August 2013—Accessori$e

AUGUST 2013

Chandeliers

Lamps Baskets Pillows

Sculptures

WHO DOESN’T WANT THE PILLOWS & THE DOG?

Rugs www.RetailerNOWmag.com

SEE THE LATEST TRENDS

AT

SUMMER MARKET

NEW LOCATION

LAS VEGAS WMC C400

garden party Home accessories get a new floral twist this season.

Rugs, pillows and wall art interpret this perennial favorite with graphic scale and colorful patterns that complement contemporary and transitional living spaces.

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Seaweed 2035-10

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09.

INSIDE

Learn to Accessori$e

featuresNOW 14.

Accessorize your Showroom

16.

Market Preview

18.

Small Space Living

22.

Accessories Round-up

26.

Necessity to Accessory

International Casual Furniture & Accessories

12.

yourVOICE 09.

Roving Reporter Dallas Gift Market Getting to Know the NextGen

12.

30.

Fresh Perspectives

When Wisterians Travel

count onIT 04.

From the Association President The Big Easy

06.

08.

From the Editor

It's All in the Accessories

14.

TechNOW

33. Mobile

Selling More with Co-op Advertising

34.

Membership Marketplace

38.

What's Selling Now

39.

Product Focus

41.

Quick-Fire Marketing

43.

Government Relations

44.

Industry Scoop

46.

Industry Calendar

48.

The Now List

Vintage Repurposed Integrated Marketing

on the cover Accessori$e

HW Home, Denver, CO, (2013 Retailer of the Year Award recipient) does a fantastic job of incorporating accessories throughout their store. www.retailerNOWmag.com A U G U S T | 2 0 1 3

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thePlayers RetailerNOW

What we are so passionate about. . .

To have the courage to pursue purposeful dialogues that challenge conventional thinking, to engage and entertain our readers by delivering content that creates a fervent following ready to change the landscape of our industry.

RetailerNOW is the magazine for today’s home furnishings professional.

Developed for a specialized community, RetailerNOW brings a unique editorial focus on progressive and relevant issues concerning the home furnishings industry in the retailer’s voice, with a focus on issues impacting retailers NOW.

Contact Information:

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Publication Staff Jennifer Billock Editor jennifer@retailerNOWmag.com

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Andrew Tepperman Tepperman's Windsor, ON

Subscription: $70/year RetailerNOW, ISSN# 2166-5249, is published monthly (except March and December) by the North American Home Furnishings Association, 500 Giuseppe Court, Ste 6, Roseville, CA 95678.

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If you would like to only receive an electronic version of RetailerNOW, please send an email to gogreen@retailerNOWmag.com. © 2012 North American Home Furnishings Association. Published by the North American Home Furnishings Association. Material herein may not be reproduced, copied or reprinted without prior written consent of the publisher. Acceptance of advertising or indication of sponsorship does not imply endorsement of publisher or the North American Home Furnishings Association. The views expressed in this publication may not reflect those of the publisher, editor or the North American Home Furnishings Association, and North American Retail Services Corp. Content herein is for general information only; readers are encouraged to consult their own attorney, accountant, tax expert and other professionals for specific advice before taking any action.

AUGUST | 2013

Published by the North American Home Furnishings Association 500 Giuseppe Court, Suite 6 Roseville, CA 95678 800.422.3778

Lisa Tilley Art Director lisa@retailerNOWmag.com

Mailing – Editorial:

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Magazine of the North American Home Furnishings Association

Carol Bell Contents Interiors Tucson, AZ Donny Hinton Colortyme Gaffney, SC Rick Howard Sklar Furnishings Boca Raton, FL Travis Garrish Forma Furniture Fort Collins, CO

www.retailerNOWmag.com

North American Home Furnishings Association Sharron Bradley CEO sbradley@NAHFA.org Mary Frye EVP mfrye@NAHFA.org Executive Committee Chair Howard Haimsohn Lawrance Contemporary President Rick Howard Sklar Furnishings President Elect Marty Cramer Cramer’s Home Furnishings Vice President Steve Kidder Vermont Furniture Galleries Secretary/Treasurer Paul Sanford Jerome’s Furniture Store SHFA President Britt Sams Sams Furniture SEHFA President Wogan S. Badcock III W.S. Badcock Corp.

President's Message

from the president

The Big Easy

I know it's August now, but I'm still reeling from what a fabulous conference we had in our host city of New Orleans. The event hotel was strategically positioned right in the heart of the city, so walking was the preferred method of transportation. And oh what sights there were to see—from the French Quarter to the Garden District to Bourbon Street. The mellow sound of Jazz wafted through the air and Cajun food aromas made you want to stop. All manner of people were walking and working in the streets, offering activities of every type imaginable.

Only in New Orleans! It was truly a remarkable experience—no wonder it is such a popular destination.

The conference was organized and executed by your wonderful NAHFA staff with enthusiasm, team work and professionalism. They made it look easy as the events rolled by flawlessly one after the other. Thanks again for making the HFIC such a success and so much fun. You all made us proud.

We were fortunate to have many fine vendors who showcased their products and gave us valuable information. Several companies helped by sponsoring the event and this industry partnering made the conference possible. We thank you all for your wonderful contributions and continued support.

Rick Howard, President North American HFA

The fabulous speakers filled our minds with new ideas that were both inspirational and thought-provoking. The breakout sessions’ topics were varied and the presentations were interesting and educational. Each event was well attended and by the end, my mind was swimming with new information that will help our business. Most of the people I spoke with felt they also were taking away far more than they had expected.

While not officially on the agenda, the opportunity to network with some of the great minds in our industry and learn from each other was a priceless experience. There are really only a few opportunities to network like this in a year so it is always a highlight of conference for a lot of us.

Overall, it was an intense learning experience with great camaraderie and a lot of fun! I hope all of you that attended learned and enjoyed the HFIC as much as I did. For those who did not make it, plan to be at next year’s conference at the Wild Horse Pass in Chandler, Ariz., from June 1 to 3. Don't miss it! It is impossible to walk away without being inspired and learning valuable new ideas to bring back to your business.

Lastly, the NAHFA Board of Directors met for the first face-to-face board meeting prior to conference starting. It was exciting with everyone participating and with many great new ideas being floated as we began to shape our future. These are very stimulating and interesting times as we plot new courses for our association. Stay tuned as there will be much more to follow over the months ahead!

Rick Howard

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AUGUST | 2013

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High Point Market October 19-24 find us everywhere www.highpointmarket.org 336.869.1000 | info@highpointmarket.org #hpmkt

S

Editor’s Message

Emerald

Lemon Zest

Dusk Blue

Nectarine

from the editor Jennifer's Summer Pantone Picks

It’s All in the Accessories My grandmother (we called her Nina) understood the importance of a good accessory. She knew that a statement object or a complimentary piece of jewelry could make or break a room design, an outfit, an ambiance.

She decorated her world and her life with embellishments and shared that effort with all of us.

When we were growing up, my cousin and I would spend hours playing with the box of costume jewelry Nina gave us. In my imagination, putting on that string of pearls was like adding the crowning jewel diamond necklace to an elegant evening gown. We very carefully chose our jewelry pieces to accentuate the places we were going and the outfits we were wearing. And even in our own make-believe world, we knew that the accessory made the outfit.

When Nina passed away in June, we spent more hours going through the most jewelry I’ve ever seen in one place, taking comfort in the pieces we knew well and wondering if we had pictures of her wearing those pieces we hadn’t seen before. She didn’t just love to accessorize—the embellishments were part of her overall essence.

Jennifer Billock, Editor, RetailerNOW

Accessories can work much the same for your store. Put a sculpture on a side table, adorn a sofa with throw pillows, rest a unique mail organizer on a desk. Pretty soon your customers will fall in love not only with the furniture piece, but with the scene as a whole.

