing.

Why did you choose to work in the furnishing industry?

I started working at an engineering company from school as a trainee draughtsman, I booked a holiday and before I left sent out several CVS to companies and one of them was Northern Upholstery/DFS where I

Kevin Barfoot, furniture agent and National Sales Manager at Bentinck / Sofa Factory, talks about the job, what he enjoys most and who has been a particular inspiration, as well as why his wine rack is his most treasured furniture item.

stayed for 12 years and then moved onto the manufacturing side of the industry working with sales teams which I’m still doing today and it’s the best job in the industry, I think the industry chose me.

Who do you most admire in the industry and why?

Graham Kirkham. I learned so much at that company about what could be achieved if you try, we were taught to analyze our own performance and make the changes necessary to be more successful. I will never forget what I learned there in my formative selling career.

Have there been any special moments during your career?

I’ve had many highs during my career but what pushes me on is still achieving targets.

What is your favourite item of furniture you own?

My wine rack is my favourite piece of furniture and I’d love to tell you the lines, shapes and functionality of it but it’s because its where my wine is.

What do you think is trending within the industry at present?

I think the upholstery market is changing quickly at the moment with two very distinct areas developing, from the high design and luxury fabrics to the everyday models, which are getting better and better. The main thing that is trending across all furniture supply is the need for accurate information due to the challenges within the supply chains and we must work daily to keep information current for our retail partners.

What would you change in the industry?

The reliance on supply from abroad.

Can you share an insight into your future plans?

Bentinck sofa factory has big plans to continue to grow across all sectors of the market and to become the most reliable, quality upholstery provider in the UK. We are embarking on a huge sustainability drive at the moment and the investment will pay off.

What do you enjoy most outside of work / free time?

I spend most of my free time with my family, watching my sons grow into men makes me so proud. Walking my dog and watching sport are my other downtime hobbies.

What might someone not know about you?

The first lockdown taught me I’m not made for retirement, ever!

If you had a different career, what would it be?

Dog trainer. I failed miserably with training Charlie but he makes me smile.

Finally, if you were an item of furniture, what would it be and why?

I would be an Eames chair, looking older but still doing the job well.

I think the upholstery market is changing quickly at the moment with two very distinct areas developing, from the high design and luxury fabrics to the everyday models, which are getting better and better.

Take a seat at the top table

Furniture supplier Gallery Direct explores why choosing a table and chairs for the dining room is key to a family home, while sharing their latest developments in this category.

A dining table is a key feature in many homes, whether it is used for family meals, homework or entertaining. A carefully selected stylish table paired with matching or coordinating chairs makes a perfect focal point for any dining area.

When choosing a table and chairs, style, size and shape are important, as well as your budget. Gallery Direct’s catalogue features over 60 dining tables and over 80 dining chairs and benches, to suit different needs and interiors. Amongst these are their new ‘Casual Dining’ pieces which are perfect for everyday use or entertaining guests. The range offers an array of tables and chairs, carefully selected to give the ‘designer look’ at affordable price points. Although developed to offer great value for money, their appearance is anything but casual, with stylish eye-catching designs across the pieces.

On the table side the new range offers a selection of styles and sizes featuring elegant glass tops, including with a faux marble effect. The Connolly, Davidson, Evans and Fielding tables give a choice of black or white faux marble tops, and there is also a clear glass version of Fielding. Ramsey comes with a clear glass top, which perfectly complements the stunning polished chrome base, as does Mack. For the legs, Connolly, Davidson and Mack feature black metal for a sophisticated contemporary look, whilst Evans has gold legs, giving an opulent feel. Fielding pairs a black base with the white marble effect top, a gold base with the black top

and a polished chrome base with the clear top to give three different looks.

To pair with the tables, Gallery developed a selection of stylish chairs, again at affordable prices, in a range of designs so you can select the ones you want to complement the table. Manford is a mid-century inspired design with an upholstered shaped back and curved seat in a choice of four colours, each with slim black metal legs. Millican offers elegant modern style and is upholstered in light grey fabric with a choice of chrome or light oak effect legs. Offering a more luxurious look, Whitehall features contemporary design with a hint of old-fashioned glamour, thanks to its lovely taupe velvet, curved back and slim golden metal legs. Last but not least is Widdicombe with its sleek contemporary design and slim black legs.

To find out more about these, and all Gallery’s other products, visit www.gallerydirect.co.uk

Davidson Dining Table Black and Manford Chair Brown Group

Ramsey Dining Table Millican Chairs

Evans Table _ Whitehall Chairs

INDX recap and outlook

A recap on the recent INDX Beds & Bedroom Show from a number of exhibitors, as well as a look ahead to this month’s INDX Furniture return.

INDX Beds & Bedroom / The INDX Beds & Bedroom Show featured over 30 exhibitors, with the two-day event, which took place during April, including new AIS suppliers such as Staud, Bell & Stocchero, Mattsons Beds and Lifetime Kids, as well as a dedicated retail insights section for members and visitors.

Many existing exhibitors introduced new ranges, which included Rauch, Harrison Spink’s, Millbrook, Willis & Gambier, Sleepeezee and Hypnos. Alongside these, other brands on show included Kaymed, Wiemann, Sealy, Silentnight, Sweet Dreams, Airsprung, Mammoth, Protect-A-Bed, Nectar, Highgrove Beds, Relyon and Furmanac.

Kim Brandt-Madsen, Area Sales Manager at Lifetime Kidsrooms, said: “We have been trading in the UK for the past 10 years but INDX Beds & Bedroom marked our first trade show in this market. We were keen to put our point of difference across as a specialist supplier of kids’ furniture, and AIS has been extremely helpful in promoting us and helping to highlight this. As a dedicated beds show, this is a great environment to learn from others in the industry. The show was really about making contacts for us and I’m pleased to say we have met with many of the key buyers and independents that I was hoping to see. I will be leaving with a full contact book.”

Oscar Mattson, Vice President at Mattsons Beds, said: “We returned to INDX for the Beds & Bedroom show after making a really successful debut at INDX Furniture earlier this year, and are keen to show that we will be exhibiting at and supporting the show for the long-term future. The show has a really personal feel to it and attracts a lot of key buyers. Everyone you speak to knows what they’re looking for and asks the right questions. I’m happy to report that we have had another strong show and have exceeded our targets in record time.”

Mark Tuley, Sales Director at Sealy UK, said: “We have been exhibiting at INDX since the very start, though our business came under new ownership just under two years ago, repositioning towards the premium end of the market and overhauling our sales strategy. INDX Beds & Bedroom has been critical to our success, and has provided the perfect platform for us to launch our new product ranges. This show’s stand is the biggest we’ve ever had, and ten years on we’re still continuing to pick up new retailers. I definitely feel that the show has evolved since its inception and has become one of the most significant dates in the calendar for bedroom buyers.”

Emma Rackley, Director of Furniture & Home at AIS, added: “The recent Beds & Bedroom show was another big success, adding to our INDX Furniture event earlier this year. We look forward to welcoming visitors and exhibitors back for our June show, where we expect another well-attended event.”

INDX Furniture / Earlier this year, INDX Furniture was able to record one of its most-well attended shows to date, despite a backdrop of market challenges, with the show achieving a 60% increase in visitor numbers since its previous edition, and welcomed 35 suppliers across two showrooms at Cranmore Park.

Following the record-breaking January show, INDX Furniture will return this month, with an exciting showcase bringing together market-leading suppliers across upholstery, living room, dining room, garden, and accessories.

Taking place from 20* – 22 June 2023 (20th June is AIS Members only) at Cranmore Park in Solihull, the show has confirmed a number of top names, which includes Alstons, Ashwoods, Celtic Spas, Celebrity, Complete Colour, Digio by Sofitalia, Duresta, Egoitaliano, Emelda Grace, Halo, HTL, Michael Tyler, Parker Knoll, Primavera, Siren, Softnord, and Tetrad.

As part of the INDX umbrella brand of trade shows, which celebrates its 10year anniversary in 2023, INDX Furniture is brought to market by Associated Independent Stores (AIS), the UK’s leading buying and services group for Fashion, Home, and Leisure. To register for INDX Furniture, visit: www.indxshows.co.uk/indx-home/ furniture/registration

Building trust helps build business

Neil Bayton, Head of Partnerships in the UK at Trustpilot, talks about why the review platform plays a key role in building trust between a business and customer, as well as why the furnishings sector is such a popular category.

In the first part of a two-leg series of articles, Big Furniture Group explored why Trustpilot is a vital tool for businesses, especially those in the furniture space. For those that don’t use the tool, Trustpilot is an open, independent and global review platform which exists to become a universal symbol of trust. It’s also free.

“Trustpilot launched in 2007 and 16 years later, we’re proud to say that consumer review websites rank second as most trusted by consumers in the UK to provide honest opinions about a good or service; with only ‘family and friends’ ranking higher,” reveals Neil. “In a world of declining trust, our platform protects and promotes trust online by connecting businesses with consumers to foster greater collaboration; helping consumers shop with confidence and businesses gain valuable feedback to improve their service and earn a trustworthy reputation online.

“Trustpilot is free for everyone to use. Businesses can also use the platform for free - which many do - or can enter a paid subscription to Trustpilot. Our Review Insights offering, for example, helps businesses understand their customer feedback better — enabling them to explore sentiment trends and rich insights to track how the service they provide performs from the start of the customer journey through to the finish. Location Reviews also help businesses manage reviews for stores and branches. We also offer additional tools, such as TrustBox widgets, that easily allow businesses to showcase their reviews and ratings - which are automatically updated in real time - on their own website.”

These are just some of the services Trustpilot offers and with the furnishings market in mind, a deeper dive into this segment revealed that it’s one of the highest performing categories on the platform. In fact, Home & Garden - which includes furniture and furnishings businesses - ranks fifth in terms of volume of page views and has more than 36,700 businesses having been rated on Trustpilot. What’s more, within the furniture sector specifically, there have been 6.3 million service reviews submitted to the platform globally - demonstrating the value consumers place in having their voice heard by businesses in the sector.

