Furniture First adds 2 members, tweaks programs
By Clint Engel -- Furniture Today, February 28, 2004
Myrtle Beach, S.C. — Buying group Furniture First has added two members and updated some product and service programs for its national dealer base.
During its symposium here, President Bill Hartman said the group is changing its promotional bedding lineup offered through Symbol Bedding to all one-sided mattresses, still hitting the same price points of $199 to $699 for a queen set.
The bedding is sold under the private-label Hometown Comforts Collection by Mattress First.
The group also introduced a direct-mail program, partnering with Mail America/Fisher Printing to handle the roughly 1.2 million circulars Furniture First members will drop each month.
In April, the group expects to roll out a private-label fabric protection program from an undisclosed company.
The newest members are Top 100 company Bay Furniture, with six stores in the Chicago area, and the two-store Noah's Home Furnishings of Detroit Lakes, Minn.
They boost membership to 116 companies with annual sales of about $950 million from 260 stores.
The group expects to top $1 billion in total sales this year.
