september 2014 — the power of giving

Vol. 3 Issue 8

Philanthropy SEPTEM

BER Issue SEP

TEMB

ER 2014

SEPTEMBER 2014

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in each issue04. NAHFA President’s Message06. Editor's Message10. Retailer2Retailer/Inspired Reading11. Connections Meet Your GRAT19. Fresh Perspectives Bon Voyage with Social Media20. Product Focus Rugs26. Community Today Two Stores, One Roof50. Government Relations What is HOS?52. The Scoop54. Industry Calendar56. The NOW List

IN S IDE

departmentsTechnology08. TechNOW42. Are You Making the Most of Mobile?

Sales & Marketing16. Retail Voice Behold the Business Card Operations24. Get Rid of Old Inventory

Membership44. Networking News48. Inside Coverage

SEPTEMBER 2014

features12. The Power of Giving30. NGN Spotlight: Sarah Bumps, Davis Furniture32. Las Vegas Market Wrap-up

Technology08. TechNOW34. Are You Making the Most of Mobile?

30.Top: Philanthropy—good for the community and business. Middle: Rugs are an important tool in your accessory arsenal. Bottom: Sarah Bumps disproves the notion that you can never go home.

12.

20.

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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. Application to Mail at the Periodicals Postage Prices is Pending at Roseville, CA and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Please address changes to: RetailerNOW, The North American Home Furnishings Association, 500 Giuseppe Court, Ste 6, Roseville CA 95678.

If you would like to stop receiving RetailerNOW, please send an email to [email protected].

If you would like to only receive an electronic version of RetailerNOW, please send an email to [email protected]. © 2014 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.

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.

RetailerNOW StaffLisa Casinger Editorial Director [email protected] Bell Editor [email protected] Tilley Creative Director [email protected] Nygaard Sales Executive [email protected] Seites Webmaster [email protected]

Retail Advisory Team

Carol Bell Contents Interiors Tucson, AZ Travis Garrish Forma Furniture Fort Collins, CO Rick Howard Sklar Furnishings Boca Raton, FLMike Luna Pedigo’s Furniture Livingston TX Andrew Tepperman Tepperman's Windsor, ON

Membership StaffKaprice Crawford Membership Team Leader [email protected]

Jordan Boyst [email protected]

Michael Hill [email protected]

Eric Malone [email protected] Sutherland [email protected]

Dianne Therry [email protected]

Please call (800) 422-3778 for all membership inquires.

Executive StaffSharron Bradley CEO NAHFA [email protected] Frye EVP NAHFA [email protected]

Contributors Kaprice Crawford, Regina Dinning, Brooke Feldman, Jeff Giagnocavo, Sue Masaracchia-Roberts, Sydnee Seites, Tom Shay

Published by the North American Home Furnishings Association 500 Giuseppe Court, Suite Six, Roseville, CA 95678 800.422.3778 • retailernowmag.com


President's MessagePresident’s Message

Philanthropy comes from the Greek word philanthropia, or “love of humanity.”

The furniture industry is filled with people who show this “love of mankind” by giving back in a variety of ways to the people in the communities where we live and work. Our industry also gets

involved with organizations and individual causes across the country and in some cases internationally.

Look no further than the City of Hope and the massive fund raising and donations that come from a range of retailers and manufacturers. Their combined efforts have raised millions of dollars for cancer research over the years. It is a remarkable tribute to our industry that we can band together and have our business leaders step up to lead us all in giving each year and raising the bar to even greater heights.

Each of us has the opportunity to get involved in our local areas impacting the lives of many through giving. Interest-ingly enough it is not done for promotional reasons, but really just to help support the needs of our communities or causes that we favor.

At the Home Furnishings Networking Conference in June we honored two very deserving NAHFA Retailers of the Year. Harkness Furniture and Olinde’s Furniture both demonstrated this remarkable bond that the industry shares with our communities. We heard wonderful stories of both companies giving back and helping where needed. While they exemplify the spirit of giving and “love of mankind” they also echo what many of us do to be responsible citizens.

There are two quotes that I really love. Winston Churchill stated, “We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give;” and this from Ted Turner “As I started getting rich, I started thinking, ‘What the hell am I going to do with all this money?’ You have to learn to give.”

And so we do.

Rick Howard

Making a Life by What We Give


Editor’s Message

Because they need our help.

Because we can help.

Because they are our neighbors, our customers and, but for the grace of God, ourselves.

Because we are part of the home furnishings industry, and we know something about hard times.

I could give you a million reasons why our industry is so generous in its philan-thropy. Instead, I’ll let the retailers and manufacturers themselves tell you in our cover story starting on page 12. From building a family’s first home to giving furniture to disabled veterans, there’s a lot to celebrate in our industry. Now here’s the rub: Besides being the right thing to do, it also makes good business sense.

If you’ve been looking for a way to give back to your community, we hope this issue inspires you. If you’ve already been generous in your time, talents and treasure—and, man, have a lot of you been generous—consider this issue our celebration of you and your employees. Thanks!

* * *

What if you could improve foot traffic to your store without a single Tweet, Pin or Share? RetailerNOW reporter Sue Masaracchia-Roberts examines how some home furnishing retailers are doing that right now by opening a second store within their store. Check out her story on page 26 and see if it’s right for you.

Faithful readers might notice a change to our lineup this month. Tom Shay brings his knowledge and insight as a fourth-generation small-business owner to RetailerNOW’s pages. He’ll write mostly about money and finances, but he’ll also share with you what he learned in more than 25 years as a retailer.

I met Tom at the Home Furnishings Networking Conference in Phoenix. Except for his love of the St. Louis Car-dinals, he’s a pretty smart guy. His first column appears on page 24. We hope you profit from his knowledge.

Robert Bell [email protected] | (916) 757-1169

Why Do We Give?


Cool Apps

Tech

TechNOWfacebook.com/RetailerNOW @RetailerNOW pinterest.com/RetailerNOW

What technology are you using in your store? Let us know at

[email protected]!

Good to Know

Bitcoin (BTC)

If you don’t fully understand Bitcoin, don’t worry: Even its biggest backers admit it’s still too early to be useful to the mainstream economy.

Bitcoin, which debuted in 2009, is a decentralized digital currency, or crypto currency. It allows transactions to be performed without banks or any other middlemen, and without transaction fees. Transactions from consumers’ digital “wallets” are processed, verified

and publicly recorded by so-called “Bitcoin enthusiasts.” You’ve probably heard about it, maybe read about it and possibly even considered using it. We’ve broken down the pros and cons to help you answer the question: to Bitcoin or not to Bitcoin?Pros: Transaction fees of 0-1 percent versus 2-5

percent for credit cards Charges aren’t reversible, so customers can’t

deny payments Can be accepted internationally Latching onto the Bitcoin payment trend could

thrust early adopters into the media spotlight and help them stand out from the competition

Cons: Huge volatility (the price of a single Bitcoin

increased by 6,000 percent in 2013) It’s not secure—Bitcoin is still very vulnerable

to theft and fraud Transactions are not easily traceable It’s unregulated in the U.S. Not enough people use it

The verdict? Bitcoin is not yet useful to the mainstream retailers. It’s too easily stolen, hard for people to get, and the price fluctuates so much that most consumers are scared to use it for transactions.

Pro-tips Instead of putting different tasks in different windows on your computer, put different tasks on different devices.Now that people have several devices at work—laptop, phone, tablet—try using each piece of hardware for a different purpose. A pile of browser tabs on your computer becomes mentally confusing; tasks get hidden and may be forgotten. But when screens are physically separate, the problem virtually evaporates.

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Closely helps small businesses keep track of the competition with its social monitoring app, Perch. Perch enables small business owners to track what people are saying about them online, and what their competitors are saying and doing. In addition to enabling companies to see their competitors’ social chatter—posts, reviews, promotions—Perch recommends technology products to business owners based on the data it collects about its competitors’ operations. The app won the Appy Award for Best Business App 2013, already boasts 40,000 users, and with $3 million in new funding, the company intends to continue to build out its marketplace platform for small-to-medium-sized businesses. Free; iOS, Android.

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Inspired Reading:Retailer2Retailer:Are you paying yourself a fair salary?

Retailer2Retailer

E very home furnishings retailer has felt the ef-fects—both good and bad—of the globaliza-

t ion to the furniture-making industry. New author Beth Macy tells the story from a different perspective: One businessman’s fight against the globalization that nearly destroyed the Blue Ridge mountain towns through-out North Carolina and Virginia that made the area the former furniture capital of this nation.

It takes a skilled writer to avoid the dryness, despair and complexity that accompanies a story on free trade and the globalization of the furniture-making industry. Macy, a 25-year reporter with The Roanoke Times (VA), is just the writer to do it.

Factory Man, released this summer to glowing reviews, is filled with research, archives and interviews, the requisites of good reporting. But Macy knows what it takes to con-nect with readers, so she packs the book with people, too. It is not enough that she recounts the legal battle between John Bassett III (yes, that Bassett family) and Chinese factories that steal his furniture designs and manufacture them for half the cost overseas. Macy also tells the stories of the generations of mountain families who gave their lives working for the Bassett family.

People like Dolley Finey, a turn-of-the-century African-American house maid, who wore two girdles as a way to fend off unwanted advances from the men of the house and who bought a chemistry set for her niece, who later became the first family member to attend college.

Along the way, Macy’s storytelling takes more than a subtle jab at those who support free trade and globalization. Indeed it becomes gin-clear early in her writing that Macy believes the world is not flat and writes that New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman “and the free-trade cheerleaders” have little clue or care for devastating effects their theories have on American workers.

Macy shines a light on those workers and, where free trade is concerned, might leave you rethinking your position. Which is what any good book should do.

Althea Vitte, Vitte’s Unfinished Furniture, Pittsburgh, PA

“In years past I think I did, but that’s changed as things have gotten a lot harder. We’re a small, family business and you do what you have to do to keep your business alive. A lot of times that means you’re the one who might not get paid what you deserve. We do a flat salary to our family members and some of our employees plus an incentive based on the percentage of sales from the previ-ous month. That’s proven to be a pretty good incentive for us.”

Factory Man—by Beth Macy

Gary Blackburn, Half Moon Furniture, Charlotte, NC

“I probably make at least 65 cents an hour when you factor in the time I spend here at the store and at home or going to market! But, seriously, if I didn’t feel like I was paying myself fairly or subsidizing myself for what I do I would stop and close shop this week. I am so blessed. It may not come in one paycheck or this month, but over time it works itself out so, yes, I’m satisfied. I’m 63 and I started talking about retiring. This business is 11 years old and I’m finally getting something out of it that’s financially meaningful.”

IMAGES?

Debra Cox, Village Furniture & Design, Malone, NY

“I’ve never really stopped to figure out what I’m paying myself because it’s hard to do. I’m the sole proprietor so I wear many hats. I clean the bathrooms, sweep the floors, design the window displays and we have very elaborate window displays. So I don’t really know what I’m truly paying myself and whether it’s fair or not. Obviously I do take money from the company, but I’m in a spot where my husband works and we rely on that income. I’m doing well enough that I don’t have to concern myself with exactly how much I pay myself. My life is comfortable and I’m happy so that’s enough for me.”


MEET YOUR Government Relations Action Team (GRAT)

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MEET YOUR Government Relations Action Team (GRAT)

(800) 422-3778

Dru Jeppe Reeds Furniture Agoura Hills, CA

If you’re and NAHFA member and want to join the GRAT, contact our government relations liaison, Lisa Casinger at [email protected] or 800-422-3778 ext. 305.

Eric Blackledge Blackledge Furniture Corvallis, OR

Wogie Badcock Badcock Home Furniture & More Mulberry, FL

Sherry Sheely Sheely’s Furniture & Appliance North Lima, OH

Tom Olinde Olinde’s Furniture Baton Rouge, LA

Brian Adams Ashley Furniture Arcadia, WI

Peter Fynboh Ashley Furniture Arcadia, WI

Rick Haux, Mor Furniture for Less San Diego, CA

Lisa Fanaro Ashley Furniture Tampa, FL


Cover Story

DeMarcus Lewis, a former Navy Seal who now under goes daily dialysis, received a new bed and motion chair from Walker Furniture as part of its Help for Heroes program.


Cover Story

THE POWER OF GIVING

The betrayal was especially hard to hear for Walker Furniture employees. Nevada’s largest furniture store is located in Las Vegas, not far from Nellis Air Force Base. Walker has been sell-ing furniture to military families since the store opened in 1960. “I remember one worker walk-ing out of the break room so angry, asking how we could treat our veterans this way,” said Gerace, Walker’s marketing director. “That’s when we decided to do something.”

