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David Perry

Market provides chance to get fresh growth ideas

Well, spring has sprung and here we are at another April market. Our topic this week is the mattresses on display at the High Point Market, with some thoughts on how to approach this market. 

We all know that business is challenging these days. Alas, that is a fact that we cannot escape or deny. But we do have the power to make plans for growth. 

And that’s one of the reasons why it is so important for us to come to markets and to meetings like the upcoming Bedding Conference. (Quick promo: Our third annual Bedding Conference will be held May 14-16 at the Ritz-Carlton golf resort in Naples, Fla. We’ve got a great retail-oriented program planned. Go to /info/CA411191.html.) 

Although new product is always a central focus, markets are for far more than that. In times like these, it just might be the promotional ideas or the retail support materials that would be most helpful to you. As you shop the market, ask your vendors what is working for their dealers. Ask them what fresh advertising ideas they have. Ask them for counsel on what you should do to jumpstart your sales. If your vendors really are your partners, they will be happy to share their insights and strategies. 

On the product front, some interesting new mattress lines should capture your attention. Sealy, showing at its nearby Archdale, N.C., campus, is spotlighting its new flagship Posturepedic line. The company has put a lot of effort and marketing behind this line, which is designed to eliminate tossing and turning caused by pressure points.
In downtown High Point, your first stop should be The Bedding Center on the first floor of Plaza Suites. There you will find the intriguing new start-up line, Five Star Mattress, which has been launched by the owners of Serta. Five Star President Donna Zett will introduce the line, designed to retail from $299 to $999. 

Also in the Bedding Center you will find Therapedic and its value-priced A Café line, part of the Kathy Ireland Home portfolio. Therapedic also is showing the J du J line under the Kathy Ireland umbrella. That all-foam line can start as low as $699. 

A newcomer to the Bedding Center is Joya, a relaunch of the Garme brand in the U.S. Bob Timberlake will be in the space Tuesday to talk about his mattress line. If you haven’t met Bob, he is a delightful guy. (Full disclosure: I have a couple of his prints in my home. I’m a big fan.) 

Around the corner from Plaza Suites, Bemco has some new gymnast-themed mattresses, designed to tie in with the upcoming Olympics. Natura also is worth a visit. 

And … well, I’m out of space. There are many more mattresses to catch your fancy this market. Happy hunting to you. I’ll see you in a mattress showroom.