Furniture Today Blogs
Met shows 16th century rugs in new Islamic gallery
New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art reopened its Islamic art galleries last week after eight years of renovations and updates.The 19,000-square-foot, 15-gallery suite, titled "New Galleries for the Art of the Arab Lands, Turkey, Iran, Central Asia, and Later South Asia," displays a selection 1,200 works, from a 12,000-piece collection, at any given time. The extensive collection featur... More
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Generation Next comments on the home furnishings industry from the viewpoint of a young journalist new to the business. Alex Lemonde-Gray, Furniture/Today and Home Accents Today assistant editor, uses a fresh eye to share observations on the industry - discussing everything from customs, processes, marketing, social media, products and more.
For New Buyers #5
One of the most critical errors made by new (and many experienced) buyers in their mastery of effective negotiating skills is entering into a bargaining session without any pre-determined strategy. A merchant should be keenly aware of the fact that negotiating terms of a buy, whether price, payment, discount, shipping, or lead times can be the difference between a good deal and a great deal, a goo... More
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Jim Green Hi, I’m Jim Green, author of the three volume set of books on the retail furniture business, Furniture Retailing 101 . The set of books looks at the industry from a newcomer’s perspective and covers the fundamentals and basics of nearly every aspect of furniture retailing. Though it has been written for the novice, I believe the book set will have real value to individuals entering the business from other industries, journalists, analysts, manufacturing executives and representatives and anyone with an interest in learning more about our industry. I have over 30 years experience in both the supply and retail sides of the furniture business, and hold an MBA in Management. In this Web log I will write about some of the more basic and rudimentary aspects of our business and present observations of some of what I have learned over the past three decades. Visit my web site at www.furnitureindustry101.com . Contact me at jim@furnitureindustry101.com or phone 727 347-1201.
Reverie, de Courcy add to Vegas excitement
Here are two more mattress lines for your consideration at the bedding-loaded Las Vegas Market:Reverie (WMC B-925) is introducing a new remote control for its Reverie Deluxe Adjustable Bed Base. Added features include anti-snore positions. The producer is also showing two new "concept beds" with new looks, new adjustable features, new electronic controls and new accessories.As an Apple l... More
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David Perry Bedding Editor Hi! I'm David Perry, the bedding editor for Furniture/Today. This is an online version of my Bedding Today column, which appears weekly in the pages of Furniture/Today. I invite you to take advantage of this blog format to share your comments on the topics that I tackle each week..
DaVinci allegations raise questions about integrity of Chinese reporting
Those following the DaVinci Furniture scandal in China may have noticed some interesting developments in the story.The retailer, originally accused of selling Chinese-made furniture it marketed as Italian-made, said the TV reporter that first broke the story blackmailed DaVinci by taking an estimated $150,000 for not publishing more negative reports about the company.This indeed is a serious charg... More
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Tom Russell Associate Editor I’m Tom Russell and have worked at Furniture/Today since August 2003. Since then, I have had covered the international side of the business from a logistics and sourcing standpoint. Since then, I also have visited several furniture trade shows and manufacturing plants in Asia, which has helped me gain some perspective about the industry in that part of the world. As I continue covering the import side of the business, I look forward to building on that knowledge base through conversations with industry officials and future overseas plant tours overseas. From time to time, I will file news and other industry perspectives on-line and, as always, welcome your response to these Web postings. ( to view or add public comments click on \"Add your Comment\" below each blog post)
Target Sends Letter to Vendors Over Comparison Shopping
Showrooming is the latest Internet term to describe consumers coming into a retail store, seeing the product in person and then going online to purchase it from a competitor generally at a lower price (and in many cases without sales tax). This is a real problem for many retailers who maintain the cost of brick and mortar stores only to act as a showroom for Internet retailers who do not have tha... More
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Hi, I'm Mike Root, President of Furniture Sales of Mid-America, (www.furnituresales.biz) a furniture wholesale company in the Midwest and Rocky Mountain states. We have been recognized by numerous national furniture factories for sales excellence including multiple Salesman of the Year awards. I currently serve on the Executive Committee of the International Home Furnishings Representative's Association (IHFRA) as well as the CQRID Advisory Board of the Interior Design Society.