“Furniture businesses are incredibly important to Trustpilot and we work closely with many in the sector to help them gain valuable feedback from customers and manage their reputation online,” Neil said. “The global pandemic saw many consumers shift their shopping habits online as bricks and mortar was no longer an option, and this trend has remained since Covid restrictions were lifted - including across sectors which traditionally relied on in-store visits, such as furniture retailers.

“As the cost-of-living crisis lingers and consumers find their purse strings increasingly stretched, they want to ensure they’re getting the best products for their money, especially for high value purchases such as furniture. More than ever, consumers need to know which businesses will deliver on their promises, and reviews play a huge role in the decision-making process, particularly in the absence of face to face in-store contact.”

So,

Neil continued: “For businesses in general, reviews provide a multitude of benefits. By actively inviting and engaging with customer feedback on an open platform like Trustpilot - even when that feedback is not necessarily positive - brands can expand their reach, attract new customers and demonstrate to consumers that they are a customer-centric business. Consumer trust is a key differentiator online. Engaging proactively with feedback can also help smaller, independent furniture businesses to distinguish themselves from their competition - whilst some may not be able to beat larger businesses’ prices, they can compete by providing a better customer experience, and reviews help them to do that. What’s more, Trustpilot’s freemium plan ensures all businesses, no matter size, are on a level playing field and have a fair opportunity to invite and respond to reviews - whether on a subscription or free plan.

why should furniture related businesses be on Trustpilot?

“Whilst inviting open, honest feedback can feel daunting, negative reviews can be just as valuable as positive reviews, and are better than having no feedback at all. In an age of scams and bogus businesses, public reviews tell customers you are a real business. Even more important is how companies respond to negative feedback, and a strong, timely response, demonstrating how well a business deals with a problem, is crucial. Negative reviews are also a powerful tool for business improvement - helping businesses take that feedback on and implement changes where required. Positive feedback gathered on an independent, open platform can also help businesses when it comes to advertising and driving sales, too. Showcasing the best client ratings and reviews in advertisements and promotional materials helps to build a trustworthy brand and reputation among consumers and increase the propensity to engage.”

Kevin Grix, CEO and Chief Ombudsman at the Furniture & Home improvement Ombudsman (FHIO) commented: “Online reviews are now an intrinsic part of the purchasing process for consumers within the furniture and home improvement industries and can provide invaluable insights into the quality of the products and services provided. By engaging with genuine reviews and using platforms like Trustpilot, consumers can gain more insights as to whether a product or a provider of services is going to be right for them.”

Supporting this notion, a survey conducted by London Research - commissioned by Trustpilot and published in ‘The impact of Trustpilot ratings and reviews in UK advertising’, found that UK consumers are four times more likely to click

a Trustpilot co-branded advert showing a five-star customer rating, a high number of reviews, and a customer testimonial. Furthermore, consumers are three times more likely to click a Trustpilot co-branded advert showing a five-star customer rating, high number of reviews and a customer testimonial, versus an ad with no Trustpilot branding - even with a 20% higher price.

“Consumers themselves agree on the importance they place on reviews too, with almost four in five (79%) across the UK acknowledge that a good Trustpilot score makes them more likely to trust a business,” Neil revealed, continuing: “With 89% of UK consumers now checking online reviews prior to making purchasing decisions, the reality is a business is no longer what it says it is, but what the customer says it is - so businesses which choose not to engage with reviews risk being left behind.”

The reality is a business is no longer what it says it is, but what the customer says it is - so businesses which choose not to engage with reviews risk being left behind.

Irish Furniture & Homewares Show Preview

The IFHS is Ireland’s premier furniture and homewares trade show event that gives Irish and UK businesses in the furniture trade the opportunity to do business in a relaxed environment.

IFHS will take place at the new location, the National Indoor Arena in Blanchardstown, Dublin, a state-of-the-art venue with a fresh new look to the show. This is the ideal event for everyone in the industry to see new products, innovative ideas and secure exclusive deals and discounts from the companies on show, all under one roof! The IFHS is an excellent representation of the wide variety of Furniture and Homewares available in Ireland. With the show being the only one of its kind in the country and attended by all the top furniture suppliers and businesses, it is an event not to be missed if you want to meet others within the industry.for you.”

AWARDS

The IFHS are proud to be hosting the Furniture and Home Awards at the 2023 show. This is another opportunity for people to connect in a relaxed environment. Established in 2016 to celebrate and recognise the enormous efforts made by exhibitors in our industry. It gives them the opportunity to gain industry recognition for presenting the best of new innovation, biggest trends and freshest style to the market at the IFHS. There are a range of awards to be won one including the two prestigious ‘Retailer Choice Awards’, ‘Best Wholesale supplier’ and ‘Best Sales Rep’. The sales reps are the face of our industry, the people on the ground and the difference between success and failure. This award will celebrate and acknowledge the hard work and drive of these people. Working rain or shine each day, building relationships with your customers and propelling your company onward and upward.

The Retailers Choice Awards are voted for by retailers attending the show during the registration process.

WHY

We house all the major suppliers of upholstery, dining, bedding, cabinet and accessories. With all the key players in the furniture supply chain exhibiting, the show gives you the chance to plan and place orders for the year ahead. Get great advice and an in -depth view of the trends and what’s available in the furniture and furnishings industry from the large variety of suppliers on show.

WHEN & WHERE?

THINKING OF EXHIBITING?

Exhibiting at the IFHS will give your business exclusive access to a large number of customers under one roof with the opportunity to build relationships, showcase your products and increase your sales. The show will offer you an eager audience of serious buyers who are looking to discover new products and innovations. Our key focus is to support and boost the industry in which we work. Be a part of that and grow with us. Our remaining spaces are filling up fast but if you want to showcase your furniture or homeware products to over one thousand Irish trade buyer attendees this August contact event manager Aisling on 00353 838576794 or email aisling@ifhs-tradeshow.ie

www.ifhs-tradeshow.ie

The IFHS is an excellent representation of the wide variety of Furniture and Homewares available in Ireland.

Future of furniture

Over the last few months there has been some prediction insights within the furnishings industry, from homemovers to product movements. Combining the two sets of research, we explore future spend and what categories are likely to perform well.

Starting with the homemover market, recent research reveals that at the beginning of April 2023 there were nearly 1.25 million households progressing through the homemover owner-occupied journey, representing a jump of 60,000 since Q4 2022. The research from the Q1 2023 Property & Homemover Report by property data analytics specialist TwentyCi, also revealed homemovers are predicted to spend £1.1bn on beds and furniture over the next 12 months.

According to the Office of Statistics, 2022 saw the amount spent on furniture grow by 14% on 2021. Further research from Mordor Intelligence reveals that the home furniture market is poised to grow at a CAGR of 3.2% over the next five years, with homemovers being the most economically valuable consumer group. Colin Bradshaw, CEO at TwentyCi comments: “Each year, new owners spend £1.1bn on beds and furniture, £462m on soft furnishings, £2bn on flooring and window coverings and £4bn on kitchens. Furthermore, a homemovers average order value (AOV) is significantly greater than a nonhomemover, with the return on investment derived from a focus on movers typically generating a return of £20 for every £1 invested. The buoyant housing market will support the UK furniture & floorcoverings market. Our research shows that in Q1 2023 saw 269,000 residential sales and nearly 70% of all properties listed in Q1 have sold so far in 2023.

“For the majority of homemovers, deferring expenditure during a move on items such as flooring, beds, sofas or kitchens is not an option. This makes targeting homemovers an obvious business choice. Understanding when households are on the move and at what stage can drive huge revenue and ROI gains across multiple sectors and categories. Consequently, brands should consider adjusting their marketing to have a greater focus on this valuable consumer group.”

Another dataset was conducted by Euromonitor International, a provider of global business intelligence, market analysis and consumer insights, which forecasts furniture retail sales to increase 4% over the next five years to around £29.1bn in 2027. According to its latest report on Home Furnishings in the UK for 2022, retail value sales rose by 2% to £23.5bn, with indoor living the best performing category – also showing an uptick of 2% growth in value terms.

Detailed within its report, and despite overall declining volume of sales, mattresses witnessed a strong premiumisation trend

in 2022 as “high-income consumers were less affected by inflation and income pressures”.

“This trend towards premium mattresses also allowed another trend to flourish – sustainability. Vegan mattresses – those made without using animal products – proved to be popular in 2022,” Brando Coleman, Research Analyst at Euromonitor International, said. “Similarly, ‘eco-friendly’ and ‘organic’ are increasingly popular claims in mattresses.”

Sustainability across the furnishings sector is expected to continue to be a key driver among consumers. Brando continued: “Home furnishings in the UK is experiencing a shift towards sustainability and eco-friendliness. Local consumers are increasingly aware of their environmental impact and are seeking to reduce their carbon footprint by making more ecofriendly purchases. As a result, players that offer sustainable and eco-friendly home furnishings are poised for success.”

Another key area of expected growth is within storage.

“Amid increasing cost-of-living pressures and urbanisation, local consumers are increasingly living in smaller homes and apartments. As such, over the forecast period, sales of suitable storage furniture are set to increase,” Brando said. “Ongoing remote working and hybrid models will also further contribute to this trend. This effect will also trickle down into sofas, with some sofas now incorporating hidden storage space.”

Also highlighted within the report is the continued strong performance of online shopping. While value sales of home furnishings marginally declined via e-commerce in 2022, they remained significantly higher than pre-pandemic levels. “The channel remained a relevant distribution channel in the UK, and encouraged retailers to further improve their digital presence,” Brando added. “TThis has led to the development of more user-friendly websites and mobile apps, as well as the implementation of new technologies such as augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) to enhance the online shopping experience.”