This issue is a celebration of those embellishments. Embrace your inner Nina and enhance your showroom with some of the beauties showcased in these pages. You may end up with your hands full of upsales!

(224) 627-3288 jennifer@retailerNOWmag.com @retailerNOW

What I’m Loving I’m a sucker for a good rocking chair. I inherited an old family rocker and, before the bottom unceremoniously broke, there was nothing better than kicking back in it on the deck with a cup of tea and a good book. This one brings me right back to those days. Quality wood construction and a woven back and seat just say classic relaxation to me.

Follow other products I love on my blog and on Pinterest.

Blog: www.retailerNOWmag.com www.pinterest.com/retailerNOW

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AUGUST | 2013

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H High P Point M Market October 19-24 find us everywhere www.highpointmarket.org 336.869.1000 | info@highpointmarket.org #hpmkt

S

Tech

TechNOW

What technology are you using in your store? Let us know at jennifer@retailerNOWmag.com!

Put it to Use Use YouTube to Your Advantage Trust us, everyone eventually tires of watching silly cat videos on YouTube. And when that happens, it’s your store’s time to shine. The social video sharing site can provide endless marketing opportunities for your business. Use some of these ideas and you’ll become a YouTube retailing sensation.

DON'T MISS AN ISSUE! RENEW ONLINE NOW www.retailerNOWmag.com

And get the app on your Apple or Android device!

`` Education: What exactly is dovetail construction? And what’s the best way to clean solid wood dressers? Teach your customers the ways of the furniture world with educational videos.

`` Store Stories: Get personal. Do you have an employee of 30 years? Let them tell their story on video. Has your store been through a disaster, a success or a big change? Tell the world about it!

`` New Introductions: So you’ve got a new bed frame in stock. Show it off! Video provides the best opportunity to really hone in on special showroom pieces and show what makes them great.

`` Claim Verification: Is your new tabletop billed as scratchresistant? Prove it. A short entertaining video of say, a cute dog chasing a toy across the table and leaving no marks, will up your credibility in your customers’ eyes—and possibly go viral!

Hot Sites Social Media Schedulers Every business can connect to their customers in real time with social media. But if you don’t have the time to tweet, Facebook or pin the instant you want to share something, these sites are here to help.

Pingraphy.com You can schedule your tweets and status updates, so why not your pins? Eliminate hours spent searching pin-worthy websites for a single image. Pingraphy allows you to upload images in bulk, edit and enhance them and schedule times to pin. The site also offers metrics to track repins, likes and comments.

Pluggio.com Take control of your Twitter with Pluggio. The all-in-one Twitter management tool not only gives you the standard capability of scheduling tweets in advance, but also finds you new friends and followers with its Friend Finder. And, you’ll know right away if one of your tweets is popular— you can track users and link-clicks right from the site.

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AUGUST | 2013

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Top Tweets @MelissaGalt: Next time you attend an event, sit in the front, you’ll learn more, see more, and meet front runners. #success @HFCollections: See how today’s furniture is so versatile that it can serve multiple functions while looking stylish. ht.ly/mYsfe @FastCompany: 5 tips to help you stay productive all day long: trib. al/8VAeaZs @LaurieAcreeDes: “You never really learn much from hearing yourself speak.” —George Clooney

Have you connected with RetailerNOW? Like, Tweet or Pin with us and you’ll be able to experience more content and continue the conversations online!

Like: www.facebook.com/RetailerNOW Tweet: @RetailerNOW Pin: www.pinterest.com/RetailerNOW

Dallas Total Home and Gift Market

Your Voice

Roving Reporter SHARON DAVIS Executive Director, ART (Accessories Resource Team)

L

amps and mirrors and pillows—oh my!

So many decisions on what to buy. The Dallas Total Home and Gift Market is a great market to buy decorative accents and if you are looking for inspiration, this is the place. You enter the market center and immediately you are treated to window dressing ideas, product features and tons of eye candy. Being on the accessory side of the business, it’s very cool to be asked to be the Roving Reporter and I’m a nervous wreck about where to begin.

Color and more color hit me right away. Artists and artisans from 19 countries displayed their products in a bazaar-like atmosphere in the International Folk Art Market Collection at the World Trade Center (WTC) Hall of Nations—and I hadn’t even left the first floor yet. I’m very drawn to colorful displays and after browsing the stalls in the Folk Art Collection, I decided that color would be my focus for this market report. Decision made. Now I just needed to focus. The Dallas campus was open and airy and easy to shop. So I headed up the escalator, because the elevators are way too slow. I went round and round the floors and in and out of showrooms.

My color radar went off about every 30 seconds and I was beginning to overload—a sure signal it was time to sit down with a cup of coffee and regroup.

Caffeine-infused, brain cells unscrambled, it hit me: Stores need layers. Well, duh!

Back upstairs I went, with a new perspective. Now I was really determined to see this market with new eyes. The rep-owned showrooms were a treasure trove of styles, products and vendor selections at different price points. In-Detail on 5 and Taylors on 10 were great resources for lamps, wall décor and decorative accents. For home textiles, top-ofthe-bed and decorative pillows, Codarus on 5 had a large selection. Speaking of which, every store that sells beds and mattresses should be displaying top-of-the-bed options. It makes shopping more interesting. Many of the vendors displayed their accent pillow selections on simple shelving. A store

could easily replicate that display. And, you don’t need a wall rack or floor space to stack area rugs. Some vendors incorporated the rugs into their lifestyle displays, demonstrating how it would look in a room or in your store. Layering the merchandise worked beautifully in these showrooms and it can work perfectly in yours.

On trend and always inspiring, Global Views on 6 was a must see.

They pioneered the accessory color story display, making it easy to incorporate color into almost any style store. In the same vein, there

Ivystone display textiles

are specialty sections in Dallas both temporary and permanent. It’s totally worth it to make time to browse those sections too. I spent some time walking through Design Finds on the first floor of the Trade Mart, the temps in the WTC and Vintage Home at Market Hall. Are you getting the picture? Whether your product array is traditional, contemporary or mixed, the selection was amazing.

And for you western décor lovers, this is where you find the widest selection of cowhide I have ever seen in one place.

Back to where I began with color. Sadly, I didn’t observe any one knock ‘em out of the park color trend here but I sure saw tons of red/pink, blue/turquoise, orange and green. Every furniture store, lighting showroom and specialty retailer should aspire to wow the customer and inspire them to imagine how their homes could look.

Hands down, accessories are the ticket.

Get the app to follow our Roving Reporters’ journeys or visit online at www.retailerNOWmag.com.

www.retailerNOWmag.com A U G U S T | 2 0 1 3

9

Digital Tools Enable Consumer Confidence

While online research plays a significant role throughout the major purchase process, mobile is an emerging research channel.

79

START THEIR SEARCH PROCESS ONLINE

DAYS

AVERAGE TIME OF RESEARCH

3

7%

80% up from 61% last year

say they used their mobile device to conduct online research while in-store

1

66%

42%

rating

of shoppers say they think it is very important for a retailer to offer credit/financing information on its website

of major purchase shoppers did product research online via PC or laptop

79%

at home

15%

2

say they did product research online via their mobile device while at home

19%

Of those, 15% said they decided to visit another retailer based on information they saw on their mobile device while shopping in-store

say they think it is very important for a retailer to offer a mobile-enabled website for optimal shopping

of shoppers say technology empowers them with more information and the knowledge they are getting the best deal

78%

of shoppers say they are satisfied with the retailer they chose

4

CREDIT/FINANCING RESEARCH

43%

of GE Capital Retail Bank cardholders say they researched financing options online

2on0PC/laptop % at home

3% on mobile device at home

75% 2% in-store signage or on mobile device ©2013 General Electric Company, All rights reserved.

