Letters to the Editor
By Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today, July 4, 2005
Home Furnishings Council still could help industry
Ray Allegrezza's column, "If perception is reality, beware" (Furniture/Today, May 30, page 2), brought to mind the Home Furnishings Council. The HFC had the opportunity to help form consumers' perception, one that is more closely aligned with reality, for our industry. We didn't have the support we needed and so the council lapsed into inactivity.
However, the HFC is still available for the industry's use. If our customers have perceptions of our business that are harmful to them and to us, then let's change those perceptions. We, however, must do the hard work that an undertaking like that will entail. It is worth doing, but it isn't easy.
Harvey Dondero of Broyhill commented in an article that furniture isn't a high priority with consumers. They have good reason to feel that way. We are, at best, sending an ineffective message. We don't talk about what furniture can do for a person's life and quality of life. We just talk about price. And then we wonder why the customer is always looking for the lowest price and why we are being affected by deflation and our profits are going down. We've done this to ourselves and no one is going to change this situation for us.
I think Farooq Kathwari of Ethan Allen is right on target with everyday pricing. Furniture is a tremendous value and we must communicate that better, often, and with passion.
When you are talking or writing about opportunities for the industry, please remember that the Home Furnishings Council, as an agent for change, is available to the industry. The Home Furnishings International Assn. is the guardian of it for now, but we are only doing so until our industry wakes up and realizes our need for what the council can do.
Mary Frye , president, Home Furnishings, International Assn.
It's not only Bentonville boys laughing all the way to the bank
I just read Ray Allegrezza's excellent column in the June 6 issue of Furniture/Today. And I agreed with him on nearly every point. But I must take exception to his casual use of the phrase, "the boys in Bentonville."
I think we need to give credit where credit is due. This year's dramatic improvement in the quality and design of the Wal-Mart retail furniture listing is due to a merchandising team led by four women:
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Jacquie Fazekas, senior buyer (former ready-to-assemble buyer at Sears).
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Shawnda Schnurbusch, divisional merchandise manager.
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Lois Makita, vice president/general merchandise manager (currently on sabbatical/leave).
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Claire Watts, executive vice president, apparel and home.
In addition, the Wal-Mart Web site program that you reference is also headed by two highly qualified female merchants, Tricia Doty, senior category manager, and Amy Wellmaker, senior buyer.
These women have combined their sense of style and merchandising with the Wal-Mart training on negotiation, supply chain management, and analysis. They have worked extremely well with our design and sales teams to get the best out of Sauder and create the best value for the Wal-Mart customer. They are bright, talented, and very fair with their vendors.
It's a winning combination that is good for our industry and for Wal-Mart. And as Ray says, they're "laughing all the way to the bank."
Kevin Sauder , president/CEO, Sauder Woodworking