REVIEW

The Spring Furniture & Bed Show, housed in two dedicated exhibition halls, was hailed as big success with over 70 of the leading Upholstery, Cabinet, Bed and Accessory brands from the UK, Europe and Asia exhibiting.

The two-day event, which took place on 16-17 May at Stoneleigh Park Exhibition Centre in Kenilworth, Warwickshire, experienced a “good representation” of UK retail and online retailers from independent and furniture group’s attending the show.

On the evening of the first day, the Gala Dinner was held at Chesford Grange Hotel, where a gourmet dinner, entertainment and the Spring Show Awards ceremony took place. The winners included där lighting, which won ‘Best Stand’, while Alstons and New Trend were named as ‘The Best British Supplier’ and ‘The Best Overseas Supplier’ respectively.

Paul Norman, National Commercial Manager, was presented the award on the night, with där lighting commenting: “We are one of the bestknown designers and distributors of lighting for the home in the UK. To be recognised with this award is testament to the company and our products. We felt our stand looked fantastic and we are all delighted to win this award.”

Minerva Furniture Group Chief Executive, Jim Orr, added: “Following an incredibly challenging review we were finally delighted to present our Best Spring Furniture and Bed Show Stand Award to där lighting for outstanding product selection, presentation and visual impact.

“There were several amazing Stands at this Spring’s Show and the decision was a difficult one, however in the end we decided that där lighting’s Stand ‘was’ the best Stand at the Show. The där lighting Stand also received many fantastic reviews during the Show

Jim Orr, Minerva’s new Group Chief Executive, reflects on the recent Spring Furniture & Bed Show.

from our visitors, and therefore totally deserved to receive our Award.”

The final award on the night, ‘The Long Service Award’, was presented to Roy Beagent, who is due to retire following 22 years of hardworking and loyal service. Jim said: “I joined Minerva in January as Chief Executive, where I will be replacing Roy. Through his tenure Minerva has become a significant Buying Group in the UK where Roy has supported the development of many major independent furniture retailers, as well as worked with several major UK and overseas suppliers. We wish Roy a very happy retirement and thank him for all his hard work over the years.”

Reflecting on the show, Jim continued: “With over 70 exhibitors showcasing their latest new season’s ranges, it was a terrific opportunity to see a comprehensive mix of products under one roof. The event was fantastic, supported by a fun Gala Dinner, where we had entertainment from well-known magician and MC Neil Edwards, as well as music from acclaimed ‘The Beatles Experience’, and of course our fun Minerva Photo Booth!

“We had the majority of Minerva Group Members in attendance over the two days, as well as industry representatives from all sectors of the furniture and home furnishings market. The Spring Show 2023 was our biggest ever Show and we’re delighted with the response.

“Minerva will continue to support its Members, and Suppliers and I look forward to a good working relationship with everyone in order to develop the business, and benefits of working with ourselves. The next event will be The Autumn Furniture Show, which takes place on 3rd and 4th October at the same venue (Stoneleigh Park) – and Stand enquiries are now open –please contact me on jim.orr@minervafurnituregroup.co.uk.”

www.theautumnfurnitureshow.co.uk

Best British Exhibitor Award - Alstons

Best Overseas Exhibitor - New Trend Concepts

Best Stand Award - Dar Lighting

Retail Focus with Harrison & Brown

Meet Mandy

Day-to-day my role is very hands on and whilst I am a key member of the team I also manage and lead the team to create a friendly and warm environment for all our customers. Key responsibilities include buying, marketing, visual merchandising, people management and overseeing all finances. I also enjoy being active within the city and in my network to create a positive environment for everyone to trade. We have been in Sunderland under this brand name for over six years, however the building on Holmeside has been a furniture retailer through most of the last century. We can capitalise on this history and reputation and we also employ some of the same team from years gone by, this helps us to create consistency for the generations of customers that have shopped with us previously.

Mandy Brown, owner, MD and chief cook and bottle washer of independent furniture retailer Harrison & Brown in Sunderland, shares an update into recent investments from external consulting to online expansion, as well as plans to hit the small screen and why quoting production times needs more clarity.

Recent investments?

I have recently engaged and commissioned an external business consultant with extensive retail knowledge to support me and take the business forward. I want to personally grow and feel we have many opportunities, however with support we can stabilise our current plans in preparation for business growth as we emerge from the “cost-of-living” crisis. It became apparent that many business leaders get stuck in “ground hog day”, and I was no different. I was moving through each day without clear focus and the changes that were required, thinking I was doing as much as I could in the difficult trading situation we are experiencing. With support I now realise that we can control more than we think – in a positive way! The changes instore have been considerable in the last three months, this will help us to attract new customers whilst retaining our loyal customer base.

I was quite reluctant to go online, however we have taken the catalogue style website to an ecommerce platform for our gifts and homeware. This is currently collected from store or we offer a local delivery but we have further plans to move to a full postal service for the less bulky items. Dropship is also a consideration where suppliers will engage and support. We have also spent considerable time ensuring our products are all listed for the website and barcoded. This will ensure we maintain an accurate stock file to support the longer-term buying strategy.

With new POS the clearance floor is working well! Not only generating cashflow from ex-display items but also increasing footfall. The clearance event is on the

top floor, encouraging customers to visit all five floors of our beautiful old building. This will also allow us to create space for new products and exciting ranges for our new customer. We have ramped up our marketing to increase the footfall. The new branding and layout on the ground floor is starting to increase a new customer base and over time this will create a new loyal customer. We have changed the layout on four of the five floors with the bed and bedroom floor in the plan for June. Focussing on the priorities and making changes within our current payroll costs will support the financial position.

With funding support from our local council, we have also re-lamped the building to not only reduce our ongoing costs but also to meet environmental targets. There is a lot of funding support available and maybe some businesses aren’t aware of this, it is always worth asking your Business Investment Team.

Future plans?

I have planned for a local TV campaign when we have finished changing the store layout and we are happy to shout about the changes. This is planned for an autumn launch in line with new products. I am further investing in branding on the beautiful windows on each floor, I want every customer to know where they are shopping. We are also creating some beautiful 3D internal signage with a local print company

to give clear direction to segmented products. We are also going to invest in display equipment to enhance the gifts and homeware range and the table lighting department. Working with my consultant and mentor we have a strategic plan for future buying incorporating product ranges and lines that will continue to attract our new customer and offer something exciting to our loyal customers.

What is your mission?

To provide the best service on British made furniture in Sunderland City Centre. I’m going to further add to my team too. I feel I’m missing the support required to take the business to the next level and enhance our service. The team are fabulous and very focussed on the customer, however with an extra pair of hands I’m sure we can go above and beyond.

On sustainability, what is your business doing on this topic?

Currently we recycle all waste and we are reducing our carbon footprint with lighting changes in store, auto-lighting on quiet floors and removing as much paperwork as possible from our admin team. We are focussed on finding new ways to operate to be more economically and environmentally sustainable. To avoid landfill and support charities we work with our customers and a local contact to recycle as much upholstery as possible. One person’s rubbish is another’s treasure! We will be conducting an exercise on social value in autumn and with this will come new actions to help us make further progress.

How has recent business been?

Sunderland is experiencing a massive transformation programme, millions is being invested in the city centre and whilst in the short-term this can have its challenges, the long-term

picture is very positive. The progress within the city is vast, new buildings and new infrastructure taking us forward. Business has been slow recently. We are noticing a decline in customers spend but also in footfall from our current customer profile. This is one of the key reasons for expanding the offering to a new customer to help us overcome the challenges. The challenges have been coupled with Brexit, Covid-19 and the cost-of-living crisis and this has meant an overall reduction in footfall within the city. Customers are bargain hunting to make the most of each pound in their purse and we feel that the extra value, or a perception of gaining extra value, is here to stay for the foreseeable future.

What would you change in the industry?

Many factories are quoting incorrect production times which leads to a disappointed customer and a potential complaint. This isn’t good for business and is generally creating issues in the store for the team. They don’t like to phone customers with a delay particularly when it can be weeks! Accurate production times being quoted would give everyone clarity and enable the retailer to continue to offer a fabulous service. I would also like to see an improved level of consistency in product manufacturing. We have recently experienced some poor levels in upholstery.

What challenges do you currently face?

We are experiencing a reduction in footfall and the pound in our customer’s purse. We are facing into this challenge by adapting the business to suit a new customer profile and increasing our marketing spend. As the city transformation continues, I will continue to be an active participant in networking to support the challenges we all face. I’m also going to support my team with job descriptions

and clear expectations. This isn’t something that we have had previously and with my new focus on how I lead the team and work on the business and less “in” it, a new clear people strategy will be supportive to take us forward. I want to ensure that our reward and recognition focus aligns with our expectations to ensure the team are onboard with the plans.

Do you have any staff you would like to pay special thanks or recognition to and why?

The newest member of our team is a young lad, Matty. He is learning the business as we progress and he is working hard and using his initiative. He has been a massive help in updating the website and getting products ready for launch. I would also like to recognise Richard for the ideas he has had in relation to the changes within the business lately, many of which we have actioned.

Lisa has also done a fabulous job of updating many of our admin and finance processes which have allowed us to be more streamlined and focussed.

Why do you think customers choose your business?

The friendly service we offer is one of the key reasons, however, I also think they like feeling recognised by the team and feeling special to us. We have great products at keen prices and they enjoy the 1-2-1 service we provide. Many furniture stores pounce on customers and follow them around the store, we are relaxed and helpful. We offer a local delivery service where we build the furniture on site and leave it in the desired location. There are many funny stories about negotiating rather large pieces of furniture around some very narrow stairs in a city centre flat on the 14th floor! We always do our best for each customer. When there are issues (hopefully not too many!) we go out of our way to help, support and overcome! I think our customers appreciate this level of service. There aren’t many furniture businesses in a city centre location anymore – for those customers who don’t have easy access to a retail park, our location is key.

