San Fran, Tupelo question figures
By Clint Engel -- Furniture Today, April 14, 2002
SAN FRANCISCO — SAN FRANCISCO — Executives at the San Francisco and Tupelo furniture markets dispute the conclusions that World Market Center executives have drawn from a survey of furniture buyers.
Of 91 buyers at 85 stores surveyed from among the 200 top furniture retailers, nearly 76% said they plan to attend the proposed Las Vegas World Market Center in 2004, while 69% said they hadn't attended the San Francisco market in the past year. Nearly 73% said they didn't attend Tupelo.
Separately, the San Francisco Mart said 44% of the Top 100 U.S. furniture stores attended that market at least once in the past year, and 24% of the 100 retailers on a list developed from Furniture/Today's "Beyond the Top 100" reportedly attended.
Tupelo Furniture Market President V.M. Cleveland said 69 of the Top 100 buyers and 60% of the nation's Top 500 store buyers — the latter from a list developed internally — were at the past February show. He did not have last year's results handy, but said a typical Tupelo market gets 60%-plus attendance from the Top 100.
"I guess their report is composed of somebody else's list," Cleveland said.
"It's like a politician that has been in office for years, and then you have a new candidate come to town," he said, comparing the Las Vegas market to the new candidate. "He has mighty strong statistics until he's put to the test, until he has to prove it.
"What really will happen vs. what they proclaim will happen" has yet to be seen, he said.
The World Market Center is projecting for 2004 and beyond, "and we don't believe that stores can commit to market attendance that far in advance," said Michael Gennet, president of the San Francisco Mart.
"The only fact that we know is actual attendance, and we feel a high percentage of Top 100 stores have traditionally shopped and supported the San Francisco market. Anything else is a guess."
Gennet said while it is true that many second-tier independents from the East have not attended Western regional markets regularly, "to assume that stores in the Northeast, Southeast or Midwest would suddenly add a Las Vegas-based market to their shopping itineraries is not based on historical facts.
"I think stores shop a market for selection, value and a worthwhile shopping experience," Gennet said. "And we have prided ourselves on a mixture of quality West Coast and East Coast tenants that should have induced these Eastern independent stores to attend a Western market.
"If they haven't already visited the West to shop, we do not foresee a tenant mix at the (World Market Center) that would provide any additional incentive for these stores to make the trip," he said.
Gennet said many might attend the first Las Vegas market out of curiosity. "But if they don't find a viable selection of manufacturers, they won't go back."
-
Market ends on high note
Nov 18, 2011 -
Survey reveals how stores advertise their bedding
May 11, 2012 -
Premarket draws more dealers
Mar 29, 2012 -
Improved sales bode well at Vegas
Feb 6, 2012
Featured Company
-
Wright Labels
Bill and Tom Wright founded Wright of Thomasville in 1961 on the idea that printing was a creative medium and the belief that "a promise made is a promise kept." The Wright brothers focused their attention on providing exceptional printing for the... more
VIEW ALL GALLERIES
