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Gallery Furniture invites consumers to High Point Market

Houston retailer will pay for week-long trip

Clint Engel -- Furniture Today, October 7, 2009

HOUSTON — Talk about consumer buy-in.

Gallery Furniture is coming to High Point this month with eight to 10 consumers in tow, people willing to don their walking shoes for a week to check out the latest industry offerings.

A promotion on Houston-based Gallery Furniture’s Web site asks “adventurous, motivated” consumers to come help its buyers shop the High Point Market this month.

And their top choices will make Gallery's floor, said Jim McIngvale, co-owner of the two-store Houston retailer.

"We'll turn them loose," he said. "Each one will buy a couple of groups and we'll put them on the floor.

"The idea is to get the customer involved in the buying process," he said. "We want to get a fresh perspective.... All these people may find the greatest new lines that we normally would miss."

Gallery put out the call for consumer buyers via online marketing and newspaper ads. Its Web site says it wants "adventurous, motivated shoppers with an eye for trend setting."

McIngvale said the retailer has received about 50 applications and is hoping to make its selection by early next week - eight to 10 men and women, most likely existing Gallery customers.

The Top 100 company is covering airfare, hotel and meals for the Oct. 15-21 trip. Its promotion warns, "There will be LOTS of walking, so if you are selected, be sure you are up to the task!"

Gallery's professional buyers will look at the consumers' top selections and later place orders.

McIngvale admitted this is "another wacky Mattress Mack idea.... We'll see how it goes."

He declined to estimate the promotion's cost, but said, "It's going to be worth it because we're going to get a lot of viral marketing out of the deal." The consumer buyers will tell their friends what they've seen and will post photos and comments online. Gallery also will promote the trip in the Houston Chronicle, inviting readers to follow the buyers in High Point all week.

For veteran marketgoiers, High Point may not sound like the ultimate one-week getaway, but McIngvale said that attitude is part of the problem he's hoping to overcome.

"We get jaded," he said. "But for them, it will be a lot like a kid at Christmas....

"Hopefully we'll come up with some new perspectives on how to make the business better for customers, because at the end of the day, it's still all about the customer."

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