Accurate production times being quoted would give everyone clarity and enable the retailer to continue to offer a fabulous service.

The makings of a modern home

London’s oldest furniture retailer, Heal’s, has released an exclusive piece of research dating back 60 years, offering an insight into the transformation of the modern home alongside the reopening of its flagship store.

In 1960, as one of the first UK retailers to conduct customer research, Heal’s found that only two in five homes at the time had a washing machine, three in four owned a refrigerator, and four in five had a landline telephone.

Six decades later, newly-commissioned research has found that 97% of the population now considers the fridge a must-have item for their home, whilst other ‘essentials’ included a king size bed for one in four people, and a Smart TV for 42% of those surveyed.

With almost half of the UK’s employees now hybrid working, three in four homes also consider a desk to be the most practical piece, whilst the majority (92%) of people view ice machines and home cinema systems as unnecessary luxuries.

Meanwhile, when shopping for their interiors, millennials were most likely to be influenced by social media trends, compared to over 55s, who prioritised practicality, quality craftsmanship, and functionality.

While interior trends have evolved through the decades, Heal’s has witnessed the importance of design longevity, having been the first to introduce some of the most iconic furnishings to UK consumers over the last two centuries.

First released in the 1930s, the illustrious Anglepoise lamp by British car suspension designer, George Carwardine, has today been identified by those surveyed as the most recognisable piece of home furnishings, whilst the most desired icon for the UK home, was named as the Egg chair by Arne Jacobsen – originally launched in 1958. This was followed by the Eames lounge chair (1956) and LC4 chaise longue, which was developed in 1928.

British historian, broadcaster and filmmaker, Professor David Olusoga, commented: “When we talk about history, we are

taught to understand the role of past wars and the previous kings and queens on contemporary society. Often overlooked is the way that these events have influenced the fabric of the way we live, and the impact this has had within our home.

“In 1953, the Queen’s Coronation was a historic moment as Britain’s first major televised event, and one that changed the dynamic of the home overnight. It led to millions buying their first television, which replaced the fireplace as the focal point of the room, and the concept of positioning our sofas for the best TV vantage point remains to this day. As we look forward to celebrating the King’s Coronation, this is an opportunity to reflect on how attitudes and purchases around the home have changed over the last 70 years.

“Representing a pivotal moment in modern society, the recent surge in remote working has now seen the desk crowned as the most practical piece for today’s home. However, as coveted furniture icons stand the test time, transcending not only evolving trends and wider societal influences, but also changes in the demands placed on our interiors, the nation’s respect for quality craftsmanship and unique design is clear.

“For me, the Anglepoise lamp by George Carwardine is the epitome of elegant yet functional design, and despite

celebrating its 90th birthday this year, it remains the UK’s most recognisable product for the home. Meanwhile, Arne Jacobsen’s 1958 Egg chair has been named the nation’s most sought-after piece, with a shape so iconic and likeable, it would sit proud in most homes across the country.

“As one of the first retailers to bring these to the British consumer, it would be remiss not to acknowledge the part that Heal’s has played over the years in introducing cutting edge designs to new generations, particularly as it continues to support innovative work and collaborate with established designers and up-and-coming talent.”

Hamish Mansbridge, CEO of Heal’s, added: “Having influenced British interiors since 1810, we have witnessed first hand how trends can evolve, not just in design, but also in our expectations of the home. Having analysed our research, and putting it into the context of modern history, it is fitting that David’s family has its own Heal’s story, with his mother-in-law, Diane, having been part of Heal’s Fabrics’ design team back in the ‘60s. It is stories like these that make us proud to be custodians of such a British institution, which has shaped the way so many people live today.”

The comparable archive and newly-commissioned research comes as Heal’s reopens the doors to its new-look flagship

store on Tottenham Court Road, where it has anchored London’s “furniture street” since 1818. Its original customer survey influenced the layout of a major store extension in 1962, which Heal’s vacated more than 40 years ago and is now reclaiming.

The renovation of the site has been purposefully designed to reconnect the two spaces in a way that pays homage to Heal’s’ legacy and respects the value of the Grade II listed building, whilst reinventing the shopping experience for a modern audience.

The redevelopment takes the showroom, which officially reopened on Friday 28 April 2023, to over 49,000sqft across two floors, doubling its store frontage and enhancing its street-level presence. Inside, the store features a more comprehensive edit of global design brands alongside its own collections, including iconic furnishings such as the Anglepoise lamp, Egg chair, LC4 chaise longue, Eames lounge chair, Togo sofa and Saarinen Tulip table.

As one of the central focusses to the new store, a bespoke staircase has been designed by one of the most esteemed furniture makers and long-time Heal’s collaborator, Matthew Hilton. The installation is intended to seamlessly link the basement and ground floor, where customers will be able to browse the latest additions to Heal’s roster of global design brands, including new additions Zanotta, HAY Furniture, GUBI, Carpe Diem and Case Furniture. Joining London’s most photographed staircase at the heart of the building –the famous 1919 Cecil Brewer spiral design, and Sir Edward Maufe’s Lenscrete creation, which was central to the store’s southern extension in 1936, Hilton’s new addition will complete an iconic trio of statement staircases.

As part of the relaunch, Heal’s has also announced a longterm partnership with creative learning platform, Create Academy, to host an exclusive run of workshops throughout the year with the first successful session taking place alongside London Craft Week last month.

Hamish commented: “We are delighted to have opened the doors to our new-look Tottenham Court Road flagship, which has been at the heart of Heal’s since our predecessors first took up residence on the street back in 1818.

“It is a privilege to reclaim the Fitzroy Robinson extension on the north of the building after more than 40 years. Our extended fascia, which now runs all the way from Alfred Mews to Torrington Place, is particularly impressive and symbolic of Heal’s returning to its rightful place.

“The renovation has been incredibly well received, not only by customers, but also from the friends and family of the business, who fondly remember the original space when it was purpose built for Heal’s in 1962.

“Boasting a newly created statement central entrance, it has been fantastic to see the store come to life with features including a giant light installation of our bestselling Ribbon pendant, and an elevated experience for shoppers seeking the best product inspiration for their homes.

“We hope our customers will enjoy browsing the new store, which pays homage to Heal’s’ rich heritage and the original features of our building, whilst continuing to showcase an unrivalled edit of leading brands and design icons. We’re also looking forward to revealing more exciting updates in the coming months.

“We are proud of our role as London’s original furniture retailer, and in returning to Fitzroy Robinson’s north extension, we’re not only illustrating our commitment to bricks and mortar retail, but also to Tottenham Court Road, re-establishing it as London’s furniture street.”

www.heals.com

We are proud of our role as London’s original furniture retailer, and in returning to Fitzroy Robinson’s north extension, we’re not only illustrating our commitment to bricks and mortar retail, but also to Tottenham Court Road, re-establishing it as London’s furniture street.

Green Retail

In the next part of our ongoing sustainable series, we take a deeper look at clothing and home products retailer Next and what they are doing in terms of sustainability, with a focus on furnishings.

The topic of sustainability continues to be of great importance. From product innovations such as bottlefilled mattresses to greener practices and initiatives, businesses are also adapting new ways of working to make their operations more sustainable. In the next instalment of our series, we explore more of Next’s green credentials.

NEXT

In the recent Corporate Responsibility report to January 2023, Next stated that global issues, such as responsible sourcing, human rights and climate change remain key areas of focus. Behind the scenes, a great deal of work is underway to set solid foundations for a realistic and achievable transition plan to reach net zero. Taking a look at the top-level initiatives, Next said that progress towards its 2025 Responsible Sourcing Strategy, which aims to source 100% of its key raw materials through known, responsible or certified routes by 2025, is on track, while its internal Code of Practice team are continuing to work with suppliers worldwide to meet appropriate labour standards.

“During 2023, we will bring our existing work together to start to develop our circularity framework. To support this, we became one of the founding signatories of WRAP’s Textile 2030 initiative,” Next said. “Signatories have committed to a collaborative approach to accelerate progress towards a circular economy for textiles as well as

working to reduce the climate impact of the industry. We will consider the impact our designs and product development can have on the environment and what choices we can make when developing our products.”

Furthermore, Next has made continued progress towards its Science Based Target Initiative (SBTi) approved carbon emission reductions for Scope 1, 2 and Scope

3. “We set ambitious targets to reduce our absolute Scope 1 and Scope 2 carbon emissions by 55% from a baseline year of 2016/17. We are progressing well against this 2030 target,” the retailer said. Other areas include commitments and initiatives to improve the wellbeing of staff, as well as on waste, packaging and recycling throughout the business.

“Our in-house recycling centre located at one of our UK warehouses receives materials for recycling from around 400 of our stores. Once the materials are received they are segregated and baled, before being sent for recycling. Improved procedures within the recycling centre have ensured we have been able to control how these materials are handled when they are received to ensure we maximise the quantity to be recycled,” Next said.

A particular focus on recycling has been towards furnishings. Next has been developing takeback schemes to ensure valuable resources are kept in circulation, including a mattress recycling programme and help for customers to donate unwanted furniture for reuse. “We recognise there is much more to do and that collaboration across the industry is vital”, said the retailer, which added that an overall 95% diversion of waste from landfill was achieved last year.

“Mattresses are a difficult waste stream to manage with most old mattresses going to landfill. We offer a solution where customers can request we remove and recycle their old mattress when their new mattress is being delivered,” Next said. “During

the year, working with our specialist provider The Furniture Recycling Group (TFRG), we have been able to recycle over 2,300 mattresses diverting over 76 tonnes from landfill.”

In fact, since August 2014, working with TFRG, Next revealed it has helped its customers to divert more than 28,000 mattresses from landfill. The company also has other furnishing partnerships with a number of charitable organisations to reuse products where possible. These include

Doncaster Refurnish and the British Heart Foundation (BHF).

