July 2013—Employee Appreciation

Vol. 2 Issue 5

“EMP

LOYEE A

PP

REC

IATION

” JULY Issue

JULY 2013

EMPLOYEE APPRECIATION

of management felt their company was above

average at appreciation

56%

of sta� shared that sentiment

23%HAPPY WORKERS ARE PRODUCTIVE

WORKERS!

TM

LAS VEGAS MARKET JULY 2013

63%of those who do not feel

treated with respect intend to leave within

two years

FREQUENCY COUNTS!EMPLOYEES WANT SOME FORM

OF RECOGINTION

78%of those who have been

recognized by their employers love their job

and are motivated

Monthly recognition

At least weekly

recognition

Once a quarteror less

HOW WELL DO LEADERS MEET THAT EXPECTATION?

SEE INSIDE FOR THE 5 COMMON RECOGNITION MISTAKES

www.RetailerNOWmag.com

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More Information

The retail furniture market is getting tougher each day.

EMPLOYEE APPRECIATION

of management felt their company was above

average at appreciation

56%

of sta� shared that sentiment

23%HAPPY WORKERS ARE PRODUCTIVE

WORKERS!

TM

LAS VEGAS MARKET JULY 2013

63%of those who do not feel

treated with respect intend to leave within

two years

FREQUENCY COUNTS!EMPLOYEES WANT SOME FORM

OF RECOGINTION

78%of those who have been

recognized by their employers love their job

and are motivated

Monthly recognition

At least weekly

recognition

Once a quarteror less

HOW WELL DO LEADERS MEET THAT EXPECTATION?

SEE INSIDE FOR THE 5 COMMON RECOGNITION MISTAKES

www.RetailerNOWmag.com

Pink Peach2009-40

Watercolor Blue793

Limelight2025-40

Luxurious Gold286

Nacho Cheese2018-40

FF-052FF-052

FF-034

Jewel Tone JT-2056

Modern Classics CAN-2033

ATLANTA HIGH POINT LAS VEGAS NEW YORKNEW DELHI TORONTO TUPELOSHOWROOMS:

FOR MORE TRENDSSURYASOCIAL

POUF-209

Speaking softly, this broad trend in home décor lifts a pale color palette to the forefront of design. Rugs, pillows and other accessories in muted shades such as mint and shell pink are a perfect match when paired with pale woods and natural elements.

pastel perfection

Market Place Collection

RWL-3055

Home accessories get a new fl oral twist this season. Rugs, pillows and wall art interpret this perennial favorite with graphic scale and colorful patterns that complement contemporary and transitional living spaces.

garden party

Peony2079-30

Electric Orange2015-10

Seaweed2035-10

Rhododendron2079-50

Bright Yellow2022-30

KS-013

Alhambra ALH-5018

Fallon FAL-1064

Sanderson SND-4507

KS-013

FB-020

SURYA.COM877.275.7847 [email protected] SURYASOCIAL

WMC C400LAS VEGASNEW LOCATION

AMERICASMART 11-A-1ATLANTASEE THE LATEST TRENDS

SUMMER MARKETSAT

FOR MORE TRENDSSURYASOCIAL

www.retailerNOWmag.com J U LY | 2 0 1 3 1

12. The Power of Appreciation16. Unmotivated Staff19. Praising Your Team to Success25. An Interview with Paula Deen47. HFIC Wrap-up54. The Times are Changing58. Tepperman's and Me An Employee's Story

61. The Affordable Health Care Act

on the coverEmployee Appreciation To find our the five most common recognition mistakes look at page 60

count onIT

yourVOICE

featuresNOW

09. Roving Reporter HFIC

56. Fresh Perspectives The Good New Days by Rick Howard

I N S I D E

04. From the Association President The Importance of People

06. From the Editor Employee of the Month

08. TechNOW44. Membership Marketplace65. Industry Scoop67. Quick-Fire Marketing Get in the Customer's Home

69. What's Selling Now70. Industry Calendar72. The Now List

Employee Appreciation

47.

25.

19.

61.