AMAZING

in-store

by asking an associate

Success

Reputation

MR. TOM HENDRIX, HENCO FURNITURE. ANOTHER HAPPY PFP CLIENT! Ex pe rie nc e

Integrity

“When I turned 80... I told my Wife that I wanted (ages) between 80 and 90, to be the best years of our life. Our children are very successful and they didn’t want the store, so I decided to close it.

I had known Tom Liddell for some time and I called Tom and asked him to come visit. The thing that was so important to me was our store’s reputation and I didn’t want to tarnish our reputation through the closing of my store. But I found out, that Tom and PFP had as strong of a feeling about it as I did.

I was just amazed at the talent of people running this close out store operation.

It was fun for the people and we closed it out and it was a broom swept building at the end of the day.

We went with PFP because I feel comfortable about their philosophy matching up with mine. I would certainly recommend PFP because I think they’re people of integrity and they certainly have the practice of closing stores successfully.”

Tom Hendrix President, Henco Furniture 200,000 sq ft store in Selmer TN

Listen to our clients on our website and hear what they have to say about PFP. Visit www.PFpromotions.com to learn more. #1 In High Impact Events. Make that first step. Call or Click today!

800-472-5242 10

•

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AUGUST | 2013

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High Impact Events Since 1962

Is your current software taking you nowhere fast?

Problem Solved.

If you find yourself without the crucial information required to make important decisions about buying product for your showroom, like which manufacturers, categories, and items that are your money makers, then your current software hasn’t kept up with your company’s growing needs. The main purpose of a great business management software is to provide you with real time information that is easy to access.

You should be able to depend on complex analysis of your company’s unique sales trends to help you forecast what to expect in the future. Without knowing what has sold, what advertising brought customers in, and maybe even why they didn’t buy during a visit, you are left making “seat of the pants” guesses rather than informed decisions. If you are ready to look at a more robust system give us a call.

We have found the single most important benefit we’ve gotten from using RETAILvantage is the ability to gather metrics quickly on a variety of different areas of the business. You can easily pull the reports you need and take that data and information and move with it.”

Laura Crowley Crowley Furniture Independence, MO

software | consulting | performance groups | freight savings | e-solutions

800.888.5565 www.profitsystems.com

Next Gen NOW Member Spotlight

T

he furniture industry gets younger every year.

In order to embrace the new generation of retailers and welcome them into the business,

RetailerNOW will feature a different member of the Next Generation NOW social network in every issue. Next Generation NOW is the premiere social scene for the new era of furniture professionals.

Join the conversation at social.ngnow.org!

For our first spotlight, we introduce Bo Coconis

Bo Coconis capturing the amibance of casual living.

of Coconis Furniture in South Zanesville, Ohio. : Tell me about your industry history.

: Does your store incorporate new technologies?

BC: I’ve been with the company since I was running around BC: My brother is about 11 years older than I am, but from growing up as a kid. I was probably more of a pain to the warehouse guys and everything, but pitched in where I could any time I had away from school and golf. I’m so proud to be back in the store. It’s a family business—actually, where our dining department is right now is where my house was when I was 1. I’ve been around the store my whole life, but it’s seriously been a full-time career for the last three years, once I finished playing golf and graduated college. : How have you seen the industry change from when you were younger?

a computer standpoint, he’s in tablets. Fortunately, Dad picked up a lot of the stuff too. As opposed to pushing away technological stuff, he’s actually embracing it and knows that’s the way it’s going to become. He’s seeing other stores in big cities, how they’re using technology, what’s working for them and how they’re embracing it, and it’s kind of opened his eyes. He’s saying hey, we’re in a small town in Ohio; we don’t need to be behind the times. We need to be trendsetters and work forward from there.

: As part of the next generation of retailers, what advice do you have for those who have been in the BC: Technology is a big one that we’re dealing with on a day- business for decades? to-day basis. Merchandising as well. It used to be whatever you put on the floor, customers bought. Now, being able to BC: There’s a lot of fresh blood coming into the industry. Old do online searching, if you don’t have it, they’re going to go and new generations working together and taking positive find it as opposed to something similar. We have to pay at- feedback from what both sides convey to the table will only tention a little more than I think they had to in years before. make things better and stronger for the future.

Next Generation Now (NGN or Next Gen Now) is a community of young, passionate and engaged home furnishings professionals.

Next Gen Now seeks to give a voice to the unique needs of future generations entering the workforce to educate the industry on how to attract and keep young talent. Connect with members online at ngnow.org or on twitter @ngnow.

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AUGUST | 2013

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Meet as many people as you can.

That’s one of the things I love about Next Gen NOW.

“Let me tell you why Lynch is your best choice, just as it has been for many of this country’s more successful furniture retailers.”

Judson Lynch, Co-CEO

: What advice do you have for people brand new to the business?

BC: Meet as many people as you can. That’s one of

the things I love about Next Gen NOW. I’ve met some people in the industry that are a similar age, and a lot of them are in the same situation as I am, in the family business. My dad’s got some great friends that he’s been with for 30 years. Meeting a bunch of people the same age, as long as you stay in the industry together, what kind of relationships are we going to have 20, 30 years down the road?

It’s just going to continue to grow. It never hurts to know enough people. You never know when you’re going to need someone for something, and I think that’s one of the biggest things for the younger generation. Embrace that and get involved with as much stuff as you can. I’ve got some great friendships already that I’m looking forward to continuing.

I’m planning on being in the business for as long as I work. Great relationships are invaluable.

For nearly 100 years, the family-owned Lynch Sales Company has delivered on our promise to help our retail clients succeed through Lynch promotional sales, or close with dignity with our complete closeout sales. I am particularly proud that many of those storeowners reward us with their repeat business, time and again. Let them tell you why they prefer the integrity of our business model and our one-page contract over that of our competition.

To hear more from successful retailers, visit www.lynchsales.com/ testimonials

Uncompromising integrity.

Unparalleled resUlts .

Serving the U.S., Canada and the U.K. Call (800) 824 - 2238 or www.LynchSales.com Copyright 2013 Lynch Brothers Licensing Corporation

Accessorize Your Showroom and Accentuate Your Profits How infusing your showroom with small accents can make a big impact on your customers and sales by Dorothy Belshaw

L

ifestyle merchandising. It’s a popular idea that so many of today’s leading retailers get right. When was the last time you visited Anthropologie, Crate & Barrel or ABC Carpet? Or how about that fashionable boutique merchant in your own downtown who’s always freshening her store window?

These retailers are coveted by their customers and know just how to create spaces in their stores that today’s consumers relate to, and will ultimately buy from. From loosely layered linens and throws to clustered accent pieces to freshly painted walls—the consumer pictures herself in these environments which translates into more frequent visits and profitability for these merchants.

Accessory images from HW Home, Denver, CO.

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AUGUST | 2013

It’s time to see more home furnishings manufacturers and retailers bring that concept to their showrooms: Diversification in their product presentation and connecting to their customers in a more visceral fashion with fresh, eye-catching merchandise and techniques.

Constantly updating a showroom with accessories will inspire your customers. Creating a more lifestyle-driven environment in your store enables consumers to weave personal style through every room in the home and shop by aesthetic and design orientation. It also allows consumers to maximize their shopping experience with more relevant resources under one roof.

And, it’s no surprise that it’s good business. Dynamic and layered looks draw consumers into retail stores with greater frequency to buy smaller ticket items. A thoughtfully merchandised showroom presenting a range of related products can have the same effect on buyers.

www.retailerNOWmag.com

Accessories

Think of decorative accessories as the finishing touches that transform a space from lackluster to well-lived. The decorative accessories category is broad—from area rugs and decorative pillows to portable lamps and mirrors—and many retailers don’t have enough, or they don’t have this merchandise thoughtfully appointed in the space. When setting up your floor, think about the lifestyle she is trying to create in her home. The whole space must be inviting to create a buying atmosphere.