Doncaster Refurnish is a social enterprise charity located near Next’s main warehouses and has partnered with the business for more than 10 years. It aims to help the local community by creating sustainable employment and training opportunities.

“Through our donations of safe but unsellable or damaged furniture and home accessories, Refurnish generates funding by converting items for reuse and sale. This funding provides much needed services in the community with the additional benefit of diverting tonnes of product from landfill,” Next said.

As for the British Heart Foundation (BHF), Next offers its customers a free furniture collection service for unwanted items such as mattresses and sofas. “All donated items are sold to raise vital funds; our customers’ donated furniture and home products have helped BHF raise over £1.6m with over 12,400 items collected from customers’ homes since we first partnered with them in 2016. It has also diverted hundreds of tonnes of furniture from landfill too,” Next added. During the last year, Next assisted customers to donate around 750 items of unwanted furniture to the British Heart Foundation. The company also developed its ‘Giving at NEXT’ website (giving.go.next/home) to support employees both at work and in their own time to make donations to help their chosen charities.

Moving from recycling to sourcing, one area of focus is timber. Next aims to reduce its impact and to increase social and environmental benefits by only using responsibly sourced timber and paper. As part of its 2025 Responsible Sourcing Strategy, and in line with its Timber Sourcing Policy, Next is committed to working with suppliers to deliver 100% of its products from Responsible or Certified Responsible sources by 2025.

“Responsibly sourced timber is critical to limiting deforestation. These are products that come from a certified forest origin, as well as being assessed as low risk for illegal deforestation, use recycled material, or are sourced from a certified supply chain,” Next said. “This was one of our key areas of focus during the year and we were pleased to increase our use of certified or responsibly sourced timber to 50% (2021/22: 39%). To support our suppliers to provide the best possible sources of timber, we have a programme for auditing, training and species testing. During the year, we worked directly with our suppliers to provide in-country training and timber mitigation expertise, as well as undertake species testing to support compliance with our Timber Policy.”

The report also outlined a number of energy efficiency measures Next is implementing, which include LED lighting that is fitted as standard in new stores and the majority of its existing stores. Next has continued to invest in high efficiency LED lighting, which is now in 55% of its retail stores. “This reduced our lighting energy consumption by around 75% in comparison to the lighting replaced. During the year, we plan to refit 100 stores, and aim to have the balance of stores’ lighting replaced in 2024/25.”

Furthermore, solar panels are installed in a small number of stores and in its Head Office nursery. “Two of our main warehouse sites operates solar PV, with one of the sites running solely on the energy being provided and any excess being exported to the grid. We continue to look for further viable opportunities to install further solar PV to work to reduce our reliance on the grid,” Next said.

Moving to another area of its corporate responsibility is Next’s employment programme with the Prison Service, where one of its warehouse sites has implemented a rehabilitation programme that is now in its fifth year. At the end of 2021, Next Furniture Manufacturing in Doncaster partnered with HMP Lakeside, to set up a bespoke frame assembly production facility. With its own dedicated on-site trainer, Next took a small number of offenders through a 12-week programme to learn all the skills and techniques to become a skilled frame assembler. “At the end of their sentence, the ex-offender will be offered a full-time contract with Next as long as they have successfully completed their training programme. The aim of this initiative is to help support a reduction in the risk of re-offending once in the community and help support the ex-offender’s integration back into society,” Next said.

www.nextplc.co.uk/corporate-responsibility

Is the mattress industry recycling all it can?

Steve Adams, CEO at Mattress Online, talks about recycling and what the business is doing in this area of sustainability, while also sharing an insight into how the mattress industry can do more.

Back in 2015, Mattress Online introduced an innovative mattress recycling service on a non-profit basis to help protect the environment and educate customers. They work in partnership with mattress recycling organisations, who process each mattress component at a dedicated recycling plant, which has saved more than 150,000 mattresses going to landfill to date.

Over the past five years, that’s a 344% increase in recycling and between May 2022 and April 2023 alone, 14,500 mattresses were recycled with the recycling rate increasing from 23% to now accounting for 25% of all orders. “One of our key corporate goals is to continually improve and promote our not-for-profit recycling service to make recycling mattresses as accessible to customers as possible. But the rest of the industry has to be equally committed,” Steve said.

In fact, Steve has also joined a Sustainability panel of the National Bed Federation (NBF). The panel works with the ministerial department at The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) to make an extended producer responsibility (EPR) statutory across the industry. “Legislation

is key to mattress recycling becoming higher up the agenda,” Steve says. “Working together with the NBF and leading industry figures with DEFRA and government ministers to make Extended Producer Responsibility a priority - not only at the end of life, but it’s also important to consider the recyclability of a product in the manufacturing stages too.”

The UK currently throws away seven million mattresses each year and it is estimated that only 19% of mattresses are recycled. Mattress Online recognises that it’s not enough for them to engage in a sustainability initiative in silo and Steve issued a call to the rest of the industry last year to make it easier for customers to recycle. “Knowledge and understanding are key here, as an industry it is up to us to help our customers have an insight into the recycling process. The environment is more important than ever, children in schools are taught about recycling and sustainability, so it’s not necessarily a reluctance to do the right thing - it’s knowing what to do.

“Local authorities are disposing of mattresses at no cost; however, that’s dependent on getting the mattress to their

refuse centres in the first place - those mattresses then go to landfill in many cases and potentially the general public don’t ask the question of where it will go - if they did then they might have looked at an alternative disposal solution.”

Steve added that their delivery staff are consistently reporting a regular question from customers, who ask “where is my old mattress actually going?” The business is making sure their teams are educated thoroughly to explain the process and reassure the customer of its sustainability commitment. “We have pledged to recycle 40% of all mattresses by 2025 and will continue to investigate the use of reusable hessian packaging too. Our plastic polythene mattress bags are made from 100% recycled content and are 100% recyclable. This is all part of the ongoing efforts towards sustainability and we were recognised last year by winning the Good Retail Sustainability Award.”

Mattress Online says that 22% of its mattresses are chemicalfree, 26% include recycled materials and 23% are vegan-friendly. Furthermore, the business plans to look into products they stock in relation to the circular economy and whether the components used are part of that economy. “Essentially if a product doesn’t already have its own individual sustainability

credentials, then it might not be the right product for Mattress Online,” Steve said, adding a final thought on what the industry needs. “More recycling capacity, but scaled with process and traceability at the forefront. With economies of scale, we can bring the cost to the consumer down which we believe is the biggest barrier to consumers fully buying in.

“Solving the recycling challenge will only work with a unified approach from all manufacturers and retailers, and across all geographical regions. We want those conversations to keep happening in the hope that progress will naturally follow.”

www.mattressonline.co.uk

FEATURES

The Vogue Way

Bilkis Patel, Director at beds and mattress manufacturer Vogue Beds, talks about their new

venture, Vogue Imports.

Over the last few years Vogue Beds has been busy expanding its product offer, with the move into bedframes. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Vogue took the opportunity to design and develop their own upholstered bedframes at its factory in Barwell, just outside of Leicester. Since moving into this product category, Vogue has seen success, prompting the business to expand even further.

“We began looking into the market for bedframes a few years ago, during Covid and lock down, and we began to design and develop our own upholstered bedframes. Due to the success of this product we began to explore other options to extend our range for bedframes,” Bilkis said. “After doing some market research, we found there was a high demand for wooden frames, so we decided we needed to be part of this growing trend, and that’s how the idea of Vogue Imports was born.”

With a history dating back to 1990, Vogue Beds has become a staple within the mattress industry. Taking its innovative approach further, this is their first foray into importing bedframes, with the company partnering with a well-established business in Malaysia. “This is our first venture into importing bedframes and we are working with a great company we have known for over a decade in Malaysia,” Bilkis said.

“We looked at the trends of wooden bedframes and after extensive research we introduced our first imported bedframe last year at the January

Furniture Show. During this product launch, we received positive feedback from our customers due to the fact the headend boards could be customised in our 25 fabrics, so customers could customise the final finish, adding extra flexibility.

This success has continued with the recent showing at the Minerva Spring Furniture & Bed Show. Vogue displayed the new imported bedframes and fabric upholstered bedframes, alongside its exclusive Eco Sleep collection for Minerva members, and its unique Helix Pocket spring Collection. Also on show was its new wooden bedframes along with its 100% Vegan mattress, which is approved by the Vegan Society. “The show was great for us and was another opportunity to display the new bedframes alongside our other products and developments,” Bilkis said.

Onto the products themselves, the new imported bedframes include the VB-030 and VB-020.

Fabric colours shown throughout this poster may appear diferent to the final product.

VB-030

As mentioned, Vogue are predominantly known for manufacturing mattresses, but, as Bilkis says, they are “opportunists”, and when the opportunity to expand into new terrain, it was something that couldn’t be ignored. “We wanted to introduce imported frames and, like everything else we release, we wanted to add a twist and make it ‘Vogue’, which is how the idea of upholstered headend boards came about - making our wooden bedframes unique.

“Predominantly, we are a manufacturer of mattresses, but we are also opportunists, and this is great opportunity to target a new audience while adding our own profile of products. These frames are a fantastic addition to our current range that we already offer to customers, who can continue to buy our mattresses, while having the option to purchase headboards, divans, and bedframes from us too. Like always, we are striving to be a ‘one stop shop’ and give our customer base what they want.”

VB-030

This elegant wooden upholstered bedframe, with its minimalistic design, creates a luxurious look with its fully upholstered headboard taking centre stage in any bedroom. The upholstered headend is available in 25 fabric options and is also available in an oak or walnut finish. Solid rubber wood with finger joint lamination with a wooden slatted base with middle support.

VB-020

The shaker design in a painted finish is perfect for the lighter room, the simple detail of this model with its soft colours allows to blend other accessories to the room. Solid pine available in white or dove grey, with a wooden slatted base with middle support.