The store could have easily cut a check to an American Legion or Veterans of Foreign Wars group and moved on, but as Gerace said, “That’s not the Walker way of doing things.”

Instead, the store created “Help for Heroes” and asked the community for its help by nominating wounded or disabled veterans of Clark County, Nev., who were in need of specialized furniture to make their lives easier.

Gerace said store officials were hoping for two or three dozen letters. By the end of the two-month event, they received more than 120. In July, the store celebrated veterans at a nearby American Legion. A local restaurant supplied the barbecue to more than 100 military families, and Walker employees distributed furniture to 10 soldiers

and veterans in the area. Gerace remains stunned at her community’s response. “We can’t wait to do it again,” she said.

DeMarcus Lewis, a former Navy Seal who now under-goes daily dialysis, was one of them. Walker donated an adjustable bed and a motion chair that practically helps Lewis stand up.

“I can’t tell you how comfortable I am these days,” said Lewis, who sometimes is bed-ridden for 10 hours at a time during dialysis. “You’re always hearing about how America helps children and people in other countries, and we’ve got our veterans back home who need help. (Walker) really came through for us.”

Walker’s generosity was exceptional this summer, but it’s far from the exception in the home furnishings business. An industry known for enduring its own tough times, home furnishings companies routinely

give back to their communities. And while philanthropy by small busi-nesses isn’t tracked separately, giving by the home furnishings industry and other small businesses helped push total giving in the United States to a record $316 billion last year, according to the data from Giving USA Foundation.

Russell Hodge, whose consulting company The Hodge Group matches companies with charitable organizations, said he isn’t surprised by the growing number of home furnishings retailers entering the philanthropy field. “Besides being the right thing to do by helping your community (philanthropy) makes good business sense,” he said.

Indeed, a 2013 study by communications company Cone Inc. found that 90 percent of Americans want to know what cause your business supports. A whopping 79 percent of consumers would switch to a brand—your furniture store—associated with a good cause.

And that ever-elusive Millenial market? Cone’s study said many Millenials are aware of and more likely to purchase products from companies that support causes, but they also consider a company’s attachment to social issues when talking about and referring products to others.

Officials with Howell Furniture weren’t aware of those numbers when they went looking for a way to help their community. Marketing director Shawn Hanley was more concerned with finding a way for the store, a fixture in Beaumont, Texas, for 55 years, to say thank you. “Our com-munity is what has made us successful over the years,” Hanley said. “We wanted to find a way to give back to our community that has been so helpful to us.”

By Robert BellThe home furnishings industry lends a helping hand


Cover Story

In the end, Howell officials closed the store for a day to help build a Habitat for Humanity home. Store officials gave employees a choice: Take the day off or show up to work with a hammer and saw. More than 90 percent of the store’s employees—sales, administration and warehouse—showed up to build. When a thunderstorm blew in and threatened to cancel the day, Howell officials offered up their warehouse so that workers could finish building the home’s walls that day.

Besides employees getting a chance to work with and get to know the family they were helping, Hanley discov-ered an unexpected benefit. “We had warehouse people working with salespeople all day,” she said. “People were laughing and joking and having a great time. We’re a much closer group because of that day.”

Howell Furniture didn’t stop giving after the work day. The store hosted an after-hours party for workers and Habitat families during which the company donated $5,000 to the organization. And when the last nail was finally pounded and the paint was dry, the retailer filled every room with furniture and accessories, more than $25,000 worth.

Hanley said store officials never looked at the time and money invested as a business decision. “It was just the

right thing to do for our community,” she said. “For 55 years this town has made us the success we are today. We’re just returning the favor. You don’t see the giving from corporate America like you used to see so it’s nice when a small company can help make Beaumont a nicer place to live.”

But Hanley added the store’s goodwill, besides enhancing its image, has also boosted the company’s bottom line.

“Obviously people have choices when they’re buying anything these days,” Hanley said. “When they have that choice for furniture maybe they’ll say, ‘Wow, I remember them. They helped make our community a better place so I’m going to help them.’ ”

Home furnishings retailers feeling the philanthropic urge need to tread carefully, according to Hodge. Without the right strategy, your good intentions could lead to bad results. As with any business strategy, Hodge urges planning lest the end result prove disappointing for your store and the charity.

Hodge offers a few tips to retailers looking to start or improve their giving:

Get involved. “A charity needs your cash, but they need your time and talents just as much,” Hodge said. “You need to be actively involved by attending or helping set up your


Cover Story

program.” The bonus: “You’ll get greater exposure by helping out rather than just cutting a check,” Hodge said.

No time? Think big. If you don’t have the time or resources to research the best charity, Hodge said to “play it safe.” Stick with one of the national brands like Ronald McDonald House, Goodwill or Salvation Army if you don’t know where to start.

Don’t put yourself in front of the charity. “If you’re expect-ing marketing or advertising from the charity, you’re going to be disappointed,” said Hodge. “That’s not their role. And be careful how you promote yourself with the charity. You don’t want to come off as self-serving.”

Get your employees involved. Everyone in your store is a brand ambassador. Leverage your brand.

Connect a purchase with a charity. Designating a certain percentage of each mattress or sofa you sell toward a local food bank or homeless shelter is one of the most common and effec-tive ways to get involved in philanthropy. “Because it’s proven,” Hodge said. “Just make sure the charity or cause you align yourself with shares your values and those of your customers.”

Make sure the charity is a strategic fit. “Retailers want to help a cause that means something to them and their custom-ers,” said Hodge. “If your customers are into decorating and furnishing their homes, maybe working with an organization that finds homes for families would be a good match.”

Satya Tiwari, president of Surya, the Georgia-based rug and accessories manufacturer, would add one more tip to Hodge’s list. “Have fun,” he said.

Surya employees this summer helped build a Habitat for Humanity house in Calhoun, Ga., near the company’s head-quarters. They also provide educational services, health care and food to the children of parents in Northeast India who manufacturer many of Surya’s products.

“We spend a lot of time in business on our profits and losses. Work would get boring if this is all we ever focused on,” Tiwari said. “When we give back we find a new purpose outside of business.”

Like Hanley and Gerace, Tiwari said the charitable work Surya performs throughout the year makes good business sense. “I know for a fact that our customers see us differently from our competitors,” he said. “When all things are equal and you have a good company and a good price, people are going to do business with us because they like doing business with people they like.”

Tiwari, like many manufacturers and retailers in the indus-try, realizes the overall good that comes from philanthropy.

“Imagine if every retailer and furniture manufacturer lived up to what JFK asked of us—not to do for ourselves, but for the world—imagine if we lived in a world like that,” he said.

“Our industry can be the example for other industries.”

Surya employee Tyler Gay (left), president Satya Tiwari (with black shorts), and another Surya employee Jessica Morton help build a Habitat for Humanity house in Calhoun, Ga.


Retail Voice

I was offended last month while attending a marketing confer-ence and workshop. The person who offended me is a small-business owner, maybe like me and you, so I’m not going to call him out. Besides, it’s not the first time.

You might not think his was a big offense, but I promise you his transgression—however minor it may appear—is hurting his bot-tom line. What was his marketing sin? He handed me the most boring business card I’ve ever seen.

Now maybe you’re not as sensitive as I am to something so seem-ingly insignificant. I mean, how can you mess up a business card? The short answer is plenty. I’m always on the lookout for “market-ing holes” in my own business and the business of others. Holes that are easily filled with better, more profit-producing stuff.

In this case, it’s the ubiquitous business card we hand out like parade candy. Done right, your business card can do a lot of your heavy marketing work and create business for you. Just like any good marketing program there’s a right way and a wrong way to create business cards for use in the home furnishings and mattress industries.

Take a look at what your business card says and, just as important, does not say. If you expect a client to pass on your card for refer-rals, how engaging is that card to someone who knows nothing about your business? It’s great that their friend is happy with their furniture or mattress from you, but what’s in it for them? Why should they care?

Give them a business card that might prompt them to take the next step and you will see more and more of your cards coming back to you with a new customer holding them.

Smart marketers know their business card can be a powerful mar-keting tool, which typically gets looked at three times: when you hand it out, later when the recipient takes it out of their pocket or handbag, and finally when it gets thrown away. Most people look at business cards several times trying to decide whether to keep it or toss it. Smart retailers not only want people to keep them, but respond to them. To accomplish this, your card must:

Include the best ways to contact you (phone, email, address, social media)

Get the attention of your recipient by highlighting your unique value proposition

Offer a specific and immediate call to action

You’re already doing the first. But what about the other two? Think about it: These tasks are the same ones for any direct-response marketing project, which is my main hope for you—to treat your business card like the direct-response marketing tool it is.

Here are a few tips for creating your next business card.

Don’t be cheap! With all the inexpensive business card printing options available today, there is no reason for any retailer to ever use free business cards. You know the ones I’m talking about.

Immediate call to action

Contact informtion easy to find

Unique shape demands attention

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Retail Voice

They have a small message on the back side saying something like “Business cards are FREE at www...” You want to be viewed as a professional? Act like one.

Double the power with double-sided cards. Double your mes-sage and stand out in the sea of single-sided business cards. Now you have room for services or products offered, coupons or space for handwritten notes.

Think outside the box. On second thought, think outside the rectangle. If you’re in the home furnishings business, you are sur-rounded by creative people. Set them free! Business cards come in all shapes—round, square, triangle, apples, cars, houses and sofas. If you want to stick with the traditional rectangle shape, consider printing your information vertically on the card rather than the typical landscape orientation.

Offer a value proposition. Many businesses miss the opportunity of utilizing their business card to its full marketing potential. Your card should state at least one very powerful reason a recipient should do business with you. My card is short but packs a power-ful message: “Sleep Better.” This is your unique value proposition and your business card should articulate it.

Jeff Giagnocavo is co-owner of Gardner's Mattress & More, Lancaster, PA, co-founder of Mega Mattress Margins and he regularly speaks at industry events on successful retail strategies.

Include a call-to-action. The best way to get business from your business card is to include a very specific call to action on your card. It could be a request for a phone call, visit your web site, download a free report, coupon for purchase, etc. Make it irresist-ible to the recipient and track its effectiveness.

Make it easy to write on. While I encourage you to ensure your business card stands out, remember most people want to write notes on your card. If you’re using something other than paper, you’re making this difficult for them. Even if you use paper, make sure it doesn’t have a coating that prevents writing on it.

Hopefully I’ve gotten you to think a bit differently about your business card and to treat it like the important direct marketing device it is. Update you strategy on how, when and where to use your cards for maximum benefit. In this instance, size doesn’t matter when it comes to marketing. In the space of 3 ½” x 2” you can deliver an effective, memorable message that drums up business.

Server & Cloud Leading Retail Software Solutions

Serving the Home Furnishings Industry


“I would encourage any retail company in the industry to invest in the STORIS system if they are looking to decrease time and resources associated with unnecessary steps. I wish we had found STORIS years ago. I now have more information with less e� ort. We feel that so much of our daily load has been lifted and streamlined.”

Timothy LaPrelle, OwnerReid’s AppliancesClient Since 2010 APPLIANCES

“Right Brand, Right Price, Right Advice”

Discover the Di� erenceOptimize your business today!1.888.4.STORIS

www.STORIS.com



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Fresh Perspectives

By Brooke Feldman

BON VOYAGE WITH SOCIAL MEDIA

Do you find yourself reminiscing about that amazing trip you took to Paris? Or the adventure in Japan? Or even the cruise along the Rhine River? Something

about that one particular trip struck a chord and you remember every little detail. We’ve all taken trips that stay with us long after our return, but have you ever wanted to recreate your experience in your home?

Many consumers become so inspired by the aesthetic from another country they want to recreate the look and feel in their own homes. So, how do you help your customers bring a touch of Paris or Milan to their home? Social media is the easiest way to expose your products while helping customers realize they can create the essence of abroad in any room.

There are two social media tools that are going to help. First, there is the visual blog site, Tumblr. It’s a trendy site where a lot of young people like to create a story based on images. The visually engaging blog site allows you to research “Paris home décor,” for example, and instantly get chic and elegant looking images. Another site to use is Pinterest. The great thing about Pinterest verses Tumblr is that the images have direct links to websites. Even better is if you (or maybe your employees) have their own vacation images to share on your boards to make the story even more personal.

Sharing vacation images is great—but your goal is to sell furni-ture. Consider your inventory. For example, a traditional style bedframe’s wood pattern might resemble a romantic Spanish door. Some product collections automatically lend themselves to a destination by their very names—such as Kilimanjaro from Lexington’s Tommy Bahama line or Historic Charleston from Baker—while others tell the story with their style.