I see incredible opportunities for our industry to make a difference in people's lives. It is my intention to share with you positive stories and observations from around the country as they relate to the home furnishings industry. True, this is a blog for furniture representatives. But the reality is that we are all representing the home furnishings industry. Therefore I will write to and for reps, but hopefully the message will resonate with all throughout the industry. My perspective is one of a third generation furniture guy with past experience in retail, rental, and wholesale. I also have the good fortune of working with my father, Emmet Root, who is still active as a rep after almost 60 years.
We also operate a consulting business to help retailers and factories use innovative marketing to capture the attention of the end consumer through the use of direct response marketing and social media (www.GetCustomersRigthNow.com). More information about me can be found on my blog at www.MikeRoot.com. To contact me by email meroot@mikeroot.com.
Get smart in 2012
Furniture/Today's 2012 Get Smart Quick Guide is now available for download.This informational guide houses in one place important home furnishings industry statistics. The data, compiled by Furniture/Today's Research Team, includes industry-size figures such as consumer spending on furniture and bedding, furniture and bedding retail sales five-year projections, sales by distribution channel and ov... More
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Welcome to Furniture/Today’s Research blog where we take a look at interesting research data related to the home furnishings industry. Our focus may come from research we have conducted ourselves or it might be something we’ve come across and just want to share. We hope you’ll use this space too, to share your thoughts or to weigh in with what you think about the topic under discussion.
Sleep: The Biggest Sleep Stories of 2011: Part II
Sleep was in the news throughout 2011, with breakthrough research and advances in our understanding of why we sleep, and how sleep-or a lack of it-can affect health and well being. Here are my picks for the most interesting and important sleep stories from the second half of 2011, with practical sleep suggestions you can start using today. July 2011Sleep suggestion: Your doctor's sleep matters to... More
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Michael J. Breus, Ph.D., is a Clinical Psychologist and both a Diplomate of the American Board of Sleep Medicine and a Fellow of The American Academy of Sleep Medicine. He was one of the youngest people to have passed the Board at age 31 and, with a specialty in Sleep Disorders and Neuropsychological Testing, is one of only 163 psychologists in the world with his credentials and distinction. His first book, GOOD NIGHT: The Sleep Doctor’s 4-Week Program to Better Sleep and Better Health (Dutton/Penguin), an Amazon Top 100 Best Seller, has been met with rave reviews and continues to change the lives of readers. It is now available in paperback as BEAUTY SLEEP: Look Younger, Lose Weight, and Feel Great Through Better Sleep. As the subject of sleep gains greater momentum in our sleep-deprived society, Dr. Breus has become a widely recognized leader in this highly- evolving field. Dedicated to raising awareness of both sleep disorders and what he calls “disordered sleep” in the public and healthcare communities, Dr. Breus is on a mission to develop innovative education and communication programs. In addition to his private practice where he treats athletes, celebrities and the like, he also trains other sleep doctors and consults with major airlines, hotel chains, mattress manufacturers and retailers to provide the optimum sleep experience for their customers. His audio relaxation CD, distributed by Crowne Plaza Hotels and the online record store CD Baby, has been distributed to millions of listeners; and for the past 10 years, he has served as the Sleep Expert for WebMD Health, a leading Internet site for health-related information and pens “Sleep Matters” a monthly column in WebMD magazine. You can also find him on AOL where he is a Wellness Coach discussing topics from mattress choice to sleep apnea. His blogs can be found at WebMD, The Huffington Post, The Insomnia Blog and coming soon, Psychology Today.
A Web for Everyone!