A retailer that knows how to do it right, HW Home of Denver, CO, showcases hundreds of accessories throughout their store.

Here are a few practical tips for freshening your showroom and product mix. `` From a basic display perspective, small accessories such as pillows, lighting, wall art, mirrors, decorative tabletop, throws and rugs add warmth, contrast, definition and color. They draw the eye through the space and make the larger pieces more accessible. `` Make a bold statement with color. Color on the walls is warm and gives it the look of camera-ready interiors seen in revered shelter magazines. Visit Pantone's website to explore the latest color ways. `` Clustering decorative objects is a great way to bring in more product and connect with a consumer's imagination. Go for odd numbers—3, 5 or 7—to make sure the objects are seen. When grouping accessories together, choose objects of different shapes and sizes that have one common thread, be it color, shape or texture. Make sure one item does not overpower the others. And maintain some negative space (the space around a subject, not the object itself ). `` Contrasting rustic finishes with simple contemporary accessories provides a pleasing visual juxtaposition and helps each element stand out. For example, place a brushed chrome vase or bowl on a rustic wood buffet or a unique found object on a glass-and-chrome table. `` ``

``

``

See, just a few practical examples how small pieces can make a big difference in the look and feel of your floor, and ultimately, the profitability of your showroom. Adding and changing accessories is easy and requires less of an investment. If you don’t have a designer or merchandiser on staff, check out any number of online resources available, such as HOUZZ, When grouping throw pillows, consider mixing a stripe, Pinterest or your favorite shelter magazines’ websites. a solid and a pattern in complementary colors.

Of course Market is yet another great place to draw inspiraAdd wall art to bring new life into a room. If you don’t tion and see thousands of exhibiting companies and new have the wall space, art can be hung on fishing wire lines that will open up your store to new possibilities and attached to the ceiling. It’s a great way to layer and add potential customers. Las Vegas Market’s Summer edition personality to the environment. has more than one million square feet of new and expanded Use mirrors of different shapes and sizes. It creates the showrooms, resources and categories—plus thousands of same effect as a full mirror, but the result is much new product introductions. more sophisticated.

You can feel it when a showroom needs a lift and freshening For bedroom vignettes, the addition of window up. Take a good look at your floor and vignettes and see how treatments, pillows and area rugs will help sell the case it can be completely transformed with these ideas. You could goods in the room. Add a bedside lamp, bud vase with end up the next lifestyle brand we are all buzzing about. fresh flowers, picture frame or decorative box to the nightstand for an added effect.

Dorothy Belshaw is President of Gift+Home at International Market Centers. www.retailerNOWmag.com A U G U S T | 2 0 1 3

15

Going to Market?

Are you heading to the International Casual Furniture & Accessories Market in Chicago from September 17-20? If so, be on the lookout for some of these new exhibitor releases! li vo Ti n io om ct n.c e ll ta Co urtis e lc Co Do ww. w

Source Relaxer and Footstool www.gloster.com

Madison Club Chair www.owlee.com

English Garden Collection www.pridefamilybrands.com

Wilshire Chaise Lounger www.skylinedesign.com

Custom Cooking Island www.biggreenegg.com 16

AUGUST | 2013

Bella collection www.gloster.com www.retailerNOWmag.com

KINCAID FURNITURE

M O R E C U S T O M T H A N Y O U M AY T H I N K .

CHOOSE YOUR STYlE

CHOOSE YOUR FINISH

CHOOSE YOUR HARDWARE

Traditional solid-wood craftsmanship unites with custom finish and hardware options in our European Villa bedroom collection. You know Kincaid as the No.1 solid wood furniture maker in the country. But, did you also know we have complete custom options in bedroom, dining room and upholstery? See all the custom ways Kincaid is right for your store at KincaidFurniture.com

CHOOSE YOUR STYlE

CHOOSE YOUR FINISH

CHOOSE YOUR SIZE

CHOOSE YOUR STYlE

CHOOSE YOUR ARM, BACK & BASE

CHOOSE YOUR SIZE & FABRIC

SMALL SPACE

By Sara Lopez

For many home furnishings customers, it's a small world after all.

Clear the Table Convertible furniture works great in small spaces. This picture table hangs as a frame on the wall when not in use, and purchasers can customize the image. Ivy Design Picture Table. Wholesale Price: Starting at $1,162.

Small living spaces are catching on across the U.S., fueled by baby boomers downsizing for retirement and an emerging market of environmentally conscious consumers who want to maintain a smaller carbon footprint. From New York's 200-square-foot micro-apartments to bungalow neighborhoods in cities like Los Angeles and Chicago, today's consumers are looking for ways to live luxuriously in small spaces.

Retailers have an opportunity to tap this tiny-living niche by offering products that maximize square footage and offer the storage that small homes often lack.

Accessories

Multi-Function Marvel This entryway bench combines seating with storage, making the most of its space for small homes with limited closet space. Holly & Martin MacKenzie Shoe Bench, Minimum Advertised Pricing: $249.99 Wholesale price: Upon request.

The key to choosing products for small space dwellers is to focus on versatility and slim design. People who live in tiny spaces are often looking for items that do double duty, such as a bench that combines seating with storage, or a side table that doubles as a magazine rack. The issue of physical size is often a big deal for small homes.

A sofa may have to be shorter than 60 inches, or a desk no deeper than 15.

Retailers who can recommend items that fit a certain profile will have a leg up on the competition.

Aesthetics are especially important to people who live in small homes, because many of the furniture and accessory pieces in their home are visible when company comes over.

Small homes may lack a dedicated office space or spare bedroom, so items have to work well and look good at the same time. Here are some smallspace picks that are functional and beautiful.

Tucked Away Convenience These nesting tables provide small homes with extra counter space when guests come over, but can slip out of the way for everyday use. Butler Specialty Co. Nesting Tables. Wholesale price: $299.

All-in-One Office Small homes often lack a dedicated workspace, making creative desks like this secretary model a perfect fit. What's more, its stylish design serves as a signature piece, and the large bottom cabinets can conceal electronics or office supplies.

Curry & Co. Dimitry Secretary Desk. MSRP: $7,490. Wholesale price: Upon request.

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Accessories

Visual Aids Mirrors can be the solution for customers who are looking to make a small space seem larger.

This work of art will open up any room. Currey & Co. Corail Mirror. MSRP: $1,810.

Wholesale price: Upon request.

Slender Storage With a width of just 12 inches, this piece packs a lot of function into a small footprint. A pull-out table top provides a space for drinks, while the cabinet has ample storage for those items you want kept out of sight. Butler Specialty Co. Chairside Chest.

Wholesale Price: $199.

Keep It Together Clutter is magnified in small spaces, and there are fewer places to stash it when company comes by. Accessories that can help control normal household items, like mail or TV remotes, are especially handy in small homes. Alessi CrissCross Multipurpose Basket. MSRP: $260. Wholesale price: Upon request.

A Place for Everything When closet space is the problem, this colorful coat rack is the solution. It keeps entryways clear while taking up minimal floor space. Holly & Martin Heights Hall Tree in Berry Blue.

Minimum Advertised Price: $79.99. Wholesale price: Upon request.

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Accessories

Pre-Screened Dividing a room can be key for privacy or functionality, especially in a studio apartment. This screen from Red Egg does so while still allowing light to flow through, keeping a small space airy. Red Egg Double Happiness Chinese Coin Screen. Wholesale price: $1281. MSRP: $2562.