Create dream destinations using your images and those you find online on your social media sites. On Pinterest you have the op-portunity to create a board that embodies the destination of your choice. A combination of fashion, lifestyle, food and décor creates an experience, plus through your Facebook and Twitter pages you can direct your followers to your Pinterest board with witty phrases that have them wanting to take that adventure. Weaving your products into a story and including fashion, lifestyle and recipes engages your consumer and helps them imagine this for their home.

Keep your products, and more importantly your store, in the spotlight.

Be strategic with the placement of images of your products and inspiration shots. Don’t have more products than inspirational, or don’t place two products right next to each other. Allow your followers’ eyes to flow through your Pinterest board.

Make sure to link each of your items back to your website. Social media is a marketing tool that allows you to attract attention to your digital presence, which will always include your website. Even if you are not directly selling your items on your website, bring your followers to the one place they can learn more about you and see all of your products.

Find out if your vendors are on Pinterest. That pillow or lamp you sell might be on a vendor’s Pinterest board. Cross-promote by repining that item on your board allows your followers to make connections about your store items.

Using social media sites like Tumblr and Pinterest doesn’t have to be a chore. Being creative and telling a story not only makes you look at your inventory with a fresh perspective, but it gives you one more way to connect with and engage your customers.

Connecting your furniture and accessories to far-flung cities can strike a chord with the wanderlust in many customers.

Brook Feldman is the digital marketing coordinator for Nourison. She is also a board member of the Sustainable Furnishings Council (SCF) and a member and marketing contributor of NextGenNOW. You can find her on her favorite social media interface, Instagram, snapping away @petitebrooke.


Product Focus

If accessories are considered the jewels of a room then rugs certainly must be the foundation. When used properly,

rugs serve as the anchor, tying a room to-gether with color, pattern and texture. The aesthetic benefits are obvious, the practical benefits are a cushioned surface underfoot and a visually pleasing noise reducer.

Communicating these features and ben-efits to your customers is important if you plan on doing more with your rug business than just using them as props or an afterthought add-on to room packages. And if you aren’t selling rugs, or are doing it haphazardly, you should think again. As the home furnishings industry climbs out of the darkness of the recession, the rug segment follows suit.

Nourison president, Alex Peykar says, “As an industry, all of us were affected during the recession, but I believe the size of the rug industry has grown 20 to 25 percent

over the last 10 years. Assuming that the end of the recession has come and gone, I anticipate a good 40 to 50 percent increase during the next 10 years.”

Capel Rugs’ vice president of sales, Allen Robertson estimates 2014 sales at about $4.2 billion, which, he said, is an increase of about 50 percent since 2005—even factoring in the recession. Robertson is anticipating a 25-percent growth by 2023.

This is welcome news for retailers looking to increase business. The Rug Market’s Andrew Shabtai, second generation principal of the company, agrees. “The Rug Market has grown in the last 10 years,” he says. “Our prediction for the next 10 years is that tech-nology will be the key factor not only on how products are sold but how they’re even decided upon. In addition to e-commerce and now apps, we anticipate newer forms of technology that we look forward to learning and diversifying ourselves with.”

Nourison sells to department stores, furni-ture stores, mass merchants, e-commerce and specialty stores. Capel Rugs’ customer base is almost equally split among tradi-tional furniture stores, home accent stores and designers. The Rug Market’s Shabtai says the recession and the growth of Internet shopping have taken their toll on their brick-and-mortar customers, but designers have filled that void. “Designers stepped in and helped connect the wholesalers to the consumers,” he says. “That service has continued to play an important role.”

Despite the growth of Internet shopping, brick-and-mortar stores still have many advantages over online stores. Customers can’t feel the rug online, nor can they walk across it. Physical stores also have the advan-tage of being able to show rugs in full-room displays that give customers an idea of what the rug could look like in their own homes. If you’re carrying rugs and aren’t having any luck, or if you’re thinking of carrying rugs

Beautiful FoundationsAdding rugs to your product mixBy Lisa Casinger


Product Focus

and are overwhelmed by the prospect, Peykar, Robertson and Shabtai offer some advice.

“You need to paint the perfect picture,” Peykar says. “Coordinating furniture and home accessories perfectly will create a whole package. If a customer looks at a vignette, sees the rug, but wants some-thing different, recommending another rug from the assortment is best. Having options in either the same construction or color palette gives the retailer a better chance of success.”

Robertson suggests showing rugs in lifestyle settings and being competitively priced with online retailers. “Update your assortment semi-annually and mark down and sell slow moving product every 60 days until sold,” he adds. “Make sure all rugs are tagged with information about quality, current pricing and the other sizes and colors that are available.”

Shabtai says retailers tend to use and pro-mote rugs as just an accessory and fail to emphasize the benefits. “It’s vital to indicate how the rug bridges the color scheme in the room to its décor,” he says. “The rug also adds warmth to the area creating that

“homey feeling.” Some rugs are also hypoal-lergenic as well which benefits the customer.”

Take the time and initiative to learn about the product and share this information with your sales team. Knowing the features and benefits could add to your bottom line.

Cost and competitionWhen it comes right down to it, retailers have some of the same concerns their cus-tomers have about making a purchase. How much does it cost and does my competitor have it?

Shabtai says, “Most of our customers want to know who else is carrying our products in their territory. What is our difference

in pricing between them and Internet accounts, and of course, what is the best pricing they can get. Pricing is still the main focus.”

There are other concerns—like deciding on how much floor space to devote to the category and if you’ll be able to keep it in stock.

“There is a want for a rug “department” in the least amount of showroom space possible, while still being able to provide furniture and home accessories in one store,” Peykar says. “Our sales team works with a number of different stores in various sizes, working closely with the managers in creating the best representation of product and lifestyle displays in one store.”

Peykar adds that Nourison solves the stock issue as well, by “maintaining the largest back-up inventory” and being able to “ship to our customers in 48 hours or less.”

Showing rugs in room scenes, like these from The Rug Market (left) and Nourison, help consumers picture the product in their homes. Stylish rug offerings from Capel (top right), Nourison (middle), and The Rug Market (bottom).


Style and innovationThe home furnishings industry—just like the fashion industry—is ever-changing and evolving with fresh looks, colors and trends. The rug category is no different.

To the untrained eye, a rug is a rug is a rug. One might be drawn to the color or pat-tern, possibly the shape or the way it feels. Rugs are made from natural and synthetic fibers; machine-made and hand-loomed or tufted; and of course there are myriad dying techniques.

There is “continued creation of new textures from the machine-made categories,” Peykar says, “As well as hand-loomed or hand-tufted products. There is also a growing use of space dying techniques to create textures on rugs that look “incomplete” or distressed.”

Nourison works with its wool partner, Wools of New Zealand, to meet the de-mands of consumers interested in rugs made with natural fibers. These rugs are created with 100 percent wool or wool blends.

Product Focus

While some rug vendors work with well-known or celebrity designers for epony-mous collections, The Rug Market, says Shabtai, “is doing the opposite of what the market is doing so that we remain different.”

“The biggest innovations are with yarns and yarn systems,” Robertson says. “The increased use of polyester fiber in rug manu-facturing has created reduced price points for consumers. Use of faux silk fibers, i.e. viscose, banana silk, etc., are creating addi-tional textural effects for higher-end fabrics. Special whitewash finishes on hand-knotted rugs from Pakistan are extremely popular. Rugs woven on Wilton looms are constantly updated to increase the pattern versatility.”

When it comes to styles and designs, Shabtai says florals are coming back while chevrons and the coastal looks are taking a back seat. As for the next big trend? He says the jury is still out.

Peykar adds that the 5’ x 8’ and 8’ x 11’ rugs are the most popular sizes and he’s still see-ing the basic color palettes of grey and beige.

“The cycle of grey tones might be near the tail end of the trends, while blues might be picking up momentum. We still see a big need for transitional and simple patterns. Currently less is more.”

Robertson agrees that the casual and transi-tional looks are still important and adds that

“vintage and antique looks are very strong for mid- to higher-end pricing.”

Rugs help define seating

areas, like in this Capel

room scene on the left, as

well as anchor a room with

color, texture and design.


Rug Merchandising TipsDesign and trend guru Connie Post, CEO of Affordable Design Solutions, offers a few merchandising tips for retailers interested in solidifying their commitment to rugs.

For those of you who are afraid of showing rugs on your showroom floors for fear of them getting dirty, try displaying them behind a sofa on a stand made of columns and metal rod, as shown in the top right picture.

Layering rugs on the floor (top right image) is also a very chic way to present several design options for each group. Make sure to show enough pattern to entice the customer to want to see more. This will also give ideas of different styles that will work with the group.

Roll up rugs with the pattern showing out and display in a barrel or large urn with different size options or more inventory next to vignettes where a larger rug is displayed. This will inspire impulse purchases and give your customer instant gratification.

Showing rugs on the wall in a bedroom setting creates an old world look when using more traditional styles (bottom right image) and an art gallery look when using more modern designs.

Take up worn carpets and show concrete floors or install wood floors in key areas. One look at any HGTV episode will show you that your customers think wood floors are more stylish. This is good news for area rug sales!

The More You KnowShare these buying tips with your customers; you come off as the rug expert and they feel confident in their purchase. Win-win.

Consider your lifestyle—kids and pets? Pick a durable rug with a pattern.

Size—not too small, not too big; should anchor your furniture not be dwarfed or overwhelmed by it. Depending on the size of the room (and the rug) the rule of thumb is to leave 8-18” of bare floor exposed.

Accents—when using a smaller area rug, go for pops of color or bold patterns to make a statement.

Use rugs to separate seating/living areas in larger rooms—make sure the rugs complement each other.

Product Focus


Operations

Get Along, Little DoggiesThat inventory you’ve been sitting on? It’s costing you more than you think. Move it.

ou know the sofa. The one with the pastel floral design

that somehow looked oh-so-gorgeous at market, but

now, 10 months later, stares at you from the showroom

floor. Really? Pastel flowers? What were you thinking?

Every retailer has a story (or three) about a bad buy, a piece of furniture that mocks you every day. There’s even a name for them: Dogs. Actually, there are lots of names for them, but we like to think of ourselves as a family-friendly magazine.

Just like any other dog, yours is taking up valuable space that could be used for furniture that actually sells. Even worse, your pooch is money that is sitting dormant in your store; much like putting money under a mattress.

Should you be concerned about this? Absolutely! At the North American Home Furnishings Association’s annual Home Furnishings Networking Conference in Phoenix, we did a case study of what dead inventory really costs your business. You might be surprised at what we found.

We had an example store with gross sales of $875,000 annually, inventory of $250,000, a maintained gross margin of 47.43 percent and an annualized inventory turn rate of 1.80 at cost. The store had a net profit of $84,000 after taxes. We also determined that the return on investment in this store was 27.68 percent which is a more generous ROI than the money could produce invested elsewhere.

It was suggested that 15 percent of the store’s inventory could be categorized as non-moving. This would be $37,500 of inventory at cost and the plan was to sell that inventory at cost. Putting that money into the checking account, the remaining inventory, $212,500 would produce the same amount of sales because we agreed that the $37,500 was dead inventory.

Now the store has an inventory turn rate of 2.12 times at cost. Our assumption is that this store really has a turn rate of 2.12 times, but it is that dead inventory that is dragging down the turn rate and creating an incorrect number of 1.80 turns. Not much else happens in the business as the money produced by the dead inventory was just put into a checking account. The ROI remains the same.

What if this store took that $37,500 from the dead inventory and invested the money in inventory that would produce the same 2.12 inventory turn that the rest of the store, now without any dead inventory is producing?

The first thing you will notice is that $250,000 in inventory is working harder for you. Where once it produced $875,000 in annual sales, now, free of those dogs, your inventory will produce $1,008,200. An increase of $133,200 annually. Your old net profit of $84,000 is now $126,560—an improvement of $42,560.

The net profit has improved from 9.6 percent to 12.55 percent because you rid yourself of that dead inventory and replaced it with furniture that sells.

Most impressive is the change in the return on investment—from 27.68 percent to 41.70 percent. Compare that to what you are earning in the stock market, money market fund, or worse yet, the 1.02 percent a bank will pay you for a two-year certifi-cate of deposit.

This exercise proves two points about any home furnishings retailer’s business. The first is that dead inventory is costly when you consider what it could be doing for you. The second is that no investment beats inventory in a store.

By Tom Shay


However, this does not mean that when you are buying you should look at a sofa, mattress, recliner, lamp or any other piece of furniture and think that if six on hand is a good quantity then 12 of the same must be better.

Instead, having six on hand means you should take that dead inventory or that excessive inventory and turn it into cash. That cash should then be turned into some other piece of furniture that you can show to the customer when they are coming to look at the sofa, mattress, recliner or lamp.