Welcome to the New Year and more exciting advances in online technology! I can't wait to see if the 2012 predictions -- including increased mobile marketing, greater use of the cloud, and continued growth of online video will happen even faster than predicted. I hope all the readers of this blog received the latest technology gadget on their wish list! While visiting my parents for the holidays, I... More
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Hi, I’m Penny Schneck, the Online Sales Manager for Furniture/Today. Over the last eight years I’ve seen the Internet transform not just the way we advertise, but the way we do business. It is the great disintermediary. I’ve personally seen it change the travel, financial services and employment advertising businesses. I’ve no doubts that its impact on the way we buy and sell home furnishings will continue to grow. This growth will be accelerated by the recession as consumers and businesses look for new ways to communicate and transact business. The Web is certainly the Wild West of our time with global implications and new technologies at every turn, but that’s what makes it exciting. Join us on this special blog for a lively discussion on the benefits and challenges the Web offers to our industry. I look forward to a lively debate! Email: pschneck@sandowmedia.com
Smith nixes Black Friday insanity
If there was a Heisman Trophy for CEOs, my vote would go to Alex Smith, who has led retailer Pier 1 Imports since February 2007.But my support is not because Pier 1 has recorded nine straight quarters of same-store sales gains, and it's not because merchandise margins hit a stratospheric 60.5% in the fiscal third quarter that ended Nov. 26.I'm a Smith fan because he is refusing to allow Pier 1 to... More
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I\'m Larry Thomas, business editor of Furniture/Today. In my 17 years here, I\'ve written stories about everything from box springs to wicker chairs. For 12 years, I wrote the weekly \"Bedding Today\" column, which is now in the capable hands of executive editor David Perry. Since being named business editor in 2001, most of my stories have dealt with home entertainment furniture, recliners, financial news and furniture markets. I look forward to discussing key industry issues in this forum, and I welcome your thoughts and opinions.
Where is Furniture Brands headed?
Furniture Brands International executives Ralph Scozzafava and Steve Rolls assured securities analysts in a conference call Thursday morning that the company would have positive free cash flow next year. This proved to be not very assuring at all to many investors, who sold off the stock in droves that day and sent its share price down more than 25%. Furniture Brands, the largest U.S. publicly hel... More
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Jay McIntosh News Editor Hi! I’m Jay McIntosh, news editor at Furniture/Today, and it’s my job to keep track of the issues and events of the day. I’ll use this space to offer comments or insights that I hope will bring something new to the table. I welcome your responses and suggestions.
Industry's ready to rock and roll
Despite the gloomy economy, the next few days promise to be anything but.In fact, so many big stories will unfold this week that it's almost a challenge to know where to begin. It's incredibly energizing to watch an industry that, despite the uncertain economy, is willing to bet large on itself.Since market leaders tend to set the direction, I have to tip my hat to Ashley CEO Todd Wanek as he make... More
About this blog
Ray Allegrezza Editor in Chief Welcome to Furniture/Today\'s latest Web site feature--blogs. Each week in my Editor\'s Desk blog we\'ll take a look at interesting news or events in the furniture industry. The most important part of this whole process will be your input. So, take a look at my posts below and weigh in with what you think by clicking on \"Add Your Comment\" at the bottom of each blog. -- Ray Allegrezza, Editor in Chief
Premarket Reveals Trends to Watch for in October
There was plenty to write about from a style standpoint at High Point's Premarket this month. Probably the biggest continuing development in wood is that we're out of the espresso era. There are still dark finishes, but it's more like dull blacks or lighter coffee-bean browns. Many producers are trying to find the right light wood finish, but it's tough. Some of the best looking are a buttersc... More
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My name is Heath E. Combs and I am a staff writer for Furniture/Today. I cover casual dining, occasional and green product categories here and often write about regulatory issues affecting our industry. In my blog “The Writer’s Bureau” I’ll discuss the general business climate may be, any interesting trends I find that could carry over into our industry and what I’m hearing from you in our conversations or in my travels. I’m interested in hearing from you here and feel free to contact me directly at heath.combs@reedbusiness.com.
