Buying group tops $1 billion in sales
Furniture Smart draws 32 vendors to market
By Jeff Linville -- Furniture Today, February 22, 2004
NEW ORLEANS — Fast-growing Furniture Smart, which bills itself as the U.S. industry's largest buying and marketing group, says it has topped $1 billion in sales.
The furniture division of Nationwide Marketing Group attracted 32 vendors to Nationwide Prime Time, the private market held earlier this month at the Superdome here.
Furniture Smart is four and a half years old and already represents thousands of storefronts, said Executive Director Bill Bazemore. Nationwide works with 2,200 retailers with over 6,000 storefronts selling a variety of goods, including major and small appliances, televisions and other home electronics. More than 1,700 of those operations also sell furniture, Bazemore said.
Most of Furniture Smart's retailers are one- or two-store businesses that wouldn't be able to compete with the prices offered by larger chains. The group leverages its buying power to offer small dealers discounts and rebates on furniture from such manufacturers as Berkline/BenchCraft, Broyhill, Bush, Sealy, Serta and Simmons, all of whom attended the market.
Bazemore said Furniture Smart also gives dealers the ability to buy shared containers or warehoused goods at a lower price. And it helps with insurance costs, freight, extended credit for dealers and store credit for consumers.
Furniture Smart also has just forged an exclusive strategic alliance with promotions company Morry Dickter & Associates.
"We have worked with Morry for years with excellent results," said Bazemore. "We believe the combination of Furniture Smart's aggressive programs and Morry's traffic-building events will mean increased sales for our members."
"It's a natural fit," said Dickter, adding the buying group would provide his firm with "efficient access to many of the industry's most progressive independent retailers, some of whom have been clients for years."
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