2 J U LY | 2 0 1 3 www.retailerNOWmag.com

Contact Information:Mailing – Editorial:

500 Giuseppe Ct., Suite 6

Roseville CA 95678

Mailing – Advertising

500 Giuseppe Ct., Suite 6

Roseville CA 95678

Online: retailerNOWmag.comPhone: Editorial: (800) 422-3778 Advertising: (800) 422-3778 Social: Facebook.com/retailerNOW Twitter.com/retailerNOW Pinterest.com/retailerNOW

RetailerNOWthePlayers

Subscription: $70/year

RetailerNOW, ISSN# 2166-5249, is published monthly (except March and December) by the North American Home Furnishings Association, 500 Giuseppe Court, Ste 6, Roseville, CA 95678. Application to Mail at the Periodicals Postage Prices is Pending at Roseville, CA and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Please address changes to: RetailerNOW, The North American Home Furnishings Association, 500 Giuseppe Court, Ste 6, Roseville CA 95678.

If you would like to stop receiving RetailerNOW, please send an email to [email protected].

If you would like to only receive an electronic version of RetailerNOW, please send an email to [email protected]. © 2012 North American Home Furnishings Association. Published by the North American Home Furnishings Association. Material herein may not be reproduced, copied or reprinted without prior written consent of the publisher. Acceptance of advertising or indication of sponsorship does not imply endorsement of publisher or the North American Home Furnishings Association. The views expressed in this publication may not reflect those of the publisher, editor or the North American Home Furnishings Association, and North American Retail Services Corp. Content herein is for general information only; readers are encouraged to consult their own attorney, accountant, tax expert and other professionals for specific advice before taking any action.

What we are so passionate about. . .

To have the courage to pursue purposeful dialogues that challenge conventional thinking, to engage and entertain our readers by delivering content that creates a fervent following ready to change the landscape of our industry.

RetailerNOW is the magazine for today’s home furnishings professional. Developed for a specialized community, RetailerNOW brings a unique editorial focus on progressive and relevant issues concerning the home furnishings industry in the retailer’s voice, with a focus on issues impacting retailers NOW.

Magazine of the North American Home Furnishings Association

Published by the North American Home Furnishings Association 500 Giuseppe Court, Suite 6 Roseville, CA 95678 800.422.3778

Publication StaffJennifer Billock Editor [email protected]

Lisa Tilley Art Director [email protected]

Tim Timmons Associate Publisher [email protected]

Cindi Williams Business Development [email protected]

Editorial Collaborators

Andrew Tepperman Tepperman's Windsor, ON

Carol Bell Contents Interiors Tucson, AZ

Donny Hinton Colortyme Gaffney, SC

Marty Cramer Cramer’s Home Furnishings Ellensburg, WA

Rick Howard Sklar Furnishings Boca Raton, FL

Travis Garrish Forma Furniture Fort Collins, CO

North American Home Furnishings Association Sharron Bradley CEO [email protected]

Mary Frye EVP [email protected]

Executive Committee Chair Howard Haimsohn Lawrance Contemporary

President Rick Howard Sklar Furnishings

President Elect Marty Cramer Cramer’s Home Furnishings

Vice President Steve Kidder Vermont Furniture Galleries

Secretary/Treasurer Paul Sanford Jerome’s Furniture Store

SHFA President Britt Sams Sams Furniture

SEHFA President Wogan S. Badcock III W.S. Badcock Corp.

Robert LevinPresident & CEO, Levin Furniture

Kevin MurphyRelationship Manager, GE Capital

WE’RE NOT JUST BANKERS,WE’RE BUILDERS.We help you build your business by finding the right financing solution for your customers. Robert Levin, president and CEO of Levin Furniture, shares that financing is an expectation of customers, and is essential to Levin’s marketing program. Kevin Murphy, relationship manager at GE Capital, uses his consumer credit expertise to help Levin offer customers a wide range of credit options.

Winning in this market requires a financing company that can personally, and passionately, help you build your business. Stop just banking. And start building.

YES. GE CAPITAL CAN HELP BUILD YOUR BUSINESS.

gogecapital.com

GE Capital

Credit is extended by GE Capital Retail Bank© 2013 General Electric Company. All Rights Reserved.


