Speakers share Big Ideas at Bedding Conference
By David Perry -- Furniture Today, June 22, 2008
NAPLES, Fla. — Let's call them Three Big Ideas for 2008.
They emerged from the speakers at Furniture/Today's third Bedding Conference, a sold-out event here that once again garnered strong reviews by attendees. The conference covered plenty of ground, touching on everything from the challenges of long warranties to the need for better marketing for the bedding category as a whole.
But three issues, in particular, stood out:
Big Idea No. 1: The power of green
Retail keynoter Danny Seo, introduced as “Mr. Green,” spoke of his long commitment to the green marketing cause, one that has landed him on “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” brought him featured treatment in top newspapers around the country, and made him a leading green guru.
Seo, born, appropriately enough, on Earth Day (April 22), said the green movement has already hit the food, beauty, automotive and home furnishings categories, and is now poised to make its mark in the baby and kids, travel, fashion and retail categories.
He noted that JCPenney has launched a “simply green” campaign, one that includes the new Natural Care by Danny Seo latex bedding line, produced by Simmons. That line uses natural rubber tree-based latex foam that is soft and supportive to help eliminate pressure points, Seo said.
Seo drew a distinction between the “dark green” and “light green” categories. “Target the 95% who want to live green 5% of the time, not the 5% who live 95% green,” he advised.
And he cited figures showing that the eco-friendly marketplace has grown dramatically in recent years, with the organic and fair-trade segment posting 20% growth for more than a decade.
Other notable figures, Seo said, include these:
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90% of U.S. consumers say they would purchase an organic product if it were available to them.
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34% of average U.S. consumers say they regularly purchase organic food, beauty and home products.
It all adds up to a major opportunity for the bedding industry, Seo suggested.
Big Idea No. 2: The power of selling better sleep
Several speakers addressed this topic, which gave the conference its theme: “Better sleep equals better sales.” Pete Bils, director of clinical research at Select Comfort, the Minneapolis-based airbed producer and retailer, made one of the top-rated presentations at the conference, asserting that “selling sleep can sell mattresses.”
Bils noted that “sleep issues are health issues,” and said insufficient sleep impairs performance. Most sleep problems are self-imposed, he said, adding that the bedding industry has the opportunity to elevate the importance of sleep.
Talk about sleep issues must be incorporated into the conversations that retail bedding sales associates have with consumers, Bils said.
Steven Stone, president of BedMart in Portland, Ore., said that retailers can stand out by selling better sleep, rather than selling mattresses as a commodity. What is needed, he said, is to elevate the selling experience, with consumer-friendly stores and first-class sales associates.
Kurt Ling, president of Customer Kinetics, said the bedding industry must present a more professional image to consumers. The medical industry doesn't have stores named “Ob-gyn Warehouse” or “Discount Dermatology,” he pointed out. The challenge for the bedding industry, Ling said, is to feature the health and well-being features of sleep products rather than treating bedding as a commodity.
Big Idea No. 3: The power of accessories
Several speakers addressed this topic, including Barrie Brown, CEO of Mattress Giant, based in Addison, Texas. He said the industry often trivializes sleep accessories, throwing those products at consumers rather than taking the time to make them a focus on sales floors. The margins offered by sleep accessories are substantial, Brown said, and they help pull consumers into bedding stores for multiple, repeat purchases.
Producers of accessories, including Protect-A-Bed, Protect-All, Hickory at Home, Latex International and Natura, offered suggestions on how retailers can improve sales. Among their tips: Stress the health and comfort benefits of sleep accessories, introduce accessories to consumers earlier in the sales process, and talk about those products often on the sales floor.
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