It doesn’t matter if that doggie is in the window, on your show-room floor, or sitting in your warehouse. When you ask how much that doggie is the answer is that it can be very expensive. Not only is your money sitting stagnant, but you are missing a tremendous opportunity to increase your sales, your bottom line, and the cash flow in your store. Sell that doggie.

Subscribe to Tom Shay’s e-ret@iler, a free monthly newsletters packed with tips for improving the profitability of your business, at profitsplus.org.

Really? Pastel flowers? What were you thinking?

Operations

Serving the U.S., Canada and the U.K.Call (800) 824 - 2238 or www.LynchSales.com

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Community Today

Some retailers attract new customers by adding new services. Would you like an ottoman to go with that pinot? By Sue Masaracchia-Roberts

Thinking about grabbing a drink or reading a good book? Why not visit a

furniture store? While stores like Restoration Hardware are working to

get people into their stores and off the Internet by encouraging product

interaction thorough their new design galleries, some independent furniture stores

are adding other businesses within their buildings to increase traffic.

Prairie Path Books helps draw customers to Toms-Price.


Community Today

That’s what Toms-Price Furniture in Wheaton, Ill., did. The family-owned store for mid- to high-end furniture and interior design welcomed Prairie Path Books, Gatherings & Great Reads into an existing apartment set-up within its 65,000-square-foot store.

A book lover and trained lawyer, Prairie Path owner Sandy Koropp had always wanted to open her own book shop, but found the multi-year leases that come with them too expensive. Instead she settled for hosting book events at her home or around town. One of the book events took place at Toms-Price, where Koropp was a good customer.

Furniture store owner Scott Price had originally leased out about 1,800 square feet of the store to a local builder. “It was synergistic and dove-tailed well, but they closed due to the recession,” Price said.

Koropp began hosting book events at the store this past spring. “As I took her around the store, I showed her this [empty] space and suggested she try a full blown book store,” said Price.

When Price showed Koropp the model apartment at the back of the store, she was blown away. “[Price] is an amazing com-munity outreach model,” said Koropp. “He offered the space to me rent free. It was one of the most amazing moments of my life.”

Price’s offer was more strategic than philanthropic. Koropp gets a place to fulfill her dream while Price gets more customers walking through his front doors.

“We like the traffic,” Price said. “It’s not like the grocery business. This helps get people into our store and gives increased exposure to the brand and products we offer—accessories, furniture, mattresses. Sometimes [people] didn’t realize we sold those things. They didn’t realize the full breadth of our offering.”

The store-within-a-store concept is nothing new. Department stores like Macy’s and Nordstrom sub-let retail space to cosmetic companies, who, in turn, provide their own employees. Best Buy’s arrangement with Samsung was instrumental in helping boost the store’s sagging sales. Struggling retailer J.C. Penney is taking the con-cept to the extreme, offering its entire stores to separate branded spaces.

However, the furniture industry, for the most part, has kept to itself. That is starting to change.

Although Koropp knew nothing about opening a bookstore, timing was on her side. She found a consultant in Florida who helped her determine inventory and bought more books and bookshelves from a Michigan bookstore that was going out of business. Prairie Path Books is open only during Toms-Price store hours, making it accessible seven days a week. Koropp also partners with Whole Foods, which conducts a series of wine, cheese and liquor seminars.

“We wanted to have an impact,” said Koropp, “and increase [human] contact and polite discussion, sharing ideas on issues while listening to a cellist or violinist and sit-ting on Stickley furniture that

still has its price tags.” Koropp and her partners have 18 direct reports, including managers, volunteers and interns. Each serves a specific function from running point of purchase systems and book-buying to training staff and creating events. “We are a team—and we are part of the community.”

Koropp said, “The designers are delightful, even making signs for us, and the customers are the same mix as theirs. Our sales achievements have been higher than our projections.”

Price’s store also has a large room where groups—not just book lov-ers—can hold special events. “We like for the community to be part

Customers can enjoy their book and a cup a tea—all while sitting on furniture from Toms-Price.


Community Today

“Furniture is a product that most people need only every seven years or so. Having the bookstore on-site [enhances] brand exposure.” —Scott Price, owner, Toms-Price Furniture

of the store,” he said. “We like the traffic. Furniture is a business that most people need only every seven years or so. Having the bookstore on-site [enhances] brand exposure.”

Toms-Price manager Cathy Manock agrees. “We knew it would look nice, but it is better than I imagined. It’s creative and inviting as they can sit on our furniture. I’ve heard comments from people about the great looks of the store and people have been coming back. It’s a slow start, but I think, over time, we will see more benefits.”

In Florida, John Washburn, needed a way to introduce people to the trendy, eclectic, imported furniture offerings of his Washburn Imports stores in Orlando and Sanford.

A slumping housing market in the state was hurting sales. “I was trying to figure out how to make things work,” said Washburn, who tapped into in his previous life as a bartender. Washburn built the Imperial Wine Bar in his Orlando store. “We’d serve beer and wine, and inspire people to hang out,” he said.

About 18 months ago, Washburn opened a bar in the larger Sanford space. Due to the limited number of county liquor licenses, he de-cided to offer a full bar. A general manager oversees both furniture stores, and another oversees both bars.

Washburn said, “The bars and the furniture stores have a good symbiotic relationship, although, at times, the staff has a hard time understanding how to avoid stepping on the toes of the other business.” However, Washburn added, “the negatives are so minor they are far-outweighed by the positives.”

To avoid furniture damage, “We keep furniture that can withstand abuse in the bar area,” said Washburn, “but problems are almost nonexistent because we attract a more mature crowd that likes to enjoy a really good beer in a relaxing atmosphere.”

A one-hour time overlap exists between the two businesses, during which people can get a glass of wine and walk around the furniture store. Half the showroom closes when the bar section opens.

The stores are built differently and, therefore, are configured differently; there is a separate entrance for the bar in each store. In Sanford, private parties can be given private areas ac-cessed by the store door.

So far Price and Washburn are happy with the increased traffic they’ve seen in their stores. Despite his wife’s initial skepticism, Washburn says the bars “definitely have in-creased business in our stores.”

Price will re-evaluate Prairie Path’s sales benefit to his store in the next six months to a year. To date, neither he nor Washburn see any negatives.

Price says the bookstore’s atmo-sphere mirrors that of his furniture store. “You can go and browse, read, and linger there,” he says. “We want our furniture store to be like that. You can come, linger, hopefully make a purchase, but always feel welcome.”

Finding the Right PartnerWhen furniture store owners Scott Price and John Washburn went looking to add a store within their stores, not just any business would do. The key, both men say, is finding a business that provides overlap in your customer base.

Price says the idea of a bookstore within his Illinois store resonated with him because the two businesses share simi-lar qualities. “They are educating people, recommending books to read, providing high-touch, high-service, and that’s very much what we do in furniture,” he said.

“We are both seeking out the customer interested in good service, quality products and a good, high-touch experi-ence,” he says. “Theirs is a store for the book aficionado and ours is the furniture store for people who love their homes. There is a nice synergy in terms of the customer base. “

Price recommends other retailers find a business that will generate a similar type of customer their store already at-tract, like a coffee shop. “Anything that draws customers and makes them part of a community but also a place people want to go to and go to visit,” he says.

At the book store tucked into a corner of his furniture store, “you can go and browse, read, linger; we want our furniture store to be like that. You can come, linger, hopefully make a purchase, but always feel welcome.”

Washburn, whose two furniture stores in Orlando and Sanford, Fla., include bars, says bringing two businesses together under one roof “has to be a good symbiotic fit—somewhere people want to hang out.”

“Keep people interested,” he says. “Make it a lifestyle experi-ence that will drive people into your store. It can be coffee, mahjong or whatever.”

Currently a freelance writer, editor, and public relations consultant based in suburban Chicago, Sue Masaracchia-Roberts has more than 25 years of experience in public relations and writing. Her specialties are the fields of manufacturing and small business, healthcare, and natural and alternative medicine. Her writing has appeared in a number of newspapers and magazines, including RetailerNOW, the Chicago Tribune, NorthShore Living, Vital Times, the Business Ledger, and What’s Happening?

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Next Gen NOW Spotlight

: Like a lot of NextGens, you work for your family’s furniture store. Was this your destiny?

Sarah: Well, it’s certainly my destiny right now—and I love it. I never thought I would be here. I got my degree in interior design and was working in the con-struction world. One day my dad sat me down in a bar and asked me if I was interested in a job. I always liked the industry. I just thought it would be on the architectural side.

Sarah Bumps never thought she’d work for her father’s furniture store. Now she can’t imagine working anywhere else.

Meet Next Gen Member Sarah Bumps, buyer for Davis Furniture, Wenatchee, Wash.

Bumps loves hiking around Wenatchee with her rescued retriever Paxon.


Next Gen NOW Spotlight

Next Gen NOW (NGN) is a community of young, passionate, engaged industry professionals whose mission is to give a voice to the needs and goals of the up-and-coming future generations. NGN strives to educate the industry on how and why it should attract and keep young talent. The NAHFA supports NGN by facilitating meetings and educational opportunities and introducing the industry to its members through RetailerNow. Connect with NGN members at ngnow.org or on Twitter @ngnow.

: What was your first job at the store?

Sarah: I came in as the buyer. Our other buyer was leaving. I’m kind of surprised looking back. I didn’t know a lot about buying. I bought some terrible furniture, but my dad didn’t give up on me. I guess he had that confidence in me that I could catch on and grow.

: Your worst purchase?

Sarah: My dad remembers some teal sofa from my first mar-ket, but all I remember is a Broyhill floral skirted sofa. That one stayed around for a long time. It got to the point where I didn’t want to walk by it in the store. We can laugh about it now and we do, but it wasn’t funny back then.

: What did that sofa teach you?

Sarah: That it’s not about me. It’s about the customer and what the customer likes. As a buyer, I’ve learned to be very humble and tell myself with every buy that “It’s not about me, it’s not about me.” If you’re listening to the needs of your customers you’ll know what sells.

: Many younger retailers stress social media with their stores. True for you?

Sarah: For us, we don’t do a lot of social marketing. We invest in a lot of radio, TV, print and direct mail. That sounds old school, but our audience is 55 to 60 years plus and those are the media they’re comfortable with. Just because you have all of these different types of media available to you, doesn’t mean you have to use them. You need to know your audience.

: But that audience isn’t always going to be around.

Sarah: Sure—and in many ways it’s already starting to change. We have quite a lot of younger people moving in from Seattle with money. We need to find a way to reach them.

“Just because you have all of these different types of media available to you doesn’t mean you have to use them. You need to know your audience.” —Sarah Bumps, buyer, Davis Furniture

: What’s the best part of your job?

Sarah: I like the people and the relationships. I like it when a customer feels comfortable enough that they’re sitting in a recliner talking out their furniture ideas with me. And they don’t know they’ve been doing it for 30 or 45 minutes. I’m a relationship person so, of course, I like that part of my job.

: You moved back home from Seattle. Is it hard for Wenatchee to compete with Seattle?

Sarah: Apples and oranges. Seattle is great, but you can’t beat the community feel of home. I could go a week in Seattle and not see someone I know. It’s just so big and so fast there, but here you see someone you know or someone you sold a piece of furniture to ev-eryday. That’s a nice feeling to have, you know?

: But don’t you miss the bright lights and big city?

Sarah: That’s what’s interesting because I really thought I would, but I’m loving it here. I love the orchards all around here and the rivers are very pretty. I love taking a hike before or after work. I just take my dog with me or get on my road bike and go. It’s so different. I mean, Seattle is nice, but this life? This life is nice, too

: What do you get out of Next Gen Now?

Sarah: Getting plugged into other people is the big-gest draw for me. I think it’s important for me to get to know other buyers, retailers—anyone in the industry who’s my age. If we’re all in this together, we’re going to need to know each other 20, 30, 40 years from now. And not just know each other, but understand where each of us is coming from and that we all have ideas that can help one another.


Las Vegas Wrap-up

NGN MEMBERS NETWORK WITH INDUSTRY ICONS

Wouldn’t it be nice if someone could whisper all the right moves in your ear? Volunteer for that assignment with

the impossible-to-please-customer. Here’s how you make the right hire. Let me show you how to upsell the customer. You’re planning on covering up that tattoo, right?

The Lunch with Leaders program, facilitated by the North American Home Furnishings Association (NAHFA) gives Next Gen NOW members a chance to learn from some of the home furnishings industry’s most successful leaders.

During the Las Vegas Market in July, 18 Next Gen NOW members had the opportunity to meet with three of the industry’s best and brightest: City Furniture president Keith Koenig, Gallery Furniture president Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale and Steinhafels president Gary Steinhafel.