President's Message

How important are our people?We all know what it is like to have a nice meal spoiled by a waiter who is inattentive, rude and generally negative. When you arrived at the restaurant, you were probably in high spirits ready for a fun evening. As soon as the waiter with the attitude shows up, it is all downhill from there—you may even vow never to go back! Basically you had a lousy experience.

The opposite is also true. A waiter with a great sense of humor, a good knowledge of the menu and the smarts to manage several customers at once will make your night. He may even overcome a dinner that was only so-so!

Unfortunately this scenario is not limited to restaurants—the same thing happens in our stores every day. We work hard to make sure our showrooms are spic and span, well laid-out and merchandised to the nines. We advertise to attract people to our stores. We run promotions and special events. The average spent to get a customer into your store is between $400 and $600 per customer! The moment of truth comes in the few seconds after the customer first walks through the door. Being greeted by a person exuding energy and with a big smile on his or her face starts the gradual building of confidence that shows promise of leading to a sale. People buy into people before they ever buy furniture or design.

Conversely, if the person does not make a favorable greeting or, worse yet, ignores the client altogether, then all of your preparation, hard work and money spent to bring them in is gone. You have no shot at all in helping that potential client who liked your store enough

to make the effort to come to you. That client will also tell friends not to bother with your store as the staff is not helpful. Both scenarios are everyday occurrences in our business.

It does not matter what business we are in. The rules are the same: Helpful, courteous service with polite enthusiasm added wins, time after time. I believe in this principal to my core and have often said if you have the best products in the world but have a weak team, you have no chance at success. If you have a great team and a subpar product, you will still achieve some success. But the real goal is to pair the best team with the best product, and then you have the recipe for GREAT success!

All of our businesses run with teams of people, a chain that needs to be strong with all members pulling together in the same direction. The best employees we can find are only as good as the training we give them and the attention we pay to the details of interaction at each touch point in every process of our business. If we succeed in building a team that understands what it should do, is well trained, takes responsibility and projects confidence and enthusiasm, our customers will love them and, in turn, love our stores!

Lastly and of equal importance, we need to take care of our team, providing them with a stimulating and fun work environment. When you put a group together that shines and loves what they are doing, the results are magical.

So are people important? You bet!

Rick Howard, President North American HFA

from the president


from the editor

Follow other products I love on my blog and on Pinterest.

Blog: www.retailerNOWmag.com www.pinterest.com/retailerNOW

Editor’s Message

What I’m LovingAt once a shelf and a cabinet, this versatile block of bamboo by designer Tessa Kuyvenhoven brings a unique style to storage. Want to put something in the cabinet? Push some sticks out and store the item in the open space. And on the other side of the block—instant extra table space. It’s practically a giant game of Jenga. For more information or to order the PixelTable, visit www.studiointussen.nl.

I’ve held a lot of jobs. Starting when I was 15 as a photographer at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, Ill., I then moved on to such illustrious positions as waitress, receptionist, pastry chef, music teacher and catering manager, until I ended up where I am today—editor, writer, designer. These companies helped shape my life, just as I helped shape the success of those companies. And there’s the rub—a business is only as good as the

staff it employs. You could sell the best product in the world, but if your workers are not engaged and enthusiastic, the company may not last.

So take this opportunity right now to thank your employees. Show them a little value and appreciation. And then read through this issue and learn even more ways to show them how much they’re worth. After all, happy employees make a happy business.

In the last issue, I asked everyone to send me something unique about themselves so we can all get to know each other a little better. Here’s one of the responses I received, from Sherry Sheely of Sheely’s Furniture and Appliance in North Lima, Ohio:

In 1974-75, I made periscopes for army tanks for Middle Eastern countries. Also, I was a dance instructor for Arthur Murray dance studios.

That’s incredible! I’m completely jealous because I can neither dance, nor make periscopes. Here’s another fact about me: I used to be a ghost hunter on a paranormal investigation team. You’d never have guessed, right?