Fits the Bill At just 20 inches deep, this console desk can fit many places: behind a sofa, in the entryway, in a bedroom as a home office.

A slender profile and light coloring keeps it from overwhelming a small space. Red Egg Double Happiness Console Desk.

Wholesale price: $1452. MSRP: $2904.

Mobile Accessories This lightweight table and basket is designed to be moved around the house wherever it is needed, be it office or bedroom. Items that are helpful throughout the house are perfect for small spaces. Alessi Pick-Up Table & Magazine Stand. MSRP: $580. Wholesale price: Upon request.

Sara Lopez is editor of TinyLiving.net, a resource for consumers who live in small spaces. TinyLiving serves downsizers, small-home dwellers and apartment residents, and helps people live well in small spaces.

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Accessories

Accessories for Sale

Add in Products for Add-On Purchases

It’s no big secret anymore that accessories are the ticket to more sales in your store.

With that in mind, we asked two popular companies about their best-selling vases, lamps and tabletop accessories. Stock them in your showroom and watch your add-on sales skyrocket.

Noir: You’ll always have a friendly face nearby with this bowl out on display.

Face Bowl; Retail Price: $450

Natural Color

Nature-lovers will enjoy this little piece of the outdoors.

Polar Bear statue; Retail Price: $450 Three birds and a twig design make this candleholder feel just as rustic as a life without electricity.

Bird Candle Stick; Retail Price: $243

Solid onyx containers bring a natural feeling to any showroom setup.

Small Onyx Hurricanes; Retail Price: $171

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Accessories

MADinItaly: Bold Color Big Surprise by Gaetano Pesce; Retail Price: $1,238

Bright color and texture will draw customers in with this selection of vases and bowls.

Ball Vase by Gaetano Pesce; Retail Price: $1,238

Senza Fine Oval Basket by Gaetano Pesce; Retail Price: $418

Round Vase; Retail Price: $1,488

Two luminous hearts are suspended by an arrow stuck on the base of this romantic lamp.

Love Lamp by Gaetano Pesce; Retail Price: $3,650

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LIVE LIFE OUTDOORS

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Accessories

Necessity to Accessory Repurposing Need-to-Haves into Want-to-Haves

by Jennifer Billock

Accessories

FISHING BASKETS

T

h e other day, my musician husband mentioned he wanted to create something new. Some revolutionary music-scape that’s never been done before. The only problem, he said, is that everything has already been done before. Aside from some experimental jazz (or as I like to call it, just plain noise), no new, incredibly unique things have come from the music industry.

It got me thinking. Is that how the furniture industry is leaning? Are we making and selling the same old bookshelves, dressers, beds, tables? Are we innovative enough?

The basics of furniture will continue to be the same. But we need to twist those basics to suit the everchanging tastes of the consumer.

These rattan lights by Tucker Robbins in New York lived former lives as Indonesian fishing baskets.

These bike chain chandeliers are the creative vision of Carolina Fontoura Alzaga, made from bikes reclaimed from dumpsters and junkyards.

Images courtesy of the artist, John Valls and Alan J. Crossley.

So I’ll tell you what I told him. Take something old. Something necessary, something integral to the music world—like classical music and its scales—and redo it. Repurpose it into something new and ground-breaking.

That’s all creation is, really. Figuring out what once was and changing it.

As he embraces that concept in the music world, so too has the furniture world taken hold. What used to be necessity has now become accessory. Items we couldn’t live without before that have now been passed by technology are being repurposed and formed into furniture pieces and decoration statements. Here are some of our favorites from this trend.

BIKE CHAINS

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Accessories

Images courtesy of the artist and Kinz + Tillou Fine Art.

Artist Brian Dettmer in Atlanta, Georgia, carves detailed sculptures out of books.

OLD BOOKS

MotoArt Studios in El Segundo, Calif., makes furniture and sculptures out of salvaged airplane parts.

System Design Studio in Spain has taken old bike tires and stretched them across used furniture legs to create this unique shelf.

BIKE TIRES

Photos courtesy of motoart.com.

AIRPLANE PARTS 28

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Accessories

Heritage Handcrafted reuses old whiskey barrels to create one-of-a-kind furniture pieces and accessories.

WHISKEY BARRELS

A reclaimed wooden spool and the base of an antique sewing machine form this bistro table by Reclaimed Rustics in Kimberly, Idaho.

SEWING MACHINES

Miami-based artist Federico Uribe makes stunning portraits using reclaimed electrical wire and power cords.

ELECTRICAL WIRE

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Fresh Perspectives

When Wisterians Travel

by Ellen Mishler

The above quote really spoke to me when I stumbled upon it.

Here at Wisteria we do a lot of traveling and buying worldwide, but all those experiences would mean very little if we couldn’t bring back stories to share with our friends, family and, most importantly, our customers.

And our Swedish Demilune Console is modeled after a 19th century Swedish antique. We wanted to keep the Gustavian features of the original piece, so we found vendors that could hand-carve the reeded apron for our version of the antique.

Here’s what some Wisteria employees had to say about their We travel to visit our vendors and check in on the products travels and worldwide adventures: we’ve designed; we travel to shop international markets and pick out new trends and products to bring back to the States; “One of my fondest memories of traveling is the laughs. but above all, we travel to put names, faces and stories to Somehow after spending 12 hours a day together in a forthe products we develop and sell. Getting the opportunity eign country, in close quarters, we always find something to to learn about the countries and cultures where our products have a good laugh about. We've even shot off fireworks at a vendor’s home just a few days before the Diwali holiday.” are produced is extremely rewarding—and extremely fun!

– Stephanie Plunk, Assoc. Director of Product and Design But products, memories and souvenirs aside, one of the most Development important things we bring back from our travels is inspiration. Many of the products we sell are antique reproductions. “Traveling is a great way for us to connect with the vendors When we are traveling and we find a historical piece with a and our current and future product. To actually see the great design, we are eager to recreate it and make it available factory making the product that we designed and planned specifically for a catalog is so rewarding! It truly brings for our customers.

Wisteria’s own Saint Vincent figurine was inspired by an antique Santos we found in the Philippines. Santos like this one were once crafted by priests for villagers to use in home altars, especially where there was no local church.

This practice originated in Eastern Europe, and became widespread in the 17th and 18th centuries. Our Santos come from Manila and are nearly a century old. An 1880s British Colonial style cupboard from India influenced our design of the Sunburst Armoire.

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everything we do full circle and helps spark inspiration and creativity for future projects.” – Lauren Soltz, Project

Manager

It’s not every day you get to pass an elephant on the street!

We love traveling for the unique and often surprising experiences it provides.

Wisteria is a retail store and website selling home furnishings and accessories in the Dallas, Texas, area. This story originally appeared on Wisteria’s blog, “Vine” (vine.wisteria.com).

www.retailerNOWmag.com

Fresh Perspectives

Check out some of our travel photos: Located in Agra, India, the Taj Mahal draws tourists from all over the world (Wisteria employees included!) to see its beautiful and impressive architecture. ďƒ† Right: Travel by elephant is still very common in India

Left: Colorful saris and beautiful, green vistas we saw on a 2008 trip to Jaipur, India.

Right: Lauren Soltz, Wisteria Project Manager holds up an inspirational piece of pottery.

From Left: Antique Santos from the Philippines Antique French gilt mirror

1880s British Colonial style cupboard from India

Swedish Demilune Console

A few of our reproductions based on the original pieces From Left: St. Vincent figurine reproduction French Gilt mirror reproduction Sunburst Armoire reproduction

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Mobile

Mobile campaigns that use location and highlight local

and community events can impact ROI

Selling More with Co-Op Advertising

By Regina Dinning

W

h en done correctly, co-op advertising can be a winwin for brands and their local retail channel partners. Brands get a boost in awareness and product visibility at the local level, while retail partners get the sale and the top-ofmind association with brands.