VB-020

VB-010

GNG invests in strengthening its team

A strong commercial and operational professional, Richard has over 25 years’ sales experience, including an impressive track record working within the furniture industry where he held senior positions with a number of leading businesses. With purpose-built 40,000sq ft manufacturing facilities in Normanton, West Yorkshire, which opened just last year, GNG has grown into one of the leaders in British mattress manufacture, supplying retailers and hospitality providers across the UK as well as being an approved supplier to the NHS.

In his new role with GNG, Richard will lead the sales operation for the expanding mattress division which includes its Komfi vacuum-packed mattress brand featuring the unique Ecofoam which is made from 100% recycled and re-engineered foam, and is able to be entirely recycled when it reaches the end of its natural life. It also offers luxury Sonlevo mattresses with TrueGel grid system technology, giving maximum support while minimising pressure and regulating temperature. GNG’s portfolio includes mattresses from Nectar Sleep which focus on exceptional comfort and provide a 365-night trial and lifetime warranty.

“With his exceptional track record of success within the industry, Richard will play a pivotal role in spearheading the further growth of our mattress division,” says GNG Group managing director Darren Potterton. “Having increased capacity by over 300%

GNG Group is continuing to build its offering to the interiors market with the appointment of experienced sales director Richard Gretton as commercial director to drive the growth of its consumer and contract mattress division. www.gnggroup.co.uk

with the opening of our Normanton facilities last summer, we have ambitious expansion plans to continue to build our customer base.

“Richard’s appointment comes at a crucial time as we embark on the next chapter of planned growth in the UK. His strategic vision and business acumen, together with his industry insights and ability to forge strong relationships, will be instrumental in positioning our company to capitalise on emerging opportunities and further enhance our capabilities.”

Richard adds: “With a 40-year manufacturing heritage, GNG has become one of the leading names in British-made mattresses. Known for quality, service and product innovation, I am excited to be joining a fast-growing business where I believe I can make a real difference. While the company has made impressive progress in recent years, there are still new markets to be explored and I am looking forward to using my skills to bring GNG’s outstanding products to a wider audience.”

Headquartered in Normanton, GNG Group was established in 1987 and now employs more than 130 people across the group. It has become an international brand leader and supplier of foam-based products, primarily serving the medical, consumer and sports sectors.

The hunt delivers record success

This month marks a year since Big Furniture Group first sat down with John Rayment, Operations Director at Sussex Beds, where he shared an insight on the process of hunting new retail locations as the business looked to implement its expansion strategy.

A year on, Sussex Beds has put those plans into action, expanding its store network to 15 sites, as well as entering a new county for the first time. Following openings in Ashford, Canterbury and Dover back in 2022, Sussex Beds launched in Horley, taking a 6,000sqft store, while marking another milestone for the retailer by entering its third county in Surrey, the new store opened in January earlier this year.

Furthermore, this store was the first that featured its brand-new look, with fresh teal and white branding, replacing the existing black and orange design. A teaser ahead of the launch came when Sussex Beds unveiled the rebranding of its delivery fleet with a fresh new look and fun-themed names, which included ‘Beddy Mercury’, ‘Meryl Sleep’, ‘Sleepy Gonzales’, ‘Dozee Rascal’ and BFG’s Editor’s personal favourite, ‘Shaun of the Bed’.

As the Horley store settled into its portfolio, John was busy prepping the next location, again in Surrey, and its most recent launch in Caterham. The new 3,500sqft store officially opened on 1 April 2023 and is located in Church Walk Shopping Centre, Station Avenue, becoming the retailer’s 15th store.

“We are delighted with our new store in Caterham and the initial reaction over the opening weekend was fantastic,” John said. “We would like to thank all our contractors for their work over at the Caterham store. It’s our quickest turnaround yet in Caterham, with works being completed in just six weeks.”

Since opening in Caterham, the store has conitued to deliver a strong performance and has broken a record for the retailer. John revealed: “Caterham has continued from where it started. It is still trading amazing figures and is our best ever start for a new store. In fact, the month of April was 137% above our predicted target, so we are delighted with how the response has been and all the work that has gone into the location.

“We’ve had many lovely comments on the layout and look of the store, as well as the great choice of products we have on display and the superb service from Callum, Omar and Kumbi. It really has been a great opening success for us.”

Last year, John revealed that Sussex Beds’ goal is to open three to four stores each year for the next three years, then further expanding to 10 stores a year after that, with an overall target of 80 stores by 2030. With two already ticked off for 2023, John added that the business is taking their foot off the gas for now, but will be soon again on the hunt for the right retail location later this year.

“We have a very detailed sheet showing potential new store locations with the predicted market share and turnover. With this information I can then visit towns to see if there are any vacant units. Following the two recent openings, we are taking a little break from shop searching until later in the year. However, the future is looking exciting and we cannot wait to take Sussex Beds into many more towns as we continue our expansion.”

The month of April was 137% above our predicted target, so we are delighted with how the response has been and all the work that has gone into the location.

FEATURES

The Bed Expert

Vic Smith, owner of independent beds retailer Vic Smith Beds, talks about promotions.

When it comes to promotions, we often get customers ask “when is your next promotion?”. We will clearly say we have a summer sale and a winter sale, and occasionally manufacturers will give a great promotion, but I haven’t seen one like this offer in a long time and you’ve still got time so don’t worry, you’ll still got a few days left if you’re serious about coming back and grabbing it now while the price is low. After all, prices never go down, they always go up, so take advantage and buy now, especially at the moment. We find that indirect pressure always works.

You’re in retail, you need promotions, you need reasons for your customers to buy whether it’s in store or on your website. It’s called a call to action, to make your customers buy now, as opposed to no urgency = no hurry = no sale!

Recently we’ve had the King’s coronation, so in our shops we had big posters on the window with a Union Jack as an outlying border with the window posters reading ‘the King of all Beds sales’. When customers enquire what’s this all about, we explain when they buy any double bed with drawers over a certain price, they can have any headboard half price, and from our point of view, the headboard is the crown of the bed. This is what we tell our customers and that the promotion is from the UK bed manufacturers. If the promotion is from us, then we will be asked “go on, you can extend the offer” or “go on, you can make it cheaper”. On the other hand, if it’s from the manufacturers, a third-party and finishes on a certain date, it’s all out of your power and control. That again gives a call to action, and a reason for people, your customers, to buy now and not next week, next month or next year.

So, if we take, for example the King’s coronation as a recent sales promotion, we pushed it two weeks before and one week after it was over to maximise offers. We also then brought into play, which is still current, that it may be time for a new bed during May madness, emphasising and using a different colour for May and madness. Customers need a reason to buy and to buy now. I’ve never been a lover of one day events, but I do think having a reason to buy within an allotted time works well. You need to find an excuse and a reason to have an event during the summer holidays.

Traditionally, the bed industry goes quiet as people save their money for a holiday both pre-Covid and after. We have been doing an offer when you buy a bed over x amount - and this can’t be too high because you have to target your audience, you get a free tent and we promote this along the line of ‘need a holiday and a bed?’. Well, now you can have your cake and eat it when you buy a bed from us over x amount, you get a free tent. You can use this tent in your back garden for the grandkids or go camping with your own kids. The choice is yours and you can use it time and time again. We purchased a bulk deal of new unused army tents that sleeps four for a great price from an army surplus store. This is just another idea that one of our staff had and we pay them £50 per idea that gets used because, trust me once you have got the 50 quid, the ideas start flowing fast and furious. It’s a great incentive and it motivates staff to use as a little sales edge.

Of course, you’re going to get people saying I don’t want a tent, well throw in a set of pillows instead. But I can guarantee, you do it right, and you’ll be shocked how many tents you will be giving away. Now, I know anyone reading this that’s the old stick in the mud and can’t be told because they know everything about everything is going to say, I don’t want to buy tents, I don’t want to do this, I don’t want to do that. All I’ll say to this, is that you’re in retail, so start retailing. Start selling your beds in a bit more volume. You have to be creative and find a reason to have a promotion - it could be something in the local area or it could be part of a national occasion. Ultimately, it’s down to you to sort. And don’t forget to review the promotion after it comes to end. See what worked well, what not so well and use this vital information to help map out future events. What was the last promotion you ran?

www.vicsmithbeds.co.uk

Safety issues ongoing

A total of 17 products were purchased and tested, including mattresses, sofabeds and headboards – 11 from NBF members and six from non-members. The products were tested, opened and examined.

All but one of the non-member products were found wanting, with several major failures in both flammability testing results and trade description issues, with some advertised spring counts being over-stated and some fillings not being present in certain products at all. One mattress advertised as a ‘contract’ mattress meeting Crib 5 failed so spectacularly that it had to be forcibly extinguished.

Results were shared with the retailers of the non-NBF member company products, enabling them to use the information to conduct their own investigations with their supplier.

There were also concerns with a few of the NBF member products, although in general these were minor issues around labelling and incorrect product descriptions on the retailers’ websites. All issues were discussed and resolved directly with the NBF members concerned.

The findings on all products, NBF member and non-NBF member, are also shared with the NBF’s Primary Authority Partner, West Yorkshire Trading Standards who investigate further where appropriate or pass the details on to the relevant trading standards office.

Since the NBF started its Due Diligence Testing Programme back in 2018, it has examined over 130 products, split fairly equally between NBF members and nonmembers.

Tristine Hargreaves, executive director at the NBF commented: “The NBF due diligence testing programme was introduced to support the code of practice audits by checking that our members are continuing to meet their obligations on a day-to-day basis and not just at the time of an audit. Whilst there were some minor issues that we have been helping members resolve, it is pleasing to see there were no safety related issues on NBF member products found during this round of purchases, which offers re-assurance when buying from an NBF approved member.

“The due diligence testing programme is a great way of benchmarking the overall industry levels of compliance of products placed on the market and it is disappointing to see that there are still issues with non-compliance to safety related matters on the non-member side. We would encourage manufacturers to download the NBF best practice guidance on flammability testing that is available to all manufacturers, including non-members, as this is a very useful guide in helping to understand the requirements.”