Keep the facts coming, everyone! This is a great opportunity to learn about your colleagues before they got into the furniture world. And we all know how far personal connection can take us in business!

(224) 627-3288 [email protected] @retailerNOW

Employee of the Month

Emerald Lemon Zest

African Violet

NectarineJennifer's Summer Pantone Picks

Jennifer Billock, Editor, RetailerNOW

Christopher Guy,Anthony California, Inc.,Elements International Group, LLC,Silverado,Mastercraft Collec-tions,,Safavieh, Inc.,Atlantic Furniture Inc.,Steve Silver Co,AIF Trading Group, LP,Perdue Woodworks,Legare Furniture,Twin-Star Intl.,Mac Motion Chairs,Lane Home Furnishings,Vitra Furniture, Inc.,Broyhill Furniture Industries Inc,Marshfi eld Furniture,Stanley Furniture,Veneman Collections,Prestige Arts / Art Trends,Two Canaries,Dillon Wells, Las Vegas,Kravet Inc,HStudio by Shlomi Haziza,LMS Design Group,PALECEK,Julian Chichester / Mr. Brown,Four Hands,LEFTBANK ART,Global Views,Studio A - A Global Views Company,Phil-lips Collection,ELEGANT LIGHTING INC,Allegri by Kalco,Kalco Lighting,Trans-Ocean Import Co.,Eastern Leg-ends, Inc.,Capel Rugs Inc.,Norwalk Furniture ,Stylus, Made to Order Sofas,Cyan Design,Elite Home The-atre Seating,Omnia,Ratana Home and Floral,Yosemite Home Decor,Pacifi c Coast Lighting,LA Rug Inc./Fun Rugs Inc.,Lite Source, Inc.,Port to Port Import/Export,Coast to Coast Imports,Canaan,Lumisource,SAMS International,Artists Guild of America,Company C Inc,Grander Images,Somerset Studios,Chicago Textile Corp,Howard Elliott Collection,Luminance,Accessories by Sherwood,Ashton Company (The),Worldly Goods Inc.,Stein World,Colorado Dallas, LLC,Fireside Lodge Furniture Co,Wooded River,Maxcera Corporation,Crys-tal Art Gallery,Fangio Lighting,StyleCraft Home Collection,Crestview Collection,NOVA Lighting,Diamond Star Glass,Privilege International,Noble House, Inc.,AF Lighting / Florida Lighting, Inc,Fine Art Tapes-tries,United Weavers of America,Art & Frame Mart,Zeugma Import,Dimond/Elk Group International,FOUR-BRO,Adagio Water Features,Wantech International/OK Lighting,The Light Garden,Imagination Mirrors, Inc,Allstate Floral & Craft, Inc,Ren-Wil Inc.,Robert Abbey,IMAX Worldwide Imports,Mercana Art Decor,-Dynamic Rugs,Cal Lighting and Accessories,Summit Lighting,Americana Clock Company,Rhythm Clock Company,Homeview Design,Rizzy Home,Pacifi c Connections,Trend Lighting Group,Viz Glass Inc,Central Oriental,Adesso Inc.,Import Collection, The,Jaunty Co., Inc.,Alpine Furniture,Cornett Enterprises, inc.,Sim-mons Bedding Company,Inada Massage Chairs,Jobri, LLC.,Mantua Mfg,Manuta Mfg. Co.,Heritage