While co-op advertising has been a fixture in print and broadcast media for decades, it’s still relatively new to the world of online marketing. That’s especially surprising, given that the internet gives brands total control of their messaging, along with precise data on which ads in which markets are working to quickly and inexpensively switch out creative.

So, in the give-and-take world of digital co-op marketing, here are four ways that retailers and brands can work together to move merchandise and increase revenue.

 Use Consistent Creative Maintaining brand consistency at the local level starts with consistent creative. Many large brands provide approved ad templates that can be customized for local stores. Some customized local ads can even include photos and local reviews (e.g., Named Best Place to Buy Furniture by Readers of Omaha Magazine).

By providing customized ads for each channel partner, the brand can ultimately save time and money through quicker approval turnaround and more control of its marketing messages.

Co-branded display ads and local search ads lead shoppers to retailer websites. Ads can appear in the target market when shoppers search on their mobile devices. Customized conversion webpages can be automatically injected into retailer websites as well.

 Understand User Motivation on Mobile Devices By 2014, mobile internet use will surpass desktop access. Consumers conducting searches on mobile devices behave differently than those searching on a PC. While local search accounts for 20 percent of queries on PCs, it’s 40 percent of all mobile queries.

with online analytics, many of these social sites can elicit instant feedback from online communities.

User demographics can also come into play. Women make up 58 percent of Facebook users, 70 percent of Pinterest users and 62 percent of Twitter users.

Men make up about 54 percent of LinkedIn and YouTube users and 64 percent of Google+ users.

Likewise, geography can play a big role. For mobile campaigns, targeting the user’s location can drive messaging on mobile devices such as “We’re just around the corner” or “Big sale today!” The retailer knows local events and community attitudes better than Tech-savvy shoppers using smart- the brand does, so little tweaks that phones are researching on the go and highlight local involvement (“Congrats are in-market and ready to buy. PC to Central High Football Team!”) can users are still conducting research and impact ROI. reading reviews before making purchase decisions. The co-branded cam-  Observe Ad Guidelines paigns should consider these behaviors Brands should set clear guidelines with on different devices. local retailers and be clear about how Mobile ads should not just be a re- much control local marketing managformatting or resizing of banner ads. ers have and what boundaries are set Content on mobile ads should be opti- for modifications. They should share mized to leverage the way mobile users corporate messaging with the retailer consume information. Less is more in but allow some leeway for customizaterms of ad copy, and messaging should tion and localization. stay focused on a central call to action.

 Leverage Online Features and Geography Brands can work with local partners to develop campaigns that tap into the preferred actions and responses within each social and research channel. As

Regina Dinning is a business development director at Netsertive (netsertive.com). Dinning (rdinning@ netsertive.com) is a seasoned professional with more than 15 years' experience in marketing and advertising, including several years specifically in home furnishings.

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"Belonging to NAHFA puts me with the best and the brightest in the business. Seeing and hearing from my fellow retailers refreshes, renews, and motivates me to get 'er done! Without fail, I come home from every meeting with new and better ways to do what I have been doing my entire career. I get the TLC that I need!" —Mike Spiller, Spiller Furniture

Join or renew your Association membership today and start enjoying the benefits of belonging. Whether you are looking for great financing rates, first class education or a community of peers, your Association provides it all.

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THANK YOU

Our Association gratefully recognizes all of our supporters whose dedication and committment has strengthened our industry.

Advertising Concepts of America AICO/Amini Innovation Corp.

American Express American Leather Ashley Furniture Industries, Inc. Aspenhome Associated Volume Buyers Becker Designed, Inc. Bernards, Inc. Best Buy for Business Best Home Furnishings Braxton Culler, Inc. Cargo Consolidation Services Century Furniture Coaster Company of America Cory Home Delivery Service DĂŠcor-Rest Furniture Ltd. Diakon Logistics DSI Companies Ekornes Elements International Elite Leather Emerald Home Furnishings Fairmont Designs Flexsteel Furniture of America Furniture Wizard FurnitureDealer.net GE Capital Great American Furniture Services Guardian Products Guardsman/The Valspar Corp.

Harden Furniture Company High Point Market Authority Holland House Homelegance USA HFB Magazine Horich Hector Lebow Advertising Consulting Services, Inc. Innovative Delivery Systems Jofran Sales, Inc. Julius M. Feinblum Real Estate, Inc. Kincaid King Hickory Furniture Co Lane Home Furnishings Lazar Industries Lea Leggett & Platt Liberty Furniture Lifestyle Enterprises Linon Home DĂŠcor Products Magnussen Home Mail America Massood Logistics Med-Lift Mobility MicroD, Inc. Mohawk Finishing Products, Inc. Myriad Software Natuzzi Americas, Inc. NetSertive Nourison Industries Okinus Credit Solutions Pacific Furniture Dealers

Phoenix A.M.D. International, Inc. PROFITsystems Protect-A-Bed Restonic Mattress Corp.

Sandberg Furniture SAP Retail Serta Mattress Companies Simmons Shock Watch Sleep-Ezz Source International, Inc./4 Sales Finance Sphinx by Oriental Weavers Standard Furniture Steve Silver Co. STORIS Surya The TV Shield The Uttermost Company Tidewater Finance Company Trendwood, Inc. Tropic Survival Advertising & Marketing TruckSkin, LLC Twin Star/Classic Flame United Furniture Industries Valassis, Inc. Vaughan Furniture Co. Versatile Systems Wahlquist Management Corporation World Market Center Zenith Global

To become an industry partner contact: North American Home Furnishings Association 800.422.3778 or email: cwilliams@nahfa.org

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What's Selling

What’s Selling

Every month, What’s Selling Now features best-sellers from across the country, in different styles, categories and price points. Here’s what’s selling now.

Submitted By: Bobby Grajewski Store Name: Heritage Handcrafted Location: Charlotte, N.C. Product Name: Celebration Box Is the product:

Made in America – Yes

Warehouse Ready – No

Container Product – Yes

Retail Cost: $400 Why do you think it is a successful seller? The box has sturdy craftsmanship and is a unique, one-of-a-kind gift. Because it’s made with reclaimed whiskey barrel staves, all of the pieces have a character and spirit of their own.

How available is the product from the manufacturer?

Ready to ship in 2-3 weeks.

Submitted By: Cassie Robinson Store Name: Everson’s Home Furnishings Location: Newberry, MI, and Saint Ignace, MI Manufacturer: La-Z-Boy Product Name: Lancer Recliner Is the product:

Made in America – Yes

Warehouse Ready – Yes

Container Product – No

Retail Cost: $699 Why do you think it is a successful seller? The Lancer is comfortable and easily accommodated in most homes. It has a look that isn’t specific to traditional or contemporary.

How available is the product from the manufacturer?

Approximately 4-6 weeks.

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Product Focus

Vintage Repurposed

I

t ’s true that styles are cyclical.

Whether it’s a daughter wearing her mother’s teenage clothes, a Victorian house refurbished to new or even a Mother of Pearl comb sitting on a dresser, the fashions of the past always find a way to come back in style. This truth can be seen across the home furnishings industry in things like bright colors reminiscent of the 60s, Americana-style bed frames or gilded mirrors. Current lighting concepts show this trend in a whole new way—not just repeating the styles and fashions of the past, but taking those items themselves and transforming them into something new. Two manufacturer/retailer combination companies are embracing this path and creating vintage-to-new best-selling items: Louise Gaskill Company and Heritage Handcrafted.

Louise Gaskill Company, based in Raleigh, N.C., specializes in redesigning vintage lamps and chandeliers into new products. The designs spotlight antique glass and gilt finishes, resulting in a modern lighting product with elements of the past woven throughout.

