Nationwide convention draws crowd to Vegas
3,500 set conference record
By Clint Engel -- Furniture Today, March 5, 2006
Las Vegas — Nationwide Marketing Group drew record attendance to its semiannual PrimeTime buying convention here with a mix of social and educational programs on top of two days of shopping.
Some 3,500 people attended the four-day meeting at the Venetian hotel, including vendors and about 2,000 electronics, appliance and furniture retailers representing more than 800 companies.
Roughly 60% to 65% of the dealers who attended carry a significant amount of furniture. That number is growing as more members look to a product category with much higher margins than they're used to in electronics and appliances, said Bill Bazemore, executive director of Nationwide's Furniture Smart division.
"It's a natural progression for them," Bazemore said. Many retailers will edge into home furnishing with bedding first, then move into home entertainment, case goods, upholstery and other categories, he said.
Nationwide also had a record number of furniture suppliers showing product, taking up nearly 33,000 square feet of the 160,000-square-foot exhibition hall space devoted to the show. That still wasn't enough, Bazemore said, noting that he had to turn away about 18 vendors for lack of space.
All home furnishings categories were represented, including bedding, with Sealy, Simmons, Serta and others showing. Ashley showed for the first time, as did Buhler, Dimplex, Garme, Legends, Trica, Urban Classics by Coe and Botanica by Labs.
Nationwide kicked off the event with a juggling act that played up teamwork. A troupe called The Passing Zone juggled three people from the audience — a Nationwide staffer, an appliance vendor and a retailer — who donned spacesuits and were suspended from a high track by bungee cords.
Educational sessions at the conference reinforced good business practices. Keynotes speaker Sam Silverstein, an entrepreneur and author, discussed the negative impact of excuses — when leaders use them to explain away problems, and allow others to use them.
Carol Campbell, director of business development for advertising agency Marketing Matters, presented her take on how to sell to women by driving home the importance of good listening skills and respect.
Members also heard from Bob Janet, a former 30-year owner and operator of electronics, appliances and furniture retailers as well as other businesses. He talked about the importance of "daring to be different."
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