Matt Shuel, a business administration major at Central Washington University, called the lunch “the highlight of market for me.”

“Really, I could have stayed there all day and talked with them,” said Shuel, who works at his family’s store, Meredith Furniture, in Yakima, Wash. “You get so caught up in work and you’re doing so many things you don’t always get the chance to talk to guys like this, who obviously have great ideas and don’t mind sharing them.”

Shuel said Koenig offered him some great ideas about deliv-ery charges, employee training and how to make the right hire. “Everything he talked about was relevant in some way to our store,” Shuel said. “Now I just need to go back and try to implement some of the things.”

Shuel said his store does not have any full-time female employees, a problem Shuel and his father Mike are trying to change. He said Koenig was a big help in offering advice on how to make the right hire and how to empower them once they are brought on board.

“So there’s an example of getting to talk to an industry giant and applying what he said when we get home,” Shuel added.

“You can’t put a price on that kind of knowledge or insight.”

Seth Aaronson, business analyst and digital strategist for Lacks Valley Stores in Pharr, Texas, enjoyed getting to sit down with some of the industry’s biggest leaders even if only for an hour.

“For me, it was invaluable because you don’t get the opportunity every day to sit down with leaders of a major industry that are also in a way your competition,” Aaronson said.

The Vegas Lunch with Leaders program was the second for Aaronson, who had lunch with RC Wiley at the January Las Vegas Market. Both lunches gave him the opportunity to talk candidly with potential mentors and get their advice.

“It’s nice to hear a different perspective or take on some part of your business or validate ideas you’ve had that your leader back home hasn’t bought into yet,” Aaronson said. “Just listening to them made me feel good about some of the decisions I’ve made and made me rethink some other things I’m doing.”

Emily Severson, operations manager for FurnitureDealer.net, said her time with McIngvale, the legendary mattress king, “was beyond inspiring. His experience and passion make it easy to remember why I love this industry and my devotion to doing my part to keep this industry flourishing.”

The Next Lunch with Leaders will be held Sunday, October 19, at the High Point Fall Furniture Market. To get involved as a leader, contact Cindi William at [email protected] or 916-960-0277. To get involved as an attendee, sign up to receive all the NGN information at ngnow.org.


Las Vegas Wrap-up

Next Gen members, from left,

Lee Beatrous, Groovystuff,

Jon Tenpenny, Tenpenny

Furniture, Emily Severson,

FurnitureDealer.net, Seth

Aaronson, Lacks Valley

Stores and Alex Macias, Del

Sol Furniture enjoyed their

meeting with Jim McIngvale,

president and founder of

Gallery Furniture (center)

in the Serta showroom.

Next Generation Now is a hosted community of the

North American Home Furnishings Association

“The Lunch with Leaders

was fun and interactive,”

said Keith Koenig of City

Furniture. “I learned more

from them about their

generation’s expectations, as

customers and as employees,

than they learned from me.”

NGN members met with

Gary Steinhafel, president of

Steinhafels in the Simmons

showroom. From left: Bill

Elliott, Simmons Company,

Lael Thompson, Broyhill

Home Collection, Gary

Steinhafel, Steinhafels,

Richard Tomkins, Crescent

Fine Furniture, Alex

Kirsch, FurnitureDealer.

net, Michael Herschel,

FMG, Diana Razulis,

Bekaert Textiles and Matt

Huber, Belfort Furniture.


Las Vegas Wrap-up

endors and retailers were clearly all-in at the Summer Las Vegas Market. According to International Market Center’s

(IMC) press release, the strong positive reactions to Summer Market “are a direct result of the phased growth and enhancement of Las Vegas Market over the past two years.”

BUSINESS WAS BOOMING AT THE LAS VEGAS SUMMER MARKET


Las Vegas Wrap-up

Vendors and retailers we spoke with said the increased attendance and product categories made for one of the best summer markets in recent memory.

Nobody knows this better than Bob Bruns, president of Cozzia USA. The manufacturer of leather furniture featuring shiatsu massage system technology was swamped with business from start to finish. Indeed, Bruns and his staff were taking orders Thursday morning, a day traditionally reserved for attendees to make airport connections rather than deals. “We never seemed to have a minute’s rest,” said Bruns. “If I wasn’t so tired I’d wish it was going on for a few more days.”

North American Home Furnishings Association (NAHFA) mem-bers were just as busy, placing orders for the fourth quarter.. After a slow Sunday opening, retailers came out in a flurry Monday snatching up market promotions—especially among bedding manufacturers.

Mike Shuel, owner of Meredith Furniture in Yakima, Wash., se-cured appointments with his primary suppliers weeks in advance

“or we would have been waiting around a long time,” he said. “It was busy most of the week. If you didn’t have an appointment you were waiting a while.”

Retailers were pleased with the strong introductions that covered all categories—from case goods and bedding to upholstery and accessories. “There was just so much to see,” Shuel said.

Many of the more than 2,200 manufacturers and exhibitors offered market specials that retailers like Shuel took advantage of. Shuel placed orders with Simmons Mattress and Stanton, a family-owned furniture maker popular among West Coast retail-ers, largely because of their specials.

Shuel even picked up two new lines at market, StyleCraft lamps and Windermere Motion lift recliners. “They both just seemed like good values that fit our needs,” Shuel said.

Market officials had not released final attendance figures at press time, but Shuel said he doesn’t need official numbers to know the market was well attended. He has his own system. Shuel doesn’t use the shuttle busses. Instead he drives over in his car and parks in the nearby garage. “I always judge Vegas by the number of cars in the parking garage and every day I had to drive all the way to the top,” he said. “It really seemed like it got busier as the week went on.”

Ira Fruitman didn’t purchase any new lines for his San Francisco store Bedroom Express. But he did make several repeat purchases to “deepen the bling category” of his store, which is using a 1940s Hollywood Rat Pack theme to display its inventory. He’ll use his new inventory to beef up his visual display.

Even if he hadn’t bought anything, Fruitman said the Las Vegas Market – all markets, really – are important to attend to make sure you know what is on trend. “If nothing else it’s a confirmation that you are in touch with the market,” he said. “You always need to keep aware of the trends you might not know about. Market is where you go to find that stuff out.”

Fruitman’s one complaint about the market was one shared by many. Fruitman lamented that, despite housing all the manufacturers in three buildings, “there’s always more to see than time allows. I was there four days and still went home feeling like I didn’t see enough.”

Many retailers took advantage of the NAHFA’s Retail Resource Center to listen to a seminar, compare vendors offering services or grab a bite to eat.

“It’s a great place to map out your game plan for the day and talk to other retailers,” said Dan Pedersen of Al’s Furniture in Modesto, Calif. Pedersen met with vendors in the RRC between getting a bite to eat at the center’s cafe.

“It’s always a favorite place of mine,” Pedersen said. “It’s a great place to sit down for lunch, regroup and map out the rest of your day. It’s amazing how just 30 or 45 minutes in the RRC can help you spend more time looking at furniture.”

BUSINESS WAS BOOMING AT THE LAS VEGAS SUMMER MARKET


Las Vegas Wrap-up

SIZZLING FINDS AT THE LAS VEGAS SUMMER MARKET Buyers at the World Market Centers in Las Vegas got

a lot of bang for their buck this summer as vendors debuted products that are sure to tempt consumers. There were styles, designs, price points and products to suit every need.

Groovystuff | The Oil Drum Checker Table and Checker set with glass top ($749.99) is part of Groovystuff’s Moonshine Collection. It’s crafted from a reclaimed steel drum and is available in assorted colors. Groovystuff.com

Sunpan Modern Home | The Java coffee table ($2,000) is exotic and individually crafted with varying pieces of driftwood atop a stainless steel plinth. This textural smorgasbord is finished with a 20mm tempered glass top. Sunpan.com

Emerald Home | The Humphrey Collection is a modern Chesterfield inspired group. The sofa ($899) features button-tufted detail, rolled shelter arms and nailhead trim. EmeraldHome.com


Las Vegas Wrap-up

Arteriors | Arteriors’ Keegan large chandelier ($4,800) is 45” in diameter and 53-59” high in a 30-light antique brass starburst design. It can be assembled without the circular reflective back plates for an entirely different look. It’s shown with nostalgic thread bulbs. Additional pipe is available. Arteriors.com

Surya | The Paddington rug ($499 for 5’ x 8’) by Florence Broadhurst for Surya is hand woven in India of 100% wool. It is a flatweave and reversible. Surya.com

Modus Furniture International | Modus Furniture International celebrates its 20th

anniversary this year. The company debuted the Crossroads Collection, an assortment of

interchangeable dining chairs and hardwood tables in materials ranging from solid wood to distressed metal

and upholstered fabrics. Shown are the Cameron table ($1,149) and the Alex ($249) and Kathryn chairs

($169). Modusfurniture.com

Walker Edison | Walker Edison debuted City Grove, from the Angelo Surmelis collection. The studio desk with center drawer ($249) measures 48”w x 24”d x 30”h making it perfect for small spaces; it also doubles as a console table. It’s crafted of exclusive charcoal paper laminate with a wood grain feel and textured and powder coated metal legs. All pieces are RTA, drop-ship ready by FedEx or UPS. Walkeredison.com

Twin Star | The Brickell media mantel ($1,399) has a low profile in a crisp white contemporary design. It features a smoked tempered glass door, infrared heating unit that warms up to 1,000 square feet of space, programmable SpectraFire™ flame effect technology, a touch screen display with auto shut-off timer, built-in thermostat and full-function remote. Twinstarhome.com


Las Vegas Wrap-up

Bolton Furniture | Bolton’s new Cambridge Collection in White and Chestnut made its debut to excellent reviews. Bolton offers the bed in twin ($495) and full ($595). Boltonfurniture.biz

Wildcat Territory | Retailers fell hard for Wildcat Territory’s

American-tailored Eli, a handsome, sophisticated bedding set of bespoke details

and classic menswear. The eight-piece queen set as shown sells for a suggested

$1,565 (king, $1,650). Wildcatterritory.com

Standard Furniture | The new generation Shaker-styled round dining table and chairs ($799) are part of the Rio collection, a 20-piece bedroom, dining,

occasional and media group. Rio is offered in white paint or as shown here in brown cherry finishes on cherry veneers and

hardwoods. Standard-Furniture.com

Elements | Elements’ Harwich bedroom collection has a semi- gloss espresso finish and cherry veneers. It features a tall upholstered headboard, complemented by a taupe fabric and a fashionable studded trim. A subtle over-hang panel completes the storage footboard and also reoccurs throughout this group’s case pieces. The four-piece group, queen bed, dresser, mirror and night stand have an MSRP of $999. Elementsprg.com


Las Vegas Wrap-up

AICO | The Trance collection of upholstery, dining and occasional is an artistic twist on European modern designs. Pieces feature frosted glass, walnut veneers, leather and vinyl elements that often resemble pieces of sculpture. Amini.com

Mohawk Home | The Dragon Fly Medallion

Sandstone rug ($399 for 5’ x 8’) is part of Mohawk Home’s

Reflections collection from Bob Timberlake. It is woven of soft,

stain-resistant, eco-friendly 100% Triexta (SmartStrand) and features medallions of

dancing butterflies and dragon flies on a wheat background.

Mohawkflooring.com

Malouf | The Zoned Dough® + Calming Lavender pillow ($140) from Malouf is infused with real lavender to promote relaxation and relieve tension and is crafted from supportive Dough® memory foam with Zoned Technology™ which increases breathability and cradles the head while supporting the neck. The pillow comes with a bamboo velour cover. Maloufsleep.com


Phone: (800) 422-3778 or (916) 784-7677 Fax: (916) 784-7697Website: www.nahfa.org Email: [email protected]: 500 Giuseppe Ct, Ste 6, Roseville, CA 95678

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Our Association gratefully recognizes all of our sponsors whose dedication and commitment have strengthened our industry.

Thank You

To become an industry sponsor contact:North American Home Furnishings Association800.422.3778 or email: [email protected]

*List as of August 15, 2014

Signature SponsorSerta Mattress Company

Premier SponsorFurniture Today

International Market CentersSurya Rugs

Titanium Sponsorsaspenhome Furniture

Coaster Company of AmericaCory 1st Choice Home Delivery

Emerald Home FurnishingsFurniture WizardJaipur Rugs Inc.Leggett & Platt

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Gold/Silver/Bronze SponsorsAramark • Banner Marketing • BrandSource AVB • Color Ad • Corsicana Bedding, Inc.

Crown West Realty • DSI Companies • Elk, Inc. • Feizy Rugs • Hooker • JRM Sales & ManagementLa-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries, Spokane WA • Restonic Mattress • ShockWatch • Speedy Delivery Spokane Business Park & Industrial Park • The Spokesman Review • The Uttermost Company

TruckSkin, LLC. • Watkins Shepard Trucking, Inc.