Brands, division of Intercon,Westwood Design,Intercon,Flexsteel Industries,LaCrosse Furniture Company,M. B. & G. Marketing,Comfort Solutions,Classic Flame,Comfort Industries, Inc.,Tresanti / ClassicFlame,A-Ameri-ca,Parker House Furniture,Homelegance,Bush Furniture Industries Inc.,Handy Living,Howard Miller Compa-ny,Hekman Furniture,winners only,Real Flame,Walker Edison Furniture Co.,Legends Furniture,Trendwood Inc.,Best Home Furnishings,Sandberg Furniture,Serta International,Lifestyle Solutions,Minhas Furniture House Ltd.,Linon Home Decor Products,,Magnussen Home Inc./Ltd.,Ekornes Inc.,4D Concepts,Ultra Com-fort America,Powell Company,Fairmont Designs,Guildcraft of California,Comfort Design,Klaussner Home Furnishings,Kinfi ne USA Inc,Dalyn Rug Corporation,AC Pacifi c Corporation,International Furniture Di-rect,Jofran Sales,Rug Factory Plus,New Classic Home Furnishings,Bedgear by Guard Master Inc.,Med-Lift & Mobility, Inc,Whalen Furniture/Golden Oak,American Furniture Alliance/Elite Products,Harden Manu-facturing,William’s Home Furnishing,Somerton Home Furnishings,New Pacifi c Direct,Holly & Martin,SEI/Southern Enterprises,US Furniture Inc,Ergomotion ,Natura World/Obusforme,Furniture Traditions, In-c,Butler Specialty Company,Bassett Furniture,Skyline Furniture Mfg.,HomeMax Imports - Bedding &,New World Trading,San Miguel Trading Company,Canadel Furniture Inc.,Sigla Furniture Corp.,Screen Gems Furniture,Acrylicore,Next Door Furniture,Ginky Sa De Cv,Mexport,MKL Mueblekipal,San Francisco Arts & Imports,Green Gables Furniture,Home Accents LLC,Groovystu� ,Artisan’s Gallery,Copper Instincts,Pal-adin Industries,Meva,Berry Creek Home Collection,Home Trends & Design Ltd.,Mason Maloof Designs, Inc.,AntlerWorx Inc.,Coast Lamp Mfg, Inc.,Dovetail Furniture and Designs,Rossetti, Inc.,Benetti’s Italia Inc.,Sunset West USA,Casa Bonita Trading,Ital Art Designs,Kas Rugs & Home,Directorate General of Na-tional Export Development DGNED, Ministry of Trade of Republic of Indonesia,Patiologic,Ace Bayou,GOK International Corp,Leslie Dame Enterprises LTD,Atlantic Inc,Royal Wine Cabinets,B S Trading Company Inc.,STOWFA,Xiamen Housemart Manufacture & Trade., Ltd.,Creative Concepts Group,Winsome Trading Inc.,Creative Images International,Chuzhou Vox Home Furnishing Products Co., Ltd.,Anhui Huayang Fur-niture Co.,LTD.,Movelsul Brasil,Jian Gian Industiries (M) SDN.BHD.,Timber Art Design Sdn.Bhd.,Lil Dreamer Furniture,Anji Qianghong Furniture Co., Ltd.,Bolton Furniture,Cannon Safe Inc,Borkholder Furniture,Tables And More,RUSTIC LOG FURNITURE,Dalin Enterprise,Silverado Home,Montana Woodworks, Inc.,UBM SI