James Broyhill, great-grandson of Broyhill Furniture Industries’ founder, has made his own mark in the furnishings industry with the company he co-founded, Heritage Handcrafted.

Among other wood products, the company uses traditional woodworking methods to transform aged whiskey, wine and scotch barrel staves into oneand two-tier chandeliers.

Images courtesy of Louise Gaskill Company.

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Importance of Integrated Marketing

I’m sure you’ve heard the marketing community talk about integrated marketing, but have you ever wondered why it’s so important? n t e g r a t e d m a r k e t i n g , w h e n d o n e c o r re c t l y, completely transforms your marketing—meaning that it brings together all elements of your marketing plan from newspaper ads to online marketing to TV commercials. Why is this important? Because by integrating all your marketing efforts, it allows for you to have consistent messaging across all marketing channels.

When you have different messages floating about, it’s easy for your customers to get confused. They should know by the graphics and messaging in your advertisements exactly what the sale is, where the sale is taking place, how to get the savings and how to find you online.

A sound marketing plan creates synergy that enables all areas of your store to unite and generate business.

This means your showroom must reinforce what you say in the market place. A sound marketing approach considers the customer’s wants and needs, instead of simply telling them what to buy. Integrated marketing helps keep a consistent message for your customers AND it helps bring them into your store.

Too many times customers get confused with multiple messages. For instance, when a store is advertising 75 percent off utilizing traditional media, customers get on your website, ready to pre-shop your store or buy something right away. However, if you haven’t integrated your marketing messages with your website, the customer will be confused as to whether they should make the trip to your store or buy something online.

Consistent messaging across all avenues of your marketing will help build your brand credibility.

The last thing you want is a frustrated customer because they want to buy something, but they don’t know what the sale is based on due to hearing/ seeing different messages on multiple media outlets.

Marketing is about keeping it simple and having the same message across all cost-effective marketing channels. Don’t confuse your customer and don’t assume that the newspaper ad will be enough to bring them in the store. The one thing you should always assume is that one advertisement is never enough to make them purchase. The same advertisement across multiple vehicles is the best way to encourage a purchase.

Quick-Fire Marketing is brought to you by R&A Marketing. Armed with more than 25 years of furniture retail marketing experience as a full-service traditional and digital marketing company, R&A is the industry’s premier agency for retailers in the home furnishings and appliances/electronics industries.

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Government Relations

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Government Relations

Getting Involved

The merger of the Home Furnishings Independents Association, the National Home Furnishings Association and the Western Home Furnishings Association into the North American Home Furnishings Association (NAHFA) earlier this year brings together resources, programs, members and staff while giving home furnishings retailers a united voice for common concerns. NAHFA is enhancing its collective best practices and expanding its commitment to programs and services important to its members and the industry as a whole.

By Lisa Casinger

issues and keep you informed on both a state and national level. We’ll be your eyes and ears; we will help promote and protect your interest as a home furnishings retailer.

(i.e. labels for furniture) and facilitate meetings—the next step is up to you.

You are the constituent, the business owner and the voice your legislator wants to hear; we can give you the talking points, but you have to do As a vibrant industry, it’s our collective the talking. responsibility to make sure lawmakers understand the value, benefits and Answering calls to action is easy—most opportunities offered by the home often you just need to call your reprefurnishings industry. Being aware sentative and let them know where you and responsive to the legislative issues stand on the issue at hand. Many in the helps protect you, your business and industry are already involved in governyour community. ment relations. They belong to chambers of commerce, sit on local retail One of the areas NAHFA is focusing Working for Our Members boards, belong to county committees on is its commitment to and involveor meet regularly with their legislators.

We’re working with our Washington, If you’re interested in getting involved ment with government relations.

D.C., counsel to determine the key is- with NAHFA’s efforts toward growsues as they pertain to home furnishings ing our collective voice, contact me or Working for the Industry retailers and we will let you know how volunteer to be a member of NAHFA’s Being aware of legislative issues is those issues will affect your business GRAT. important to all businesses, regardless and, more importantly, what you can Casinger is NAHFA’s government relations of physical or fiscal size, number of do about them. We’re also partnering Lisa liaison. You can reach her at lcasinger@nahfa.org or employees or location. It’s not about with other organizations to turn up (800) 422-3778. politics—it’s about the Marketplace the volume on the home furnishings Fairness Act for sales tax collection, industry’s voice on Capitol Hill and interchange fees on bankcard process- across the country. ing, EPA regulations that affect retailers and manufacturers, Department of In the coming months you’ll find much Transportation regulations, healthcare more information on www.nahfa.org, reform, tax reform and much, much such as policy positions that explain more. Many of these issues affect you the Association’s stand on key legislative as a business owner, just like they affect issues as outlined by members of our the tire shop across the street, the mom Government Relations Action Team and pop restaurant around the corner, (GRAT). You’ll also see an increased the bookstore, the bakery and all of flow of information on our social media your local merchants. platforms, as well as more consistent direct communication to members.

Some of these issues affect you, specifically, as a home furnishings retailer— We’ll gather the information, study its flammability testing, formaldehyde impact, share the results, recommend in home products, juvenile product courses of action (i.e. call your represensafety and more. We’ll monitor the tative), provide sample documentation

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The Scoop

the scoop

What’s going on with our retailers across the country

vv Lifetime Achievement Award Recipients Bill and Rochelle Tepperman Honored at Chamber Ball On June 21, the Windsor & Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce honored Rochelle and Bill Tepperman with the 2013 Lifetime Achievement Award, recognizing them for their joint life of service to Windsor and Essex County.

“Community is what has supported our business and in turn we have a debt to our community, just like we have a debt to Canada,” said Bill Tepperman. “Anybody can open a store; anybody can be a lawyer or a doctor. If you do it just to make money, that’s not success. But to do it in a way where you treat every human being the way human beings deserve to be treated… that I believe is success.”

“Our parents were married around the time of the Great Depression and life went on during those difficult times,” said Rochelle. “Our parents had very little and some relatives had even less but we both grew up in homes

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where helping people was very important. We both learned by example. It was accepted that we all had a communal responsibility to help the rest of our community.”

Rochelle and Bill Tepperman celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in December 2012. They are proud parents to Andrew (Tina), Jonathan (Alexis) and Noah (Julie) and prouder grandparents to Lia and Nathan, Gerome and Novi, and Lily and Benjamin. Andrew and Noah are the third generation of Tepperman family owneroperators in the business. Jonathan is Managing Editor for Foreign Affairs, the leading magazine for analysis and debate of foreign policy, economics and global affairs.

The award is not presented annually—it is awarded only when the Chamber’s Board of Directors deems there is a thoroughly deserving recipient who has made an exceptional contribution above and beyond the Chamber’s annual Business Excellence Awards.

www.retailerNOWmag.com

The Scoop

Starting in January 2014, The Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market will operate with a new Tuesday-to-Monday Market Schedule. The Market Temporaries will open one day earlier—on Thursday—and will close on Monday with the Market.

The day sequences for The Atlanta International Area Rug Market featuring the National Oriental Rug Show in January, and The Atlanta International Area Rug Market in July are also affected by the date change. The Markets will take place Wednesday through Saturday with January temporaries open from Thursday through Saturday.