SponsorThing_HFA NEWBLUE.indd 1 8/15/14 9:19 AM


ARE YOUR MAKING THE MOST OF MOBILE?

Technology

By Regina Dinning and Sydnee Seites

If you’re like most people, you probably got up this morning and the first thing you reached

for was your smartphone. Today’s consumers check for text messages, email and social media replies long before they have their first cup of coffee. If this sounds familiar, you’re in good company. According to new Pew Internet research, 90 percent of Americans have cell phones, the average owner looks at her screen 150 times a day,

and 67 percent check for messages, alerts and calls even when their phones haven’t rung or vibrated.

It’s time to embrace all things mobile. As a retailer, are you using mobile marketing and advertising to steer customers your way?

Here are eight truths about mobile marketing every retailer should know to make the most of this hyper-local and -targeted marketing strategy.

1. Your mobile presence has to look terrific. Plain and simple, your online presence has to function perfectly on mobile devices or your best customers will take their business elsewhere. Now’s the time to create a responsive website that looks great on smartphones, tablets, computers and TVs, then invest in a native app

that mirrors your website content. That way you’ll update a single website and know that your content is consistent no matter how it’s accessed.

Here’s some motivation for you: open your web browser and go to mattkersley.com/responsive/. Type in your web-site and see how it looks on different devices. Ask yourself: would you want to visit your website on a mobile device?

Although you may think you need a large budget to build a mobile app, it might surprise you to learn that even if you have a small company, you can create an app for very little cost.

Really—there are code-free, do-it-yourself (DIY) services out there that will cost you as little as $10-$20 per month. The focus of the following list is on DIY resources that allow mo-bile apps to be assembled quickly.

AppNotch (Android, Apple iOS, HTML5; paid plans start at $18 per month)—This service includes a prototyping option for mocking up your mobile applications before committing too deeply. It offers a variety of templates and there is a 30-day trial period.

App Press (Android, Apple iOS; entry-level plan starts at $30 per month)—This cloud-hosted development platform was designed with image in mind: the focus is on helping small businesses create highly visual mobile apps. One notable feature is an instant preview function. The entry plan includes 10 gigabytes (GB) of storage, 5 GB of bandwidth and up to two projects.

BuildAnApp (Android, Apple iOS, BlackBerry, Windows Mobile; starts at $19 per month depending on platform)—The company has created a six-step process for building either mobile native apps or one that can be viewed with a mobile web browser. It offers a feature that lets your visitors “click to call” from within the app.

Infinite Monkeys (Android, Apple iOS; pricing starts at $12 per month for a native mobile app plus HTML5 Web site)—This is the sister service to Appmakr, which it acquired last year. It focuses mainly on social or “fan” apps that help restaurants, retailers, organizations and individuals build apps that have a social twist to them. The company runs an Android marketplace where it features apps built on its platform.

Orbose (Android, Apple iOS; published pricing for businesses is about $40 per month)—The company behind this offering, Enigma Systems, promises a big reduction in development time for those who don’t have any programming knowledge. The platform supports development of apps that can accommodate push notifications, appointment scheduling, and payment processing and social media plug-ins.


Scan this page with your NAHFA app for even more content. Don't have the app? Get it at nahfa.org/myapp.

2. Design for mobile first.When choosing a responsive template for your website, be sure the mobile version delivers clean, clear graphics that load quickly, along with a compelling call to action for mobile users. This is known as “mobile first.” Larger screens have the luxury of more space and more features, so work closely with your website vendor to strike the right balance on visible content features and graphic load times across all devices, putting the mobile experience first on your priority list.

3. Don’t forget these mobile email marketing essentials.Redesign your email messages for the mobile crowd. Although flashy graphics and colorful HTML may work well for emails that are viewed on PCs, an Intuit article about mobile marketing for small businesses states that every email you send should be snappy with a call to action that, just like your website, must render perfectly using responsive email templates. Avoid using splashy graphics, however, since they are often slow to load and many mobile users choose the default setting on their phones to avoid downloading them.

4. Remember, your audience is mobile and loves videos.A recent survey by Google, Millward Brown Digital finds that 34 percent of consumers start their purchasing path on mobile devices. Put this stat into action today. Customers want to see the brands and products you sell in action on their mobile devices. Your audience is there, and they’re spending time on mobile devices when researching local purchases. You can engage them effectively with videos, hosted on YouTube or, even better, with Wistia for responsive embedding that’s search-optimized and more easily tracked and measured in your site analytics.

Wistia is an Internet video hosting and analytics company that enables marketers to track and analyze web video viewers. The elaborate analytics Wistia provides really sets them apart from the other guys (YouTube, Vimeo to name a few). For example, heat mapping lets you see exactly where you are losing users or gaining interest based on playback and drop-off.

These guys rock. So much so that the popular WordPress Multi-User Development blog, WPMU DEV (premium.wpmudev.org), created a special deal with them, giving you five videos, 10GB bandwidth and all Wistia features, for free, forever so you can find out for yourself.

All you need to do is enter your email at http://bit.ly/WistiaXL so Wistia can send you a special invite.

5. Keep the holiday season in your sights.Winter tends to be a slow sales season for retailers, but you have the opportunity to counter seasonal trends by taking advantage of one important fact: Huge numbers of people get mobile devices for the holidays. Mobile ad developers can target new Google Play or iOS registrations to reach new device owners.

Add a “mobile” line item to your holiday marketing campaign. This campaign might include:

A special offer in your mobile ads

Free store app download

Or, if your store app is free (which it should be), a special offer with the store app download

Special offer when customer/user creates or sends a mobile wish-list to friends and family

A mobile coupon, either through your app or through any of these popular mobile coupon apps or services. (view this article online for the full list)

For large chains:

Ibotta—free Android and iPhone app that offers rebates redeemable for real cash rewards. Reach: 3+ million users. Cost: undisclosed.

Shopkick—free Andriod and iPhone app that gives users access to exclusive deals. Reach: 6 + million. Cost: undisclosed.

For small businesses:

Yowza—free Android and iPhone app that displays coupons offered by local businesses. Reach: 2+ million users. Cost: Normally $89/month per business location; current limited-time offer $50/month per business location.

Coupon Sherpa—free Android and iPhone app that displays coupons by proximity, category, and brand. Reach: 1+ million. Cost: free.

Cellit Spark—DIY mobile messaging platform that enables local merchants to send coupons, alerts, and event information to customers via text (SMS) messages. Reach: as many opted-in consumers inside your geofence (within a certain radius). Cost: $49-$179 to send 1500-7000 SMS messages per month; offers a free trial. Continued on page 45

Technology


Learn Achieve Network

High Point Market Seminar Series

Retailer Resource Center1st Floor of Plaza Suites Building

Retailers interested in attending any of these high-impact eventscan visit www.NAHFA.org for event details and registration, or

call us at (800) 422-3778.

Check out all that we have to offer at www.nahfa.org

October 18-23, 2014

September 10-11, 2014Midwest Furniture ShowRenaissance Convention Center - Schaumburg, Illinois

See your NAHFA membership representative in Booth #6

Seminar hosted by theNorth American Home Furnishings Assn.

Close More Sales with Eight Great ClosingsLocation: Show Floor Commons Area

Time: 10:00-11:30am

This stimulating and enlightening seminar session will give you the eight most effective methods to close sales today.

Each of these eight techniques will be exposed with step-by-stepprocedures to cut down the number of “walks” you currently experience.

Presented by:Phillip Gutsell,

GutSELL & Associates

OCTOBER 7, 2014SOUTHERN REGIONAL MEETING

Lunch & Learn & More in Charlotte, NCHost Committee: David Gardner, Warrenton Furniture Exchange Blake Maynard, Maynard’s Home Furnishings Dianne Ray, Garden City Furniture Woody Whichard, Midtown Furniture Superstore

When & Where:10:00 am - 3:00 pm(Breakfast and networking start at 9:00 am. Lunch also provided.)

MicroD, Inc. Corporate offi ces11301 Carmel Commons Blvd., Suite 114, Charlotte, NC 28226

From entry to advanced levels, attendees will find solutions specifi c to their businesses for catching the attention of a digitally focused consumer.

Join Us For:Workshops, roundtable discussions, and store tour (TBD)

RNOW September 2014 Networking News Page.indd 1 8/12/2014 9:46:34 AM


Technology

For any size business:

Foursquare—free Android, Windows Phone and iPhone app. Reach: 50+ million worldwide. Cost: $20 to register/claim your business listing.

Placecast—a service that enables retailers to send text (SMS) messages to customers when they are within the vicinity of their stores. Reach: as many opted-in consumers inside your geofence (within a certain radius). Cost: undisclosed, but the company’s CEO says merchants can expect to pay a one-time setup fee plus monthly fees that vary based on the number of messages sent.

Marketing messages targeting new device owners after the holidays work best if they provide a sense of urgency coupled with a limited time offer.

6. Text message marketing must be done carefully. Text message marketing works, as long as you understand that text messages start out as interruptions. Therefore your messages must offer recipients something that makes up for that interruption, like the announcement of the arrival of a highly anticipated new product. Text messages should be used sparingly. Experts recommend starting with only two text messages per month, then monitoring click-through and unsubscribe rates to determine if they should be sent more often.

7. Mobile social media is increasingly important.A recent eMarketer survey found that among mobile social media users, 60 percent visit these sites daily. Ignore mobile social media at your peril. One of the top activities of mobile social media users is photo sharing, and this indicates that using more imagery than text in your social media marketing makes your social media strategy more effective. Mobile social media also offers important location information, and this data can make it easier to capture the attention of mobile users on the go.

Tips for shareable images that drive trafficGive your audience what they need. To encourage genuine engagement and relevant shares, your images have to appeal directly to your target audience. Images that give short, instantly actionable advice are highly shareable. Quick tips, how-tos, quotes and fun facts are all very popular.

Be consistent and quick. Facebook’s reach is a constant topic of conversation for marketers, and by now you should know sharing images continues to boost organic reach and engagement.

Every social media strategy should include a consistent approach to sharing images. Your audience will become familiar with your posts and if the content is good, your posts should gain traction.

Share at the same time every day.

Create campaign with a hashtag.

Or, jump on a current hashtag trend bandwagon (i.e. #tbt – Throwback Thursday or #ProTip)

Grab attention with quick

tips, fun fact, quotes and

images on social media.


Technology

Timeliness is trickier, especially if you don’t have staff dedicated to social media (which you should, but we know not everyone can).

Make use of scheduling features on social media management platforms like Hoot Suite or Sprout Social to schedule relevant posts for upcoming holidays.

Keep an eye out for new updates to products or services in your niche. These updates are important news for your customers.

Create original shareable images. This will keep your photos rel-evant and ensure you can use them any way you want. You don’t need to hire a graphic designer to create original images. You can do it yourself with the advice and tools listed here.

If you’re in the office, use image-editing tools like Canva or PicMonkey. Both offer neat templates—use them to create 5-10 images with a similar theme.

Create a branded background template you can reuse for tip or quote images. Simply upload it to Canva or PicMonkey when you want to create a new image with a text overlay.

Not at the store? Use your phone! Apps like Instagram, InstaQuote, Overgram (free) or Over (paid) make your on-the-fly pictures into works of art you can share immediately.

Optimize size, branding and source. Your image should not only suit the platform(s) you post to, but also have a good chance of being noticed and shared.

The best size for your image will depend on how you want to use it and where you’re posting it. Make use of social media sizing cheat sheets and tools like the Social Image Resizer Tool from Internet Marketing Ninjas (http://bit.ly/IMNinjaResizer).

When you create your original shareable images, brand them with a simple watermark, like your logo or URL.

8. Mobile data is powerful marketing currency. Digital data is being generated at a staggering rate, and mobile technology is a major driver of data proliferation. Many brands are testing use of mobile device location information and data from marketing researchers to deliver ads to people when they visit retailer locations. But other insights can be unlocked from mobile data, like how mobile data fits into consumer data overall, which patterns are emerging in local digital advertising that co-brands and localizes brand messaging, and how marketers can improve the consumer experience.

Set specific goals for your mobile marketing. Before you rush out and join the mobile marketing revolution, consider what your ob-jectives are for using it. For example, you may want to drive traffic to your website or use it as a way to build awareness of your brands, products and services.

If lead generation is your goal, talk with a Google Premier SMB Partner about enhanced campaigns and advanced mobile advertising. Ask them to research your local market to see how many searches are done via mobile devices daily, and if now is the right time to invest in paid mobile advertising.