atre Seating,Omnia,Ratana Home and Floral,Yosemite Home Decor,Pacifi c Coast Lighting,LA Rug Inc./Fun Rugs Inc.,Lite Source, Inc.,Port to Port Import/Export,Coast to Coast Imports,Canaan,Lumisource,SAMS International,Artists Guild of America,Company C Inc,Grander Images,Somerset Studios,Chicago Textile Corp,Howard Elliott Collection,Luminance,Accessories by Sherwood,Ashton Company (The),Worldly Goods Inc.,Stein World,Colorado Dallas, LLC,Fireside Lodge Furniture Co,Wooded River,Maxcera Corporation,Crys-tal Art Gallery,Fangio Lighting,StyleCraft Home Collection,Crestview Collection,NOVA Lighting,Diamond Star Glass,Privilege International,Noble House, Inc.,AF Lighting / Florida Lighting, Inc,Fine Art Tapes-tries,United Weavers of America,Art & Frame Mart,Zeugma Import,Dimond/Elk Group International,FOUR-BRO,Adagio Water Features,Wantech International/OK Lighting,The Light Garden,Imagination Mirrors, Inc,Allstate Floral & Craft, Inc,Ren-Wil Inc.,Robert Abbey,IMAX Worldwide Imports,Mercana Art Decor,-Dynamic Rugs,Cal Lighting and Accessories,Summit Lighting,Americana Clock Company,Rhythm Clock Company,Homeview Design,Rizzy Home,Pacifi c Connections,Trend Lighting Group,Viz Glass Inc,Central Oriental,Adesso Inc.,Import Collection, The,Jaunty Co., Inc.,Alpine Furniture,Cornett Enterprises, inc.,Sim-mons Bedding Company,Inada Massage Chairs,Jobri, LLC.,Mantua Mfg,Manuta Mfg. Co.,Heritage Brands, division of Intercon,Westwood Design,Intercon,Flexsteel Industries,LaCrosse Furniture Company,M. B. & G. Marketing,Comfort Solutions,Classic Flame,Comfort Industries, Inc.,Tresanti / ClassicFlame,A-Ameri-ca,Parker House Furniture,Homelegance,Bush Furniture Industries Inc.,Handy Living,Howard Miller Compa-ny,Hekman Furniture,winners only,Real Flame,Walker Edison Furniture Co.,Legends Furniture,Trendwood Inc.,Best Home Furnishings,Sandberg Furniture,Serta International,Lifestyle Solutions,Minhas Furniture House Ltd.,Linon Home Decor Products,,Magnussen Home Inc./Ltd.,Ekornes Inc.,4D Concepts,Ultra Com-fort America,Powell Company,Fairmont Designs,Guildcraft of California,Comfort Design,Klaussner Home Furnishings,Kinfi ne USA Inc,Dalyn Rug Corporation,AC Pacifi c Corporation,International Furniture Di-rect,Jofran Sales,Rug Factory Plus,New Classic Home Furnishings,Bedgear by Guard Master Inc.,Med-Lift & Mobility, Inc,Whalen Furniture/Golden Oak,American Furniture Alliance/Elite Products,Harden Manu-facturing,William’s Home Furnishing,Somerton Home Furnishings,New Pacifi c Direct,Holly & Martin,SEI/Southern Enterprises,US Furniture Inc,Ergomotion ,Natura World/Obusforme,Furniture Traditions, In-c,Butler Specialty Company,Bassett Furniture,Skyline Furniture Mfg.,HomeMax Imports - Bedding &,New World Trading,San Miguel Trading Company,Canadel Furniture Inc.,Sigla Furniture Corp.,Screen Gems Furniture,Acrylicore,Next Door Furniture,Ginky Sa De Cv,Mexport,MKL Mueblekipal,San Francisco Arts & Imports,Green Gables Furniture,Home Accents LLC,Groovystu� ,Artisan’s Gallery,Copper Instincts,Pal-adin Industries,Meva,Berry Creek Home Collection,Home Trends & Design Ltd.,Mason Maloof Designs, Inc.,AntlerWorx Inc.,Coast Lamp Mfg, Inc.,Dovetail Furniture and Designs,Rossetti, Inc.,Benetti’s Italia Inc.,Sunset West USA,Casa Bonita Trading,Ital Art Designs,Kas Rugs & Home,Directorate General of Na-tional Export Development DGNED, Ministry of Trade of Republic of Indonesia,Patiologic,Ace Bayou,GOK