Retailers Beware: 1.8 Million Reasons To Be Careful About Comparison Advertising
To grab the attention of customers that are not in the mood to part with their dollars, many retailers resort to comparison pricing advertisements. This creates pitfalls that retailers should be aware of. Michaels Stores, a large retail chain, recently ran afoul of New York's deceptive advertising statutes and settled the case for $1,800,000. Admittedly, Michael's may have gotten carried away. The... More
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Jerry Cohen Hello. I'm Jerry Cohen and with this blog I'll be providing insight and solutions regarding legal matters affecting the furniture industry, including operational issues, trends, and current and proposed legislation. I’ve worked on the business and legal side of the furniture industry which gives me an unusual perspective on the complexities we face. My firm and I currently counsel furniture manufacturers and national, regional and local retailers with their corporate, commercial and intellectual property transactions, as well as day to day matters. In the course of our work we deal on a regular basis with federal, state and local authorities, attorneys general, financial institutions (such as banks, asset based lenders, hedge funds and private equity); licensors and licensees; the media; sale promoters; creditors and debtors, landlords, and others. Have a comment? Add it to this blog or write to jcohen@homefurnishingslaw.com
Anatomy of the home office
The advent of advanced technology in both casual and business use has changed the anatomy of the home office. With the computer age came the need to find space in the home to work, in order to support personal and employment demands. It wasn't long before the kitchen table simply did not provide sufficient dedicated space and a bedroom, spare or not, was converted to an office. Today, it is more c... More
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Jim Sherbert is CEO of ready-to-assemble and case goods manufacturer Bush Inds. He joined Bush in August 2005 following a company reorganization and set out to further establish it as a leading global manufacturer of reliable and affordable furnishing solutions for work and home. He is leading the company in the major rebranding of its commercial and living divisions and the launching of a broad spectrum of new product lines and premium services and resources.
A clean takeaway
The Home Furnishings Industry Conference this month in San Antonio was a treasure trove of information and ideas on everything from social media to how to identify and target diverse consumer bases.But I kept coming back to one great takeaway in particular: I can't wait to try this new laundry detergent I discovered there.Phoenix A.M.D., a home furnishings protection and service supplier and one o... More
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Hello! I’m Clint Engel senior retail editor at Furniture/Today, where I cover all things retail. I’ll use this blog to offer my thoughts on both the furniture retail scene and general retail, but more importantly, as a vehicle to bring in and link to other ideas and sources of information that could prove useful to you. I hope you’ll use this space to share your thoughts, too. Also feel free to contact me directly at clinte@reedbusiness.com or 336-605-1129.
HIATUS
I have enjoyed to no end sharing my thoughts on Leadership via this blog for the past two and a half years. That said, I have decided to take a break. I would like to thank Ray Allegrezza for giving me the opportunity to write this blog. I so appreciate his confidence in me. If you take only one thing away from my blogs, I would like it to be that people matter most. Finding the right people... More
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Hi. I'm Eric Easter. I am CEO of Kittle's Furniture. I've been in our industry for over 30 years. During that time I’ve held positions ranging from cashier to CEO. Along the way, I've held executive leadership positions both in manufacturing and retailing. I've also been responsible for leading initiatives in merchandising, marketing, sales, and operations for leading companies like Kittle's, Thomasville, Boyles and Huntington Furniture. Leadership has always been a passion of mine and nothing delights me more than seeing good people become great leaders. This blog, while discussing a myriad of topics, will focus on leadership. I look forward to hearing from you!
#HPmkt and the Thank You Economy
The world is converging starting Saturday, Oct. 16th, as more than 85,000 people from around the world converge on High Point, North Carolina for the start of the world's largest furniture wholesale furniture tradeshow-High Point Market.With over 2000 exhibitors represented in 188 buildings containing over 12 million sq. feet of showspace and hundreds of thousands of new product introductions, @HP... More
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Hi, I'm Leslie Carothers, Chief Energizing Officer of The Kaleidoscope Partnership- a global social media agency started nine years ago for furniture, design and lifestyle brands to provide high level social media strategies along with execution capabilities for our roster of clients on http://tkpartnership.com. Having been in the furniture and luxury design business for the past 29 years, and having worked with consumers, retail sales consultants, retailers, manufacturers, suppliers, designers and the media, I have a decent grasp of our industry and hope, through this column, to give you solid *Retail Ideas* around various facets of social media that will help YOUR business prosper!
Please feel free to start a conversation on my blog by leaving a question or a comment or contact me at any time at leslie@tkpartnership.com, on twitter at http://twitter.com/tkpleslie, on Facebook at http://facebook.com/TheKaleidoscopePartnership or through this group I run on Linked In: Social Media for Furniture Retailers, Manufacturers and Suppliers! If you're interested in having me speak to your organization or at your conference about a facet of social media, please email me at the above address.
