Latex International launching branded pillow program
Will target specialty retailers and furniture stores
David Perry -- Furniture Today, June 22, 2006
SHELTON, Conn. -- Latex International, which produces more than 1.2 million Talalay latex pillows annually, is launching a new branded pillow program targeting bedding specialty retailers and furniture stores.
Pillows in the RejuveNite program, which provide customizable comfort for the neck and head, come in a variety of constructions to meet the varying needs of sleepers. Retails in the 10-SKU line, which soon will be expanded, range from $60 to $100.The line is backed by a retail sales support program, including the company’s new ComfortMatch system, designed to help consumers select the perfect pillow for their size, comfort preference and sleep position.
“Wake up to better days” is the tag line of the RejuveNite program.“We want to build a brand and have a very consistent look, feel and message across the nation,” said Kevin Stein, vice president of marketing for Latex International. “Pillows are a major focus for us.”Latex International is a supplier of latex mattress cores and toppers to bedding producers, and also supplies latex pillows. The company tailors its offerings to each of its distribution channels and provides pillow programs to meet its customers’ specifications.Stein said the program aims to change the pillow shopping experience, which is often “overwhelming, confusing and unassisted,” into one that helps retailers maximize every sale and provides a more consumer-friendly experience.“As mattress retailers are competing to capture every possible customer and maximize every sale,” said Chris Bunce, RejuveNite’s national sales manager, “it only makes sense to productively utilize every square inch of floor space to obtain these goals. This includes the top of the mattress. Why have an unsupportive pillow on the mattress that can’t be purchased and may even diminish the customer’s mattress experience? In an environment where a benefits story can be told, maximum dollars can be captured with additional luxury pillow sales.”One key to selling better pillows, Stein said, is to bring pillows into the mattress sales process. In the ComfortMatch program, retail sales associates are taught to introduce pillows as a component of a “complete sleep system.” They do so relatively early in the mattress selection process — after the sales associate has determined if the consumer is interested in a firm or plush mattress. In less than a minute, the program helps the consumer find the low-profile, high-loft or contour pillow best for her. Then the consumer is invited to take her chosen pillow with her during the mattress testing experience in the store.That gives the consumer a chance to experience the difference the right pillow makes, Stein said.“At the conclusion of the mattress sale, customers are clutching their pillows and don’t want to let go,” he said. Result: The pillow sale is closed.Stein said retailers can reduce consumer complaints and returns by offering comfortable, supportive pillows.
“Even the finest luxury mattress may seem uncomfortable when it’s paired with an old, lumpy and unsupportive pillow,” he said. “The result is increased customer complaints and even returns. There’s nothing wrong with the mattress, but try explaining that to someone who just had a rough night on a brand new bed.”Latex International’s Talalay latex pillows offer more pressure relief than conventional pillows, are breathable, and are hypoallergenic and dust mite resistant, Stein said.
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Latex International launching branded pillow program
Jun 25, 2006
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