Oriental,Adesso Inc.,Import Collection, The,Jaunty Co., Inc.,Alpine Furniture,Cornett Enterprises, inc.,Sim-mons Bedding Company,Inada Massage Chairs,Jobri, LLC.,Mantua Mfg,Manuta Mfg. Co.,Heritage Brands, division of Intercon,Westwood Design,Intercon,Flexsteel Industries,LaCrosse Furniture Company,M. B. & G. Marketing,Comfort Solutions,Classic Flame,Comfort Industries, Inc.,Tresanti / ClassicFlame,A-Ameri-ca,Parker House Furniture,Homelegance,Bush Furniture Industries Inc.,Handy Living,Howard Miller Compa-

atre Seating,Omnia,Ratana Home and Floral,Yosemite Home Decor,Pacifi c Coast Lighting,LA Rug Inc./Fun atre Seating,Omnia,Ratana Home and Floral,Yosemite Home Decor,Pacifi c Coast Lighting,LA Rug Inc./Fun Rugs Inc.,Lite Source, Inc.,Port to Port Import/Export,Coast to Coast Imports,Canaan,Lumisource,SAMS International,Artists Guild of America,Company C Inc,Grander Images,Somerset Studios,Chicago Textile Corp,Howard Elliott Collection,Luminance,Accessories by Sherwood,Ashton Company (The),Worldly Goods Inc.,Stein World,Colorado Dallas, LLC,Fireside Lodge Furniture Co,Wooded River,Maxcera Corporation,Crys-tal Art Gallery,Fangio Lighting,StyleCraft Home Collection,Crestview Collection,NOVA Lighting,Diamond

division of Intercon,Westwood Design,Intercon,Flexsteel Industries,LaCrosse Furniture Company,M. B. & G. Marketing,Comfort Solutions,Classic Flame,Comfort Industries, Inc.,Tresanti / ClassicFlame,A-Ameri-ca,Parker House Furniture,Homelegance,Bush Furniture Industries Inc.,Handy Living,Howard Miller Compa-ny,Hekman Furniture,winners only,Real Flame,Walker Edison Furniture Co.,Legends Furniture,Trendwood Inc.,Best Home Furnishings,Sandberg Furniture,Serta International,Lifestyle Solutions,Minhas Furniture House Ltd.,Linon Home Decor Products,,Magnussen Home Inc./Ltd.,Ekornes Inc.,4D Concepts,Ultra Com-fort America,Powell Company,Fairmont Designs,Guildcraft of California,Comfort Design,Klaussner Home Furnishings,Kinfi ne USA Inc,Dalyn Rug Corporation,AC Pacifi c Corporation,International Furniture Di-rect,Jofran Sales,Rug Factory Plus,New Classic Home Furnishings,Bedgear by Guard Master Inc.,Med-Lift & Mobility, Inc,Whalen Furniture/Golden Oak,American Furniture Alliance/Elite Products,Harden Manu-facturing,William’s Home Furnishing,Somerton Home Furnishings,New Pacifi c Direct,Holly & Martin,SEI/Southern Enterprises,US Furniture Inc,Ergomotion ,Natura World/Obusforme,Furniture Traditions, In-

Star Glass,Privilege International,Noble House, Inc.,AF Lighting / Florida Lighting, Inc,Fine Art Tapes-tries,United Weavers of America,Art & Frame Mart,Zeugma Import,Dimond/Elk Group International,FOUR-BRO,Adagio Water Features,Wantech International/OK Lighting,The Light Garden,Imagination Mirrors,


Star Glass,Privilege International,Noble House, Inc.,AF Lighting / Florida Lighting, Inc,Fine Art Tapes-tries,United Weavers of America,Art & Frame Mart,Zeugma Import,Dimond/Elk Group International,FOUR-BRO,Adagio Water Features,Wantech International/OK Lighting,The Light Garden,Imagination Mirrors, Inc,Allstate Floral & Craft, Inc,Ren-Wil Inc.,Robert Abbey,IMAX Worldwide Imports,Mercana Art Decor,-Dynamic Rugs,Cal Lighting and Accessories,Summit Lighting,Americana Clock Company,Rhythm Clock Company,Homeview Design,Rizzy Home,Pacifi c Connections,Trend Lighting Group,Viz Glass Inc,Central Oriental,Adesso Inc.,Import Collection, The,Jaunty Co., Inc.,Alpine Furniture,Cornett Enterprises, inc.,Sim-mons Bedding Company,Inada Massage Chairs,Jobri, LLC.,Mantua Mfg,Manuta Mfg. Co.,Heritage Brands, division of Intercon,Westwood Design,Intercon,Flexsteel Industries,LaCrosse Furniture Company,M. B. &

Company,Homeview Design,Rizzy Home,Pacifi c Connections,Trend Lighting Group,Viz Glass Inc,Central Oriental,Adesso Inc.,Import Collection, The,Jaunty Co., Inc.,Alpine Furniture,Cornett Enterprises, inc.,Sim-mons Bedding Company,Inada Massage Chairs,Jobri, LLC.,Mantua Mfg,Manuta Mfg. Co.,Heritage Brands,