What the heck is a Google Premier SMB Partner? Let’s break it down:

Google: popular search engineAdWords: puts your ads on Google.com and across their network of search partnersSMB: small to medium sized businessPartner: a friend that helps you help them

The Google AdWords Google SMB Partner Program connects experienced AdWords partners with businesses that want expert help in creating, managing and optimizing their online advertis-ing campaigns. To get started, visit http://www.google.com/ads/premiersmbpartner/

Once you have a clear idea of what you want to accomplish with mobile marketing, you can devise a specific strategy designed to help you achieve success.

Regina Dinning is a business development director for home goods (furniture, mattress, appliances) at Netsertive, a fast-growing online marketing company and Google Premier SMB Partner leveraging the latest technology to swing retailers’ doors. Dinning ([email protected]) is a seasoned professional with more than 15 years’ experience in marketing and advertising in the home furnishings industry. Sydnee Seites is the webmaster for RetailerNOW and tech guru for the NAHFA.

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these programs

HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM AIS has developed a Group Health Program for the home furnishings industry. This association-style health insurance program enables retailers throughout the country to participate in a larger group

“pooled” environment. This is not a cookie cutter approach where one plan fits all. Your business has unique needs and we can tailor the coverage to fit your needs.

h Custom designed employee benefits programs

h Group health policies created specifically for your business

h Experienced benefits team to help with Cobra administration, HIPPA administration, claims management and more

NEW PROGRAMS offer you HUGE SAVINGS—

These exciting and robust programs are open to all NAHFA membersand are not available to outside brokers.

“Thank you so much for putting me in touch with Jim Saris about our workman’s comp insurance. He and his

team Tammy Post, who is a pleasure to work with over the phone and email, saved us $4200.

It is great to have a service thru our association that helps you with these kind of savings. Thanks again for all that the NAHFA does to make business easier and profitable.”

—Dianne Ray, Garden City Furniture, SC

BUSINESS INSURANCEPROGRAM Together with Association Insurance Services (AIS) and their program with The Hartford, we bring you the only Home Fur-nishings Industry Business Insurance Program. We are building the largest volume to control YOUR pricing, giving you a great-er voice. We offer pricing concessions, dividend programs and special forms of coverage.

There is a difference between an“offering of insurance” and a “program.”

• Most associations and buying groups offer a service through an endorsed agency.

• A program offers a special classification with the insurance carrier, creating buying volume.

Ask About Our

HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM

*California Members receive an exclusive

discount with

Call for a quote today.

membership marketplace_Business Ins.indd 1 8/12/2014 12:57:40 PM


Choose from competitively priced plans for:

h Property and casualty h Commercial auto h Workers’ compensation* h Employment practices liability h General liability h Umbrella h And much more

The NEW North American Home Furnishings Association is committed to helping you Sell More, Make More and Keep More

MORE Programs – MORE Benefits – MORE Savings

Call (800) 422-3778to take advantage of

these programs

HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM AIS has developed a Group Health Program for the home furnishings industry. This association-style health insurance program enables retailers throughout the country to participate in a larger group

“pooled” environment. This is not a cookie cutter approach where one plan fits all. Your business has unique needs and we can tailor the coverage to fit your needs.

h Custom designed employee benefits programs

h Group health policies created specifically for your business

h Experienced benefits team to help with Cobra administration, HIPPA administration, claims management and more

NEW PROGRAMS offer you HUGE SAVINGS—

These exciting and robust programs are open to all NAHFA membersand are not available to outside brokers.

“Thank you so much for putting me in touch with Jim Saris about our workman’s comp insurance. He and his

team Tammy Post, who is a pleasure to work with over the phone and email, saved us $4200.

It is great to have a service thru our association that helps you with these kind of savings. Thanks again for all that the NAHFA does to make business easier and profitable.”

—Dianne Ray, Garden City Furniture, SC

BUSINESS INSURANCEPROGRAM Together with Association Insurance Services (AIS) and their program with The Hartford, we bring you the only Home Fur-nishings Industry Business Insurance Program. We are building the largest volume to control YOUR pricing, giving you a great-er voice. We offer pricing concessions, dividend programs and special forms of coverage.

There is a difference between an“offering of insurance” and a “program.”

• Most associations and buying groups offer a service through an endorsed agency.

• A program offers a special classification with the insurance carrier, creating buying volume.

Ask About Our

HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM

*California Members receive an exclusive

discount with

Call for a quote today.

membership marketplace_Business Ins.indd 1 8/12/2014 12:57:40 PM


You’re covered for fire and theft, but what about that employee you fired?By Kaprice Crawford

You open your mail and your chest tightens. It’s a court sum-mons. You quickly scan it. The plaintiff is an ex-employee. Now your mind is racing along with your heart as you

retrace the employee’s termination. Maybe he wasn’t performing. Maybe business had been a little off and you needed to cut expenses. It had nothing to do with discrimination or sexual harassment or any of those other problems your attorney and insurance agent told you to worry about. Your documentation is impeccable. Your employment manual is up to date. You follow a checklist for all terminations. You are in compliance with all the employment laws. Everything is in order, right? Right?

The truth is, many retailers’ human resources policies and practices aren’t perfect and that might be a problem. Even if you are spot-on, you can be sued.

The average cost to settle an employment practices liability claim can be steep. In 2012, the most recent year for data, employers paid out a record $467 million for wage and hour settlements, ac-cording to National Economic Research Associates Inc. The average compensatory award in federal employment cases last year was $490,000, according to Bloomberg Law Report. That doesn’t include attorney fees and punitive damages. The cost to your reputation can be equally destructive.

Small- to mid-size retailers are most vulnerable. They often don’t have the necessary capital to defend themselves against an employ-ment-related suit or other resources, such as a human resources manager who keeps up with the rapidly changing employment policies.

The economic downturn and its resulting job losses have spurred the fears of employers. Litigation against employers by disgruntled former employees seeking redress for issues, both justified and un-justified, relating to their terminations continues to increase. With litigation on the rise, more employees are asking themselves if they need Employment Practices Liability Insurance (EPLI).

First, a little education: Employment Practice Liability Insurance is available to employers to help defend and respond to claims by employees for acts related to their employment. Some types of claims an employer would see coverage respond to include:

Wrongful dismissal, discharge or termination of employment

Violation of employment discrimination laws (including harassment)

Breach of a written or oral employment contract or implied employment contract

Sexual or workplace harassment of any kind

Wrongful demotion

Negligent employee evaluation

Wrongful deprivation of a career opportunity

As a retailer, you should know your general liability insurance does not provide coverage for these exposures. Indeed, most commercial general liability polices and workers compensation policies have very specific wording excluding coverage for these types of claims in their policy language. For the most part, the case law has upheld these exclusions with few exceptions.

Before shopping for EPLI coverage, you need to do some honest self-evaluation regarding your organization’s culture as it relates to employees. A thorough examination of your HR procedures is not only necessary from an insurance underwriting position, it is also a good risk management process to undergo on a regular basis.

Consistent evaluation can help identify potential problems before they develop and allow for corrections to be made. As a starting point, take a look at your employee handbook. It doesn’t matter if you have one or 1000 employees, a handbook is probably the single most important tool you should have in your HR toolbox.

Membership

A handbook is the best way to communicate policies to your employees and set the tone of your store. Creating—and annually updating—the manual will put your store on the right path to EPLI loss control. Besides, most insurance companies require stores to have a handbook in place as a condition of coverage.

But a handbook is just a starting point. You should examine all of your HR functions and activities. There are many HR assistance organizations available to help any size store with this review; NAHFA has one.

Once you’ve completed the self-evaluation, you can discuss the availability and make up of EPLI coverage for your store. For most retail stores, EPLI is a stand-alone policy. As with most insurance, you get what you pay for, and, thus you can affect the pricing with the coverage options you choose. Also, there is no standardization of coverage forms as with most other insurance policies, so it is important to examine specimen coverage forms carefully to denote differences in coverage.

It would be nice if, in good economic times or bad, having solid and consistent HR procedures were all you needed to reduce the chances of a claim. However, it is not a total barrier and it would be reassuring to know you have the EPLI coverage to pull out of your tool box if needed. Think of your HR procedures as a belt and EPLI coverage as your suspenders. With both in place, it will be very unlikely you’ll get caught with your pants down!

If you would like to get a quote for EPLI coverage, contact your NAHFA membership representative at (800) 422-3778 and Association Insurance Services can give you a quote.

5 Reasons EPLI is a Must Employee lawsuits and discrimination

charges are excluded under standard general liability policies

Employee lawsuits are 1,000 times more likely to occur than a fire

Employees file more than 90,000 charges per year with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

Employees can easily file lawsuits at no cost, with no risk to them while your defense costs can easily exceed $200,000

Employees win 70 percent of jury trials

Losing Sleep Over

Missed Sales?The first choice in secondary financing


By Lisa Casinger

Government Relations

Hours of Service (HOS) refers to the regulations governing commercial truck drivers and their drive time. This issue has been hotly debated since last summer when,

after years of legal battles, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) had its Hours of Service regulations go into effect.

Do you handle your own deliveries? This affects you. Do you use a third-party carrier? This affects you. Do your suppliers ship product via trucks? This affects you.

The new regulations cut by 12 the number of hours that com-mercial truck drivers can stay on the road every week. They also require drivers to take regular 34-hour rest periods that include pre-dawn hours (12a.m. – 6a.m.) of two straight days. The FMCSA conducted a study between January-July of 2013 that attempts to justify these new requirements. The American Trucking Association (ATA) responded to the study by calling

it an incomplete look at the regulation. The study did not ad-dress the real-world safety implications of putting more trucks on the road during daytime hours, a time when more passenger vehicles are also on the road. FMCSA has stated that it did not take those variables into account.

The ATA (representing large trucking companies) and the Owner Operated Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA, represent-ing small carriers) estimate that the new regulations will cost $376 million annually.

IMPACT ON RETAILERS

This new driving limit requires more drivers and more trucks to move the same volume of goods during the same time period. That increases congestion on the nation’s overwhelmed highways, increasing the potential for accidents. Retailers continue to be concerned about the requirement for nighttime rest periods

WHAT IS HOS AND WHY SHOULD YOU CARE?


Lisa Casinger is NAHFA’s government relations liaison. Contact her at [email protected] and follow her on Twitter @LisaCasinger.

Government Relations

NAHFA IN ACTIONMembers of the NAHFA benefit from having resources dedicated to advocating on their behalf on state and federal laws and regulations. Members receive monthly updates on federal and state issues; member-only eBlasts on critical issues or calls to action; and coming soon—members-only area on NAHFA.org. Here are just a few of the issues the NAHFA reports on.

Marketplace Fairness Act—NAHFA supports a level playing field and the collection of online sales taxes. The Senate has already passed this bill and it’s stalling in the House.

Hours of Service—NAHFA is against the current regulations (cut by 12 the number of hours that commercial truck drivers can stay on the road every week and require drivers to take regular 34-hour rest periods that include pre-dawn hours (12am – 6am) of two straight days) and we join other groups in calling for a review of the data that brought about these regulations.

EPA’s proposed formaldehyde regulations—NAHFA stands with the American Home Furnishings Alliance in requesting (among other points) reduced testing and self-certification pro-grams for laminated products.

CPSC’s national flammability standard—NAHFA is in favor of the CPSC following the guidelines laid down in California’s TB117-2013 regulation.

because retailers use overnight deliveries extensively in order to avoid daytime road congestion, particularly in urban areas. It will certainly impact the efficiencies that many companies have created in terms of their supply chain and delivery of goods.

After vigorous debate, the Senate Appropriations Committee agreed to an amendment in the Fiscal Year (FY 2015) Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) Appropriations bill that targets HOS rules offered by Sen.Susan Collins (R-Maine).

The amendment would establish a Commercial Motor Vehicle Driver Restart Study to be done by the Department of Transportation and impose a one-year suspension of the FMCSA’s 34 Hour Restart Provisions while the study is being conducted. Many appropriations bills, including this one, probably won’t be addressed until sometime after the November elections, perhaps not until early 2015, but this proposed amendment is a step in the right direction.

The FY2015 House THUD Appropriations Bill contains report language that questions the benefits of the new HOS regulations. That measure passed the whole House on a largely party-line vote earlier this summer.

The tragic crash involving comedian Tracy Morgan and a Walmart truck in June has changed the narrative surround-ing the HOS rules on Capitol Hill. While the rules had been mostly unknown across the country, they were thrust into the spotlight when the driver admitted to not sleeping in 24 hours. Many advocates are calling for stricter regulations on truck drivers and there will be an effort to strip the language from the Senate Transportation Appropriations bill on the Senate floor. Morgan announced in July that he is suing Walmart in the U.S. District Court in New Jersey.