The National Bed Federation’s (NBF) latest round of due diligence finished product testing continues to highlight the benefits of the association’s audited Code of Practice, with some major flammability and trade descriptions issues identified in non-member products.

Whilst there were some minor issues that we have been helping members resolve, it is pleasing to see there were no safety related issues on NBF member products found during this round of purchases.

Just another day in China

Paul Wray, Managing Director of Furntec Ltd and Modern Outlook Furniture, shares an insight into quality control and the importance of maintaining high standards.

The biggest part of our day is Quality Control (QC), and having worked in China for over 25 years, it’s imperative that you have a complete quality control procedure in place for checking each and every one of your products being made.

Now with a full QC team working across China, and overseeing the team and its reports, it’s good to know that the products you are producing are as you ordered for the customer. I have seen many horrors over the years, and it still happens with products being made substandard and shipped without any checks being made by customers buying directly from factories. To give you an example, one particular factory produced a complete run of sofas, in a completely different colour fabric to what was originally specified. When I asked why, I was told by the factory that they had run out of the particular colour ordered so they decided to put on a fabric that they thought looked nice! It happens, so don’t get caught out.

For me, it’s also very important I visit my teams across China to not only check what they are doing but to support them in their job. It can be very lonely when your based in a factory in the middle of nowhere for weeks quality controlling and checking product with no direct contact from the company. Support is always needed and trust me; you will always get the best from your staff when you show you actually care and take notice of what they do.

Our teams undergo thorough training from our company and we emphasise the BEST QUALITY must be achieved for each and every one of our customers, no matter how big or small.

Please, if you are buying from China and you have no QC in place checking your products being produced, don’t leave it to chance. Our company offers a complete AQL (Acceptable Quality Limit) service where we select product from production for inspection to determine if the customers product order has met the specifications. Based on the sampling data, the AQL standard can help determine whether to accept the product or reject everything.

Modern Outlook Furniture assists businesses of all sizes in procurement from China at any stage of your project. If you would like a no obligation conversation about how we can assist you and help you avoid any costly issues or nasty surprises, please do get in touch!

paulw@modernoutlook.cn

www.linkedin.com/in/paul-wray-79403935/

THE BIG QUESTION

This month we’re asking retailers, how do you first approach a customer?

At Gillies, we want our customers to feel welcome in our stores and are provided space and time to browse before any sales approach. Our sales staff have all been trained to deliver a non-business greeting; offering a hello with a smile, simple conversation about the weather, their dog or local events or anything else that comes to mind. Once a customer shows interest in a product, our staff approach with a helpful remark about combinations, covering options or colours, breaking the ice before asking questions regarding their wants and needs. We actively avoid using the dreaded phrase ‘do you need any help’!

I’ll start with asking: “Is there anything I can help you with”. They usually say “just Browsing”. Then I start to walk away and then they will ask a question. We are extremely “none pushy”.

Here at Linthorpe Beds we like to allow our customers to feel at ease when they enter one of our Showrooms. We’ve all been there; we walk into a shop and all of a sudden, we feel pounced upon. Nobody likes it. Nobody wants it. It doesn’t leave a good impression. We find a friendly good morning, afternoon or just a simple hello with a smile goes a long way. If a customer wants to engage, they’ll usually take this as their gateway opportunity. We understand that on entering one of showrooms customers may feel overwhelmed with the abundance of beds and mattresses as well as being aware that sales staff maybe watching their every move. We ensure that our sales team are always active either by housekeeping, restocking, or working at the sales desk all the while allowing the customer to get acquainted to the environment in their own time. All of our sales team are highly trained sleep experts, and we feel we don’t need to overrun customers straight away. The team’s knowledge and understanding of the customer plays a huge part in building that relationship and gaining trust. We find the perfect way to get into a conversation with a customer is to make a comment about what they’re looking at… “beautiful bed isn’t it? It also comes in different fabric options… That’s my favourite mattress, if you like the feel of that try this one too” Making a personal connection in sales is everything, remember people buy from people they like, and we find our sales team are some of the loveliest around!

We operate via appointment only, although we do attract a high volume of “walk-ins”. Either way customers are greeted with a smile, our name, and a friendly invite to come on in. We keep things light, as often customers can feel a little uneasy walking into a bed store. We start off with “how can we help you today” ... which five times out of 10 leads to the customer joking that they need a bed (obviously), which results in a bit of a joke/laugh and instantly helps the customer relax a little.

The USP for Toons is that we are low pressure selling and consistently in our customer surveys that is mentioned as the thing that customers like about shopping with us. Our staff will greet the customer with a friendly good morning or good afternoon and then leave them to browse until they either ask for, or look like they need assistance.

Jack Brooks - Pieces for Places

Huw Williams - Toons

Luke Symmonds - Simply Beds Sussex

Jonathan Creese – Gillies

Dean Morley – Linthorpe Beds

Dave Watson - Leekes

At Leekes we believe the approach begins well before the customer enters our stores with the preparation of the sales person, setting yourself up for a successful day is all part of the process. Knowing your product knowledge is a vital part of your personal preparation, as well as being well presented in uniform with a name badge and a big Smile. We ask our teams to greet each customer in to each of our departments with an enthusiastic ‘Good morning/ Afternoon’, remembering that the very first buying decision the customer makes is about the sales person. We encourage our teams not to dive right in and talk about the products, instead we want to relax the customers by asking about something unrelated to selling like the weather to break the ice and to start taking down the barriers. It’s all about making friends with the customers before helping them make the right informed decision on their purchase. Then we allow the customer to browse the floor whilst the sales person stays close keeping themselves busy nearby dusting or plumping cushions, waiting for an opportunity to get in to conversation with the customer again. Once the customer shows interest in a product by touching or feeling the fabric on a sofa, getting out a tape measure, taking pictures on their mobile or sitting down to test the sit Its then time for the sales person to make that approach by using an open question to create a conversation which would lead on to questions to gather information about what exactly the customers’ requirements are. These questions need to be mixed in with other questions along the lines of “Is this your first visit to the store” “Did you have to drive far” all to stop the questioning technique seeming like an interrogation, hopefully making the customer feel at ease and starting to build their trust. We need to remember that each customer is different and you need to tailor your approach to the needs of each individual, but it should all be about making friend before selling as these days customers can see through sales people who are just interested in selling something quickly instead of taking the time to fully understand the customers’ needs.

Josh Pickering – Sussex Beds

Approaching a customer has to be done with energy and enthusiasm. Who wants to buy from someone that won’t get off their seat? We make sure they know how passionate we are about helping people, and that we have the skills to accommodate. Fill them with confidence that this is the right place to be from the off.

When first approaching a customer, Land of Beds emphasises delivering exceptional customer service. Our approach focuses on building a relationship with the customer rather than just making a sale. We understand that creating a positive first impression is crucial, and we train our staff to greet customers warmly, introduce themselves, and ask how they can assist. This creates a welcoming environment that helps to build trust and rapport with our customers. Our staff have undergone rigorous training through the Land of Beds programme to enhance their skills in approaching and engaging with customers. The training has been developed in collaboration with specialist sales experts to ensure we provide a market-leading service. We believe that our ongoing commitment to training and development is vital to maintaining the high standards of service that our customers have come to expect from us. At Land of Beds, we pride ourselves on building lasting relationships with our customers, which extend beyond the initial purchase. We provide aftercare support and advice to ensure customers are delighted with their purchases. We believe that by delivering exceptional customer service at every stage of the customer journey, whether online, over the phone, or face-to-face, we can create a positive experience that leaves our customers feeling valued and satisfied. To summarise - by prioritising a customer-centric approach, we strive to create an environment where all customers feel valued and appreciated. We understand that first impressions are crucial and aim to make a positive and lasting impact from the start. Our commitment to ongoing training and development ensures that our staff can deliver exceptional service that exceeds our customers’ expectations. Ultimately, we aim to build strong relationships with our customers and show gratitude for the privilege of serving them.

Looking after our customers (new and old) has always been high on our priority list. We ensure that our customers are always welcomed and offered assistance as they come into the store. We don’t believe in hard selling and being non commission based, means we always look to satisfy the needs of the customers first. This approach is part of our Hafren Furnishers culture and remains unchanged over the 57 years we’ve been operating.

Jan Morgan – Hafren Furnishers

Mike Murray – Land of Beds

Sherborne Upholstery

The Cartmel Electric Riser Recliner range has been a huge success since its recent introduction. Available in four sizes, and with a choice of scroll arms, or light oak or dark beech wood knuckles, it has been especially designed for optimum comfort and support, with lateral support cushions in the back in addition to a supportive headroll. Express delivery is offered on over 200 soft cover options, including dual or single motor control and optional lumbar adjustment.

www.sherborneupholstery.co.uk

Gallery Direct

Gallery Direct’s outdoor living collection offers a wonderful range of products for relaxing, dining and entertaining outside, including an extensive selection of furniture, in different styles and materials. One of these is the stunning Champillet Dining Table which features an unusual, attractive oval shape and an eye-catching radial design for the top. The built-in Lazy Susan is inset so it is the same height as the tabletop for added practicality. Designed to work perfectly with the table are two benches. Both echo the curve of the top; one features an elegant high back, whilst the other is backless. All are crafted from teak, which is an ideal material for outdoor furniture because of its incredible durability and water resistance. www.gallerydirect.co.uk

Devonshire

Devonshire’s brand-new painted bedroom range ‘Lydford’ is now available for purchase, having arrived into UK stock at the end of May. An upgrade to their previous ‘Pebble’ range, Lydford features soft curves, a commercial light grey paint finish (with nine premium colours also available), solid oak tops and – most importantly – a more attractive price point. To request more information or a visit from Mike (North) or Anthony (South) with the show van, please get in touch at enquiries@devonshireliving. co.uk. www.devonshireliving.co.uk

