Signs of hope on horizon despite very tough year
David Perry, Executive editor -- Furniture Today, December 21, 2008
And so, next week, we will bring this sales disaster of a year for the mattress industry to a close. We will say farewell to the worst mattress year, sales-wise, in the modern history of the industry. And that will be a good thing, a time to look forward to a fresh start, a new year with new challenges and, yes, some new opportunities.
And yet, having acknowledged the lousy sales climate that bedeviled us this year, I want to end this final column of 2008 on a somewhat positive note. Our industry is hanging tough, for the most part. There is a growing realization that we need to do things differently next year to drive business. Change can be threatening, but it can also bring needed improvements to our industry.
We need to change our basic approach to communicating with consumers. The price-oriented model robs us of our most compelling message: That a new mattress changes lives. Instead, we offer long finance offers and tout promotional prices that reinforce the consumer's impression that a mattress is a mattress is a mattress, and that buying a new one will be a painful process.
Having made that harsh assessment, I will also say that there are signs of progress on the horizon. The new Sleep to Live store at North Hills in Raleigh is a breath of fresh air, filled with high-tech features and packed with information about what Kingsdown cleverly calls “the sleep triangle” — sleep equipment, behavior and environment.
At Furniture/Today's Leadership Conference in Naples, Fla., we heard several examples of producers and retailers finding success with strong, unique marketing messages. It was a time, as noted by our editor in chief, Ray Allegrezza, to look for solutions, and not to bemoan a weak sales climate. It was, in other words, a time to look forward.
Our keynote speaker, Mark Thompson, said that times like these offer an opportunity for “epic market share gains,” if companies watch their cash, remain courageous and keep their focus on the consumer. Thompson, who interacts daily with top business leaders around the world, knows what he's talking about.
Following the conference's upbeat conclusion, I flew to Phoenix and saw another successful run of the Seena Magowitz Celebrity Golf Classic. Plenty of top mattress leaders were on hand, helping Roger Magowitz, president of Virginia Beach, Va.-based Mattress Discounters, record the most successful event in its history. There was no gloom-and-doom there, Magowitz noted.
The year ended, then, with a double-dose of opportunity and heart. Our leaders remain realistic about prospects next year, but haven't forgotten that charity begins at home. They continue to realize that tough times may force them to do things differently, and that some of those changes can be positive. So let's say a quick goodbye next week to 2008, and toast our prospects for the new year.
-
Mattress sales climb
Feb 22, 2010 -
Mattress unit sales up 2.8% in December, says ISPA
Feb 12, 2010 -
Pent-up demand offers opportunity
Dec 21, 2009 -
Bedding leaders expect gains in ‘11
Dec 24, 2010
Specialty retailer LoveSac introduces new store design
Kincaid Furniture honors Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter for Habitat work
Omnia Furniture ends relationship with Kathy Ireland Worldwide
Belfort Furniture, Lawrance Furniture are NHFA Retailers of Year
Singapore furniture show expecting increased turnout
Featured Company
-
Brandwise Inc.
Brandwise serves a model - not just an industry - by integrating, automating, and optimizing the entire sales channel, from wholesale Suppliers to their Reps and the Retailers they service. In short, our software helps Reps and Suppliers sell more and create... more
VIEW ALL GALLERIES