WHO HAS TO COMPLY?

Commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers—those who drive any vehicle used as part of a business and are involved in interstate commerce and fit ANY of these descriptions:

Weighs 10,001 pounds or more

Has a gross vehicle weight rating or gross combination weight rating of 10,001 pounds or more

Is designed or used to transport 16 or more passengers (including the driver) not for compensation

Is designed or used to transport nine or more passengers (including the driver) for compensation

Is transporting hazardous materials in a quantity requiring placards

The NAHFA continues to monitor this and myriad other issues for its members and the industry.


the scoop

vBadcock Recognized by NRFWogie Badcock, executive vice president of public affairs and chairman of the board for Mulberry, FL-based Badcock Home & More was one of five finalists recognized by the National Retail Federation (NRF) for its Retail Champion of 2014. The NRF celebrated the nominees for their grassroots advocacy and engagement on federal, state and local issues during its Retail Advocates Summit in July.

During the summit, retailers from across the country met with congressional staff to discuss issues such as Marketplace Fairness, patent litigation reform, data security and rules of overtime. They also heard from NRF speakers and enjoyed the Retail Champion gala.

Badcock is known in the home furnishings industry for his personal advocacy efforts and he encourages staff across the 79 corporate stores and 228 dealer-owned stores across Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Virginia to get involved as well. Badcock & More stores are either members or involved in the NAHFA and NRF as well as the retail associations and chambers in their states.

“We try to make it easy for our dealers to be involved in govern-ment affairs,” Badcock said. “That’s what my department deals with; we tell them when they need to take action and what they need to do. You want to be involved in the state issues as well as the federal issues. You find gray areas and try to make them black and white.”

The NRF established the America’s Retail Champions program this year to honor retailers who make their mark on public policy debates and decisions. A total of 44 retailers ranging from mid-size store owners to online sellers were nominated for the national recognition based on their willingness to speak up on the retail industry’s priorities.

vGMFA to Honor Will Schafer

The Grea te r Met ropo l i t an Furnishings Association (GMFA) announced that Will Schafer of Ashley Furniture HomeStores has been chosen as the recipient of the 2014 Howard Liveright Memorial Award. Schafer oper-ates six Ashley stores in central New Jersey. The award will be presented during the GMFA gala dinner and dance, November 22, 2014 in Cliffside, NJ.

The memorial award is named for Howard Liveright, the first treasurer of the original New Jersey Furniture Club; it acknowl-edges people who have made outstanding contributions to the industry through leadership and civic and charitable activities, among other attributes.

“Will Schafer is one of those people whose reputation for excel-lence and commitment to our industry is exemplary,” says Patrick Cory, managing partner of Cory First Home Delivery and GMFA president. “He supports many local and national charities includ-ing Ashley’s “A Hope to Dream” program that provides mattresses to children in need. He has done great work to benefit Hurricane Sandy victims and supports many other good causes. I can’t think of anyone more deserving to be presented with this high award from GMFA.”

Michael Yaraghi of Safaviah will be honored with the Jerry Gans Memorial Award, and Todd Weinstein will be recognized as rep-resentative of the year. Cory says, “These industry giants represent the best of what the furniture industry has to offer in terms of what they do for their customers, suppliers and communities.”

“This important event presents an opportunity for retailers, reps, manufacturers and suppliers to network with industry friends while enjoying great food, an open bar, music and dancing,” says Alan Granetz, GMFA’s executive director. “This year we’ve added additional menu choices and improved valet parking.”

The Scoop

L to R: David French, National Retail Federation, Wogie Badcock, Badcock Home & More, and David Ratner, Dave’s Soda-Pet City.


The Scoop

The new publication from RC Willey for consumers will be

released this month.

vHirschhaut Named Exec Director of ICFAThe International Casual Furnishings Association has named Jackie Hirschhaut as its new executive director following the retirement of long-time head Joseph Logan. Hirschhaut is the vice presi-dent of public relations and marketing for the American Home Furnishings Alliance (AHFA), a trade association that represents hundreds of manufacturers and importers of home furnishings for the U.S. market. ICFA is a wholly

owned subsidiary of AHFA. She now assumes leadership of the 370-member trade association dedicated to the casual furnishings industry, comprised of manufacturers/importers, retailers, design-ers, sales representatives, suppliers and media associate members.

Ward Usmar, vice president of sales for TUUCI and ICFA chair-man, stated in a press release, “Jackie brings a wealth of industry knowledge to ICFA, as well as a passion for our industry. She has worked closely with Joe over the past several weeks, ensuring a smooth transition of leadership and continuity in our mission.”

Andy Counts, CEO of AHFA, noted that the Association con-ducted a national search and interviewed a pool of qualified candidates. “Jackie is a perfect fit for this job, given her knowl-edge of the industry, expertise in marketing and media relations, and experience in association management.” Counts added that Hirschhaut will retain her responsibilities as vice president of public relations and marketing.

vRC Willey to Publish Consumer Magazine Customers of Salt Lake City-based RC Willey have something to look forward to this month as the retailer debuts its first magazine. RC Willey is a top 100 retailer, part of Berkshire Hathaway’s furniture division.

“It’s an idea we got from Art Van,” said RC Willey’s vice president of marketing, Clark Yospe. “Though not on that grand of a scale.”

The retailer is publishing a 42-page magazine that’s a mix between a shelter publication and a store circular; the publication will be in stores in September.

“The purpose is to give people a different view of RC Willey,” Yospe said. “The magazine is upscale, with few price points listed; it’s more of a fashion statement.”

The book is about 80 percent furniture with a few pages dedicated to mattresses and appliances. It includes trend articles on every-thing from decorating with color and 4K TVs to creating a mood with flooring and making the bedroom a secret hide away. The magazine also includes local stories from writers or employees in the five markets RC Willey services throughout Nevada, Idaho, Utah and California.

“For example one market will have an historical piece on Boise while another will have a story on a waterfowl area that’s being developed in Las Vegas,” Yospe said.

The magazines will be mailed to customers, distributed by employ-ees to their local businesses and available in stores. RC Willey is also working in the markets with local radio personalities and talk radio hosts to get them to promote the magazine and encourage their listeners to pick one up at their RC Willey store.

RC WILLEY pic


KEM Furniture and Accessory Mart February 1-3, 2015Edison, New Jersey www.kemexpo.com

Tupelo Furniture Market February 5-8, 2015Tupelo, Mississippi www.tupelofurnituremarket.com

High Point Market April 18-23, 2015High Point, North Carolina www.highpointmarket.org

International Contemporary Furniture Fair May 16-19, 2015New York, New York www.icff.com

Home Furnishings Networking Conference

May 17-19, 2015Orlando, Florida

Showtime

May 31-Jun3, 2015High Point, North Carolina www.showtime-market.com

Dallas Total Home & Gift Market June 24-30, 2015Dallas, Texas www.dallasmarketcenter.com

MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR THESE INDUSTRY EVENTS

International Casual Furniture & Accessories Market September 16-19, 2014The Merchandise Mart Chicago www.casualmarket.com

High Point Market October 18-23, 2014High Point, North Carolina www.highpointmarket.org

KEM Furniture & Accessory Mart November 19-20, 2014Long Beach, California www.kemexpo.com

Showtime December 7-10, 2014High Point, North Carolina www.showtime-market.com

Atlanta Winter Gift, Home Furnishings and Holiday Market

January 6-13, 2015Atlanta, Georgia www.americasmart.com

Dallas Total Home and Gift Market January 14-20, 2015Dallas, Texas www.dallasmarketcenter.com

Las Vegas Market January 18-22, 2015Las Vegas, Nevada www.lasvegasmarket.com

Calendar

Check out Networking News on page 44 for NAHFA Regional Events

NAHFA APP Keep track of industry events and add them to your calendar with the NAHFA App. Download the app at nahfa.org/myapp and simply scan this page.

Interactive Symbol, when you see this symbol scan the page for additional content. Scanning this page will automatically load these important dates to your calendar.


Ad Index

Contact Our Advertisers When contacting our advertisers, please be sure to mention that you saw their ads in RetailerNOW.

Connie Post(304) 736-7283conniepost.comPage 29

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High Point Market(336) 869-1000highpointmarket.orghttp://tinyurl.com/HighPtMarket

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Jaipur Rugs(404) 351-2360jaipurrugs.com

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Lynch Sales(616) 458-6662lynchsales.comfacebook.com/lynchsales

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Northwest Furniture Xpress(828) 475-6377nwfxpress.comPage 9

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Surya(877) 275-7847surya.com

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Tidewater(800) 535-4087 x6553tidewaterfinance.comPage 49

For information on advertising in RetailerNOW contact Michelle Nygaard (916) 757-1160.

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The Now ListA quick dose of fun facts, random trivia, and useful

(or useless) bits of info

The Now List

Sources: International Council of Shopping Centers, MOMA, 2013 State of Women-Owned Business Report, GMI’s 2013 Women on Boards Survey, Androit Digital study, Glassdoor.com, Luxury Institute, Kansas City News, Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies, IHS Global Insight, Gallup.com, eMarketer

TV & Social Media Rule70% of Millennials said TV advertising has the most influence over them in how they perceive a brand and its value. Social media was a close second at 60%.

Best City to Work InGlassdoor’s 2014 Employment Satisfaction Report Card says San Jose is rated as the #1 place to work. The survey rated the top 50 U.S. metros based on employee satisfaction, # of employers hiring, biz outlook, career opportunities and compensation & benefits over the last year. San Francisco, Washington, D.C., Norfolk, VA, Salt Lake City, UT round out the top five.

No Texting Affluent CustomersOnly 17% of U.S. affluent internet users, (income of $150,000+), signed up or were somewhat/very likely to opt in to messages from a luxury brand.

Robot Furniture Ecole Polytechnique Federale scientists in Switzerland have developed small robotic modules that can change shape to create reconfigurable furniture.

Glass CeilingWomen held just 11% of board seats at the world’s largest and best-known companies, up just 1.7% since 2009.

Retail Real Estate Market UpThe U.S. retail real estate market improved in the second quarter (Q2) of 2014 as a lack of new construction helped landlords boost rents and lower vacancies, according to the latest data.

Women in BizWomen-owned businesses grew at 1.5 times the national average between 1997 and 2013, but only 4% exceed the $500,000 annual revenue mark.

No Rest for the WearyOne in five U.S. microbusiness owners report taking no vacation days in the past year, with another 21% saying they took a week or less. Half of those who took no vacation days say they don’t expect to take any in the next 12 months either.

Build Your Own Office? Herman Miller may have the office furniture of the future with its Living Office concept, designed by a German design firm. It’s beta-testing the line of mix-and-match create-your-own components made from a plastic foam called expanded polypropylene. It may be released in 2015.

Saving for a Rainy Day70% of Millennial workers are saving for retirement; they started doing so at age 22 on average. Boomers, by comparison, began at age 35.

Blooming FurnitureDesigner Kenneth Cobonpue’s Bloom chair is a sculptural delight crafted from microfiber, fiberglass reinforced polymer and steel.

Least Expensive Metros for Conducting Biz10, Sioux City, IA; 9, Memphis, TN; 8, Canton-Massillion, OH; 7, Akron, OH; 6, Knoxville, TN; 5, Chattanooga, TN; 4, El Paso, TX; 3, Monroe, LA; 2, Lake Charles, LA; and 1, Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX.

Business Sense81% of Americans say the country would be governed better if more people with business & management experience were elected; 63% say it would be better governed with more female political leaders.

Pinning on the Go40.1 million U.S. consumers will use Pinterest via any device at least monthly this year—and based on recent data, it’s likely that most of this activity will take place on mobile.

Blue & Yellow Does Make GreenIKEA plans to install 2,850 solar panels on the roof of its Merriam, KS store this fall; the solar panels will generate 1.35 million kilowatt hours of energy (enough to power 128 homes) & reduce the store’s potential carbon dioxide emissions by 930 tons annually.

-present-

This collection features inspirational adaptations of museum textiles from Asia, Europe, Latin America and Africa. Each rug intertwines history, culture and tradition

into a multi-layered story that translates timeless mo-tifs into modern designs..

MMT14

+ Museum of International Folk Art

Vol. 3 Issue 8

Philanthropy SEPTEM

BER Issue SEP

TEMB

ER 2014

[email protected] | www.microdinc.com

Our Product Lab has created an online masterpiece that’s going to rock the Home Furnishings Industry. Get ready to rethink your current website.

We’re making a scene, October 2014.

a website revolution

market education:the revolution of next generation web designPlaza Suites | Retailer Resource Center

MicroD-9-2014-RetailerNOW.indd 1 8/6/14 12:56 PM

september 2014 — the power of giving

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