Post: Stores must stay fresh to be competitive
By Clint Engel -- Furniture Today, March 17, 2002
ORLANDO, Fla. — Lamenting the lack of passionate "warriors" in the industry, Connie Post said many furniture retailers missed a big opportunity last year to renew and rebuild when times were tough and some of the less-nimble giants were falling by the wayside.
Now, things are turning, "the floodgates have opened, and people are once again moving and changing and trying to reinvent themselves," said Post, store designer and owner of Connie Post Cos., at the National Home Furnishings Assn.'s all-industry convention.
In her address on "Competing in a Fast-Paced World," she stressed the importance of constant reinvention, one of the biggest buzzwords in this and other industries in recent months.
"We have to make our stores look new as often as possible," she said. "We have to offer new selling strategies, and we have to deliver new messages to our customers, or give them information in new ways."
She suggested starting with store exteriors, which represent 45% of a store's brand identity, Post said, quoting research from Britt Beemer and his America's Research Group.
"Britt predicted that store exteriors will likely be the tie-breaker in the next five years between winners and losers, particularly with consumers under 40," she said, noting the furniture industry is inundated with stores that haven't been renewed or refreshed in years.
And even some of the newer looks aren't that new anymore. Post showed photos of stores around her Myrtle Beach, S.C., home. From OfficeMax to T.J. Maxx, and from Pier 1 Imports to Ethan Allen, they all sported neoclassical designs.
"If our goal is to be different, then we had better start moving away from neoclassical storefronts," Post said, suggesting that more residential, grand-home designs were in order.
With the changing of store interiors and exteriors comes the opportunity for believable, consumer-appealing events, she said. Beyond this, retailers should search for other ways to be relevant in their marketplaces, engaging consumers emotionally.
Stores need to figure out how to talk to women and welcome them as if they were walking into "our home," she said. And that's not enough. Post offered a list of 20 amenities she thought stores could offer to become more important to their female shoppers, including complimentary coat checks, balloons for kids and small thank-you gifts.
The amenity that received the best response in Beemer's consumer research: offer a secure childcare area with big-screen TVs showing Disney movies while parents shopped.
Consumers crave information above all else, Post said. The second-best amenity proved to be cards on furniture that listed quality elements and manufacturer information. Next were care-instruction cards, followed by an area devoted to the latest trends, with color boards, paint chips and fabrics.
"She wants you to make her smart," Post said "She wants you to empower her by giving her good information so she can make good decisions and feel comfortable with her choice."
| Connie Post shows how retailers can connect with consumers through easy-to-make trend boards that highlight fashion and reinforce furniture assortments. Among the hottest color trends these days: Red. |
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