Wiemann

Denver wardrobe range from award-winning German bedroom manufacturer, Wiemann, is proving a summer hit. The eye-catching VIP collection with its unique decking-style panel attracted plenty of attention at Long Point and the Spring Furniture Show. Denver, a sliding and hinged wardrobe, is available in a range of best-selling finishes and, with a decking overlay for outer or centre doors in matching or contrasting colours, the range gives a variety of bold or subtle finishes to suit every bedroom. Simon Hewitt, md of Wiemann’s sole agents for the UK and Ireland, Litmus Furniture, said: “With a bursting order book, Denver has established itself as our flagship range for the year.” www.wiemannuk.co.uk

NEW PRODUCTS

Sonlevo

The Sonlevo TrueGel range is setting a new standard. It’s the first gel mattress to be developed in the UK using revolutionary Gel technology – its unique grid system is 80% air. TrueGel gives maximum support, minimises pressure and is never too hot and never too cold, for the best night’s sleep possible. For over 40 years GNG has been dedicated to helping people sleep better, with the latest in innovation, materials and design. From side-sleepers to star-fishers, nappers and night owls, to those who suffer in painwe have something for everyone. Everything we do is researched, designed and manufactured by us in the UK. Given the heightened focus on sleep and wellbeing, this new premium range represent a real opportunity for retailers to expand sales into lucrative new areas. www.sonlevo.com

Sweet Dreams

Bed manufacturer Sweet Dreams’ new exclusive Eden Online Mattress range is proving to be a popular choice. The new range features 18 mattresses, which are made to order, and offers a wide range of price points and features, from starter mattresses to high quality hand side stitched FR Chemical free mattresses. The Eden range is complimented by a fully FSC certified divan range featuring non-storage, drawer, side and front ottoman bases with matching headboards in 16 luxury fabrics.. www.sweetdreamsuk.com

Timber Art Design

A modest and contemporary style is perfect for practical and simple living. A straight-edged frame - with structured arms, mild to firm cushioned seats and beautiful wooden legs. A charming threeseater sofa which combines a classic 1930s style, with modern comfort. Modern Style Sofa Flared Arms H77cm x W185cm x D86cm. Available in Green or Grey Seats up to three Fire Regulated Professional clean only. Assembly of legs required; each product arrives in one box. www.timberartdesignuk.com

Kettle Home

Welcome the new BG Dining Collection, designed to bring luxury and glamour to any home. This unique range features rich dark wood and sophisticated gold accents, designed with quality in mind and constructed to Signature’s highest standards. The collection consists of nine individually designed unique pieces, from two sizes of the double pedestal table to the fun and functional drinks cabinet. The BG This collection has managed to steal the show at all our recent shows and exudes luxury in every item.

www.kettlehome.co.uk

Linking sales to maximise opportunity

Gowsh Shan, National Sales Manager at global mattress protection specialist Protect-A-Bed, talks about how they can help retailers grow and maximise sales.

Protect-A-Bed have continuously demonstrated in their well-documented achievements in helping retail partners significantly grow sales. With the cost-of-living crisis the recent obstacle of challenges, impacting footfall and spend, consumers are being ever-savvier on their shopping habits. This means the focus has never been more important on each customer who walks through the shop door to maximise every sale opportunity and to also increase the average order value.

To do this, Protect-A-Bed, which has been established for over 40 years and operates across 45 countries, are constantly looking to help drive sales for all of its retail partners through its product innovations and expertise in the mattress protection space.

“Product innovation is one small element of how we unlock greater sales for our partners,” Gowsh said. “The Therapeutics range, featuring Copper, Graphene and Charcoal mattress protectors have already been a great

success. Supporting our innovative mattress protectors is our specialist sales training, which is vital to unlock the sales potential. Our Protect-A-Bed team are incredibly adaptive to support this in any retail environment, driving attachment rates to over 70%.

“Our specialty is driving in-store performance, so linked mattress and mattress protector sales are extremely high. The customer benefits from a healthy and hygienic sleep zone while the store benefits from increased sales revenue. Every customer who walks through the door, if buying a mattress, needs to buy a mattress protector. It’s in their interest to do so for many reasons.”

To support the purchase link highlighted, Protect-A-Bed transfers its skillset to the customer, so they can upskill a retailer’s team to help boost sales revenue. “We can manage every step of the process for you, as well as show you why our mattress protectors are different,” Gowsh said.

“In terms of hyenine, the average person sweats up to a pint of fluid a night. With mattress fillings being highly absorbent, a mattress, if unprotected, will absorb hundreds of pints of sweat in its first year of use alone. All of our mattress protectors use a Miracle Membrane, which is waterproof yet breathable, and allows body heat to easily pass through, whilst preventing any sweat to enter the mattress.

“The protectors are machine washable, meaning you can keep your sleep zone healthy and hygienic. Every Protect-A-Bed protector also includes a 10-15 year product guarantee, and when bought with a mattress, a 10-15 year anti-stain guarantee. Furthermore, we will even have the mattress professionally cleaned to the customer’s satisfaction, or buy the customer a new one, if it fails and the mattress was bought with the protector. This promise is significantly powerful and is at the core of our philosophy. Ultimately, it’s about creating value for the customer and we think it’s in the best interest for both the store and their customer to purchase a mattress protector as a link, with our products providing the perfect solution.”

After a very strong 2022, and a positive start to 2023, Protect-A-Bed also offers a bespoke reward system, the ‘Platinum Club’, which adds an extra level of customer support. Running for consistently for several years, the Platinum Club has delivered “excellent” results, with both existing and new partners benefiting from the focused approach. “The Platinum Club has been designed to build, recognise and reward success with unique promotional and discount opportunities, sponsored incentives, tailored POS solutions as well as membership rewards,” said Gowsh.

“The Platinum Club has been extremely successful since its creation. We continuously build frameworks that are simple for retailers to implement in

order to achieve extremely high sales within the category. We create energy and excitement in a category often overlooked and our ability to turn this into sales growth is phenomenal.

“Protect-A-Bed are specialists in the mattress protection category. Nobody else in the category has the same passion, drive and focus to grow sales and that’s why we are the leading global brand in healthy sleep.”

Every customer who walks through the door, if buying a mattress, needs to buy a mattress protector. It’s in their interest to do so for many reasons.

Last Word with Furniture Sales Solutions

Adam Hankinson, Managing Director at Furniture Sales Solutions,

shares some tales from the shop floor and why seven is the magic number.

making the wrong decision means that they make the dreaded decision of not buying at all and say to you “we’ll think about it.”

So, let’s use the example of buying new sofas. Our customer is at the early stages of consideration and is genuinely looking for only the first or second time, they’re open to options and are looking for inspiration and to see what’s out there in the market place. A tried and tested first question is “are you thinking leather or fabric this time?”

Most customers will have a preference. That’s decision one made. Our language is also very careful too… “are you thinking….” means “I understand your only thinking at this stage but what are you thinking….?” … “And what combination did you have in mind….?” … “Well ideally we’d love a corner group….” Decision two made

six made - colour AND fabric type. “Ok great, and comfort wise how does it feel to relax in?” - “It’s really comfortable actually.” - “Great, is it more comfortable than the one you have at home?”

“Yes! Definitely.” - “Great.” Decision seven. “When were you looking for delivery?” - “There’s no hurry actually as we have to decorate.” - “Ok good - this sofa is actually made to order for you so delivery at the moment is Septemberdoes that work for you?”

“Yes, that’s ok. Might it come soonerit’s just that we won’t be ready before?” - “We can ensure it doesn’t - shall we say late September?” - “Yes great.”

Decision eight

Seven yeses… How to help a customer buy by making multiple decisions rather than one mistake.

We know that customers, (that includes ourselves), buy emotionally and justify with logic. For example, we might justify spending more money than we’d originally planned by saying to ourselves “it’ll last much longer than a cheaper alternative.” Or, “I’ll get many years use from this laptop so at £2,000, if it lasts me 10 years, it’s only £200 per year.” Or, “I’m happy to wait for the right one rather than rush into a quick decision that I might regret.”

It is unlikely, however, that any customer will move from the just looking stage to buying stage in one step. We have to take the customer on a journey that involves ticking various boxes along the way rather than making the decision to buy or not. A customer’s biggest fear, also an emotion, is FEAR…the fear of

“Ok great - how would you like the corner set out…longer on this side, (demonstrating), or the other or equal?” Their reply: “Longer on that side and shorter on the other will work best.” Decision three made

Ok great - “So you like fabric, a corner and longer on that side…is that right?”

– “Yes, that’s right.” A partial summary close. “And what type of back cushion do you prefer - we do the option of pillow back or standard back… which do like

“Oh, right I see - I prefer the standard one - is that easier to look after?”

“Yes, it is.” Decision four made. “And what about colour….?” - “Oh, something practical for the kids… not too light but not grey!”

“Ok, what colour do you have in mind?”

- “I like a petrol blue kind of look… but not in a velvet.”

“Ok, so like this bluey teal in a flat weave fabric- it’s really hard wearing” - “Yes that’s great.” That’s decision five and

“And if you don’t mind me asking, how were you thinking of paying - the only reason I ask is so that you know about our easy ways to pay (explain finance and cash options). Which would suit you best?” Decision nine. “The low monthly payment option seems goodwhat’s the deposit again please? - “It’s xxx now and xyz per month starting one month after delivery - is that ok for you?” - “Yes, that’s great.” Decision 10 Sold.

Why 7 yeses you ask?

When buying anything, there’s a necessary number of boxes to tick depending on the customer’s needs. On sofas its usually leather or fabric, or a combination eg a 3 seater and 2 seater, colour, comfort, sizes, lead time and cost. After making these 7 decisions most customers are sufficiently satisfied to go ahead. So, is it leather or fabric this time?