Going nowhere
Transitional, as a word, means moving from place to another. So as a furniture style, where is it going?The answer is probably nowhere – not for a long, long time. Everyone seems to like it. Manufacturers and retailers like it because it can easily be dressed up or down, and customers told that it’s whatever they’re looking for because it goes with everything. Tables with cabriole legs, you got it... More
About this blog
Welcome to the Furniture|Today weblog and, in particular, to my own piece cyber-chatter. They tell me this is the newest place to communicate, and my doing it tells you that, yes, you can teach an old dog new tricks. I go back to \'79 when F|T was a baby, and have covered almost every beat in the industry. Currently, my specialty is stationary upholstered furniture and retail technology. Occasionally, I\'d like to share some thoughts with you about the seating segment of the industry and other things as well. And since this is an open forum, I\'ll hope you\'ll share some with me.
How to Leave a Legacy: Lessons from the Life of a Leader—J. Clyde Hooker
When J. Clyde Hooker, the beloved and respected retired leader of Hooker Furniture, died last month, he left behind numerous trophies, awards and honors. They ranged from a Bronze Star in World War II to The Pillar of the Industry Award to a place in the Furniture Hall of Fame to a key to the City of Martinsville, Va. Other tangible reminders of Clyde's contributions include new or expanded buildi... More
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Kim Shaver is Vice President-Marketing Communications for Hooker Furniture. For the past 10 years, she has overseen brand, corporate and internet communications and public relations for Hooker Furniture. Reach Kim at kshaver@hookerfurniture.com.
YourFurnitureLink.com, Harrington College of Design Chicago and TLS by Design!
The arrival of the classic “show badges” every three months or so always brings about two very strong, visceral reactions.Reaction One: “Ug, is it time for that show again already? ” My senses go into auto response. The backache from that old mattress at the rental house, the lack of energy from eating fattening, rich food at overpriced restaurants, the constant grazing on showroom snacks, and o... More
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Hi! I'm Vicki Semke. Mig and Tig is a Furniture store in Chicago that I started with my husband, Kirk Schlupp. We have been on the retail front lines since 1993. Inspired by Mig and Tig Furniture, Yourfurniturelink.com was launched with Jerod Lazan of Mortise & Tenon, Los Angeles. Yourfurniturelink.com is a furniture directory that features furniture manufacturers ranging from contemporary to antique and eco-friendly if you are going green. Consumers and Retail Buyers view furniture lines and manufacturers direct consumers to local furniture stores for product purchases. Our perspective comes as a home furnishings retailer on the front lines. We will explore how to meet the challenges we face in this new era. Today's rapidly changing marketplace requires intuitiveness and flexibility. With this blog on Furniture Today, we hope to share insight, strategies and practical solutions for the long term sustainability of our businesses. I invite you to share your comments, suggestions and ideas as we move forward into a very dynamic time in our industry. I look forward to hearing from you at Vicki@yourfurniturelink.com Yourfurniturelink.com MigandTig.com MortiseTenon.com
Is the Furniture Industry ready for RFID?
In the last couple of years, RFID (Radio-frequency identification) has been used in many industries. Although there are many cost saving opportunities by using RFID in furniture manufacturing and retail, RFID has not been adapted by the industry. The ability of scanning many items without line of sight, the ability to identify many items at once with fixed readers without any manual scan makes R... More
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Hi, I’m Riaz Husein, Vice President of Operations and IT at Morris Furniture Company. I have spent over 20 years in Supply Chain and Logistics operations. During that time, I have developed supply chain strategies as a management consultant and managed operations as an executive at Fortune 500 companies. As I led initiatives across a variety of industries, a common trait that I noticed is that well executed Supply Chain and Logistics operations can provide a clear competitive advantage to any business. As a participant in a furniture operations performance group, I realized that business owners and executives in the furniture industry also had a keen interest in achieving excellence their distribution, delivery and customer service operations. I hope that this blog will serve as a forum to share best practices and improve our operations. Along the way, we will discuss innovative supply chain solutions as well as new technologies in the furniture industry. I welcome your feedback, questions, and topic suggestions. Please contact me at rhusein@morrishomefurnishings.com.