SURYA® 2013 Ainsley Rug Collection

vv AmericasMart Announces 2014 Market Date Changes

New January Market Dates: The Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market SHOWROOMS: January 7 – January 13, 2014 TEMPORARIES: January 9 – January 13, 2014 The Atlanta International Area Rug Market featuring the National Oriental Rug Show SHOWROOMS: January 8 – January 11, 2014 TEMPORARIES: January 9 – January 11, 2014 New July Market Dates: The Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market SHOWROOMS: July 8 – July 14, 2014 TEMPORARIES: July 10 – July 14, 2014 The Atlanta International Area Rug Market SHOWROOMS: July 9 – July 12, 2014

vv Jordan’s Furniture and Cradles to Crayons Help Children in Need Get Ready to Learn from Head to Toe The first day of school is right around the corner and east-coast-based Jordan's Furniture, along with Cradles to Crayons, wants to make sure that every child will start the school year off on the right foot. From July 8 through September 9, 2013, bring your new or like-new school clothes and shoes to any Jordan's location, including the Taunton Distribution Center. Cradles to Crayons' "Ready for School" program will make sure that your donation helps children (infant to 12 years old) living in homeless or low-income situations. Accepted clothing includes pants, shirts, sweatshirts, pajamas, socks (new) and undergarments (new). Accepted shoes include sneakers and winter boots (sizes infant to adult 9).

Cradles to Crayons strives to provide every child with the essentials they need to feel valued, so please donate like-new, high-quality items. No rips, stains or tears. Donation items are distributed through local partnering social service agencies in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island. It will make "back to school" mean so much more for some great kids!

Send your latest news stories to jennifer@retailerNOWmag.com.

We love to hear what’s going on with you.

www.retailerNOWmag.com A U G U S T | 2 0 1 3

45

Calendar

MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR THESE INDUSTRY EVENTS

Tupelo Furniture Market

High Point Market

August 15-18, 2013 Tupelo, Mississippi www.tupelofurnituremarket.com

October 19-24, 2013 High Point, North Carolina www.highpointmarket.org

NY NOW

KEM Furniture and Accessory Market

August 17-21, 2013 New York, New York www.nynow.com

November 13-14, 2013 Long Beach, California www.kemexpo.com

All American Furniture Expo

ELOQUENCE速 Column Length Lamp Spring 2013 High Point

November 18-22, 2013 Moscow, Russia www.zowmoscow.ru/en

China International Furniture Expo September 11-15, 2013 Shanghai, China www.chinaexhibition.com

Chicago, Illinois www.casualmarket.com

Midwest Furniture Show September 25-26, 2013 Schaumburg, Illinois www.midwestfurnitureclub.com

YA速 SUR n ctio

olle rt C

ll A Wa

Cl o

www.retailerNOWmag.com

SURYA速 Wall Art Collection

September 17-20, 2013

ce Fa ck AUGUST | 2013

Showtime December 8-11, 2013 High Point, North Carolina www.showtime-market.com

International Casual Furniture & Accessories Market

UENCE速 Brugge OQ Tow EL n

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ZOW Moscow

September 5-6, 2013 Lancaster, Pennsylvania www.allamericanfurnitureexpo.com

Ad Index

Simple, well-placed accessories finish a room. Images from足Global Views.

ADVERTISER

PHONE

WEBSITE

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

PAGE#

Furniture Wizard

(619) 869-7200

furniturewizard.com

www.facebook.com/furniturewizard

High Point Market

(336) 869-1000

highpointmarket.org

www.highpointmarket.org/facebook

24

International Casual Furniture Market

(312) 527-7764

casualmarket.com

http://tinyurl.com/casualmarket

Jaipur Rugs

(888) 416-8600

jaipurrugs.com

www.facebook.com/jaipurlifestyle

Kincaid Furniture

(828) 728-3261

kincaidfurniture.com

Lynch Sales

(305) 444-3939

lynchsales.com

facebook.com/lynchsales

MicroD

(800) 964-3876

microdinc.com

www.facebook.com/microdinc

Northwest Furniture Xpress

(828) 475-6377

nwfurniturexpress.com

42

Planned Furniture Promotions

(800) 472-5242

pfpromotions.com

10

PROFITsystems

(716) 894-1414

profitsystems.com

www.facebook.com/profitsystems

@PROFITsystems

11

R&A Marketing

(888) 225-0776

ramarketing.com

www.facebook.com/RAmarketing

@RAmarketing

40

Serta

(888) 557-3782

serta.com

www.facebook.com/sertamattress

@sertamattresses

3

SHFA

(214) 741-7632

Surya

(877) 275-7847

surya.com

www.facebook.com/SuryaSocial

NAHFA Sponsors

(800) 888-9590

retailerNOWmag.com

www.facebook.com/retailernow

@hpmarketnews

13 25

@jaipurlifestyle

Inside Back 17 13

@microdinc

Back Cover

25 Inside Cover @retailerNow

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www.retailerNOWmag.com A U G U S T | 2 0 1 3

47

A quick dose of fun facts, random trivia and useful (or useless) bits of info

The Now List $550,000 Janet Jackson's “wardrobe malfunction” during the 2004 Super Bowl cost CBS a fine of $550,000— the same price as 7.5 seconds of commercial time during the same broadcast.

Furniture Talk

No animal should ever jump up on the dining room furniture unless absolutely certain that he can hold his own in the conversation.

Disneyland has a regulation half-court inside the Matterhorn mountain where employees can play basketball.

Only 6 percent of Beatles autographs in circulation are estimated to be real.

—Fran Lebowitz Having bought furniture for my own house, and bought furniture for our house in Washington, a furniture store seemed like a good idea, and it also played into my personal history.

—Elizabeth Edwards At a Boston signing, someone from the audience asked why I was so obsessed with furniture in my books. The question rattled around in my head. I had no idea that I was obsessed with furniture.

72% of Americans

Every episode of Seinfeld features Superman, either by name or pictures on Jerry's fridge.

You’d have to spell out every number up to 1,000 until you could find the letter “a”.

Seventy-two percent of Americans sign their pets' names on greeting cards.

President Clinton Bill Clinton only sent two emails his entire eight years in office. One went to John Glenn while he was on the space shuttle, and the other was an email system test.

When you see oranges in any Godfather film, a death or close call will soon follow.

Babe Ruth kept a cabbage leaf under his cap that he changed every two innings to keep himself cool.

—Jonathan Carroll When I was 9, my parents let me take a cab to the mall all by myself.

I had hardly any money to spend, but I did have a very specific list of things I wanted to do: Buy cookies and sit on the furniture at Sears.

—Leslie Mann I have been black and blue in some spot, somewhere, almost all my life from too intimate contacts with my own furniture.

Before Beethoven composed, he dipped his head in cold water.

It is illegal to slam your car door in Switzerland.

—Frank Lloyd Wright

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AUGUST | 2013

www.retailerNOWmag.com

Jell-O hooked up to an EEG machine registers movements almost identical to a human adult's brain waves.

let’s talk... eCommerce

1993 - 2013

2

YEARS

Why eCommerce?

• Access to Fastest Growing Sales Channel • Open for Business 24/7/365 • Expand Geographical Reach • Online Influences and Speeds In-Store Sales • 1 in 4 Furniture Buyers Purchase Online

Retailer Benefits

Advantages Integration with MicroD’s ePiphany website platform gives the consumer detailed product information and encourages them to move from browsing to buying.

Managed Services package includes analytics monitoring to manage marketing campaigns and website product placement to promote popular items online and increase their visibility.

SEO & SEM service package includes monitoring and maintenance to increase website traffic.

• Offer Larger Selection Online vs. In-Store • SEO Sends Shoppers Directly to You • Dynamic Pricing Updates • Comprehensive Sales/Trend Analytics • Accepts Credit Cards, PayPal, etc.

Consumer Benefits • Hundreds of Merchandise Options • Less Pressure than In-Store Shopping • Product Filter, Search, & Compare • Shopper Product Reviews/Ratings • Safe & Secure Payment Processing

More Information Email: Solutions@MicroDinc.com Call: 800-964-3876 Chat: www.microdinc.com

The retail furniture market is getting tougher each day.