Wright of Thomasville offers mattress retail aids

Can help improve sales in tough climate, company says

David Perry -- Furniture Today, May 19, 2009

A pillow touts Wright of Thomasville’s new Showroom Solutions program.

THOMASVILLE, N.C. — Wright of Thomasville, the mattress industry's largest supplier of labels, has launched a program to help retailers spruce up their sales floors and better communicate their brand messages.

Those are important and timely steps that mattress retailers can take to help boost sales in a tough business climate, company officials say.

The company's new Showroom Solutions program, a joint venture of Wright of Thomasville and embroidery specialist Colonial LLC of High Point, offers retailers a range of top-of-bed mattress display items as well as a program of in-store graphics.

Bedding veteran Lou Paige, whose 20 years in the industry included stints with Serta and Restonic, has been named vice president of retail graphics for Wright of Thomasville and is helping to spearhead the new venture.

"We are offering products that give retailers a chance to make a great first impression," Paige said. "They will also put the customer at ease and they tell a story. There is a tendency at retail to showcase mattress samples in common fabrics, thus making the point-of-purchase and top-of-bed materials more important to create differentiation in the market and to impact the consumer."

Added Don Wright, Wright's vice president of sales and marketing: "Retailers need to remember that their store is their brand. By giving their stores a cohesive look, they are doing a better job of branding the store."

The Showroom Solutions program offers retailers display items designed "to make sales happen," Paige said. "Utilizing first-quality fabrics and innovative designs, our top-of-bed solutions make an immediate impact on the consumer's mind, which gives them the confidence to make a purchase decision now."

The top-of-bed products include foot protectors, pillows, bolsters, labels, hangtags and mattress handles. In-store graphic products include point-of-purchase signs, posters, banners, window signs, floor graphics and hanging hardware - all designed to communicate feature and benefit stories and to act as points of reference for the sales staff, officials said.

Paige said that Wright of Thomasville, founded in 1961, and Colonial LLC, a specialist in embroidery and screen printing established in 1982, can handle any bedding retailer's needs.

"We can make one of something or an unlimited quantity," he said. "We can appeal to small and large retailers. Our Showroom Solutions service allows any retailers to get involved in the display process."

Paige noted that the program is not designed to replace manufacturers' point-of-purchase messages. "Showroom Solutions is helping manufacturers and retailers work closely together to get both of their brand messages out with new creative - and effective - communications vehicles," he said.

The initial response has been encouraging. "Retailers we have worked with have given us extremely positive feedback," Paige said. "They love what we offer. We are helping them make their stores look great."

Wes Keever, vice president of operations for Colonial, said mattress retailers who continue to promote and to try new approaches are holding their own in this tough business climate.

"Retailers need higher close ratios these days," Paige added. "They need to hit a home run with their impressions," and the new Showroom Solutions program can help them do that, he said.