Star Glass,Privilege International,Noble House, Inc.,AF Lighting / Florida Lighting, Inc,Fine Art Tapes-tries,United Weavers of America,Art & Frame Mart,Zeugma Import,Dimond/Elk Group International,FOUR-BRO,Adagio Water Features,Wantech International/OK Lighting,The Light Garden,Imagination Mirrors, Inc,Allstate Floral & Craft, Inc,Ren-Wil Inc.,Robert Abbey,IMAX Worldwide Imports,Mercana Art Decor,-Dynamic Rugs,Cal Lighting and Accessories,Summit Lighting,Americana Clock Company,Rhythm Clock Company,Homeview Design,Rizzy Home,Pacifi c Connections,Trend Lighting Group,Viz Glass Inc,Central

BRO,Adagio Water Features,Wantech International/OK Lighting,The Light Garden,Imagination Mirrors, Inc,Allstate Floral & Craft, Inc,Ren-Wil Inc.,Robert Abbey,IMAX Worldwide Imports,Mercana Art Decor,-BRO,Adagio Water Features,Wantech International/OK Lighting,The Light Garden,Imagination Mirrors, Inc,Allstate Floral & Craft, Inc,Ren-Wil Inc.,Robert Abbey,IMAX Worldwide Imports,Mercana Art Decor,-Dynamic Rugs,Cal Lighting and Accessories,Summit Lighting,Americana Clock Company,Rhythm Clock Company,Homeview Design,Rizzy Home,Pacifi c Connections,Trend Lighting Group,Viz Glass Inc,Central

division of Intercon,Westwood Design,Intercon,Flexsteel Industries,LaCrosse Furniture Company,M. B. & G. Marketing,Comfort Solutions,Classic Flame,Comfort Industries, Inc.,Tresanti / ClassicFlame,A-Ameri-ca,Parker House Furniture,Homelegance,Bush Furniture Industries Inc.,Handy Living,Howard Miller Compa-ny,Hekman Furniture,winners only,Real Flame,Walker Edison Furniture Co.,Legends Furniture,Trendwood Inc.,Best Home Furnishings,Sandberg Furniture,Serta International,Lifestyle Solutions,Minhas Furniture

tries,United Weavers of America,Art & Frame Mart,Zeugma Import,Dimond/Elk Group International,FOUR-BRO,Adagio Water Features,Wantech International/OK Lighting,The Light Garden,Imagination Mirrors, Inc,Allstate Floral & Craft, Inc,Ren-Wil Inc.,Robert Abbey,IMAX Worldwide Imports,Mercana Art Decor,-Dynamic Rugs,Cal Lighting and Accessories,Summit Lighting,Americana Clock Company,Rhythm Clock Company,Homeview Design,Rizzy Home,Pacifi c Connections,Trend Lighting Group,Viz Glass Inc,Central Oriental,Adesso Inc.,Import Collection, The,Jaunty Co., Inc.,Alpine Furniture,Cornett Enterprises, inc.,Sim-mons Bedding Company,Inada Massage Chairs,Jobri, LLC.,Mantua Mfg,Manuta Mfg. Co.,Heritage Brands, division of Intercon,Westwood Design,Intercon,Flexsteel Industries,LaCrosse Furniture Company,M. B. & G. Marketing,Comfort Solutions,Classic Flame,Comfort Industries, Inc.,Tresanti / ClassicFlame,A-Ameri-ca,Parker House Furniture,Homelegance,Bush Furniture Industries Inc.,Handy Living,Howard Miller Compa-ny,Hekman Furniture,winners only,Real Flame,Walker Edison Furniture Co.,Legends Furniture,Trendwood Inc.,Best Home Furnishings,Sandberg Furniture,Serta International,Lifestyle Solutions,Minhas Furniture House Ltd.,Linon Home Decor Products,,Magnussen Home Inc./Ltd.,Ekornes Inc.,4D Concepts,Ultra Com-fort America,Powell Company,Fairmont Designs,Guildcraft of California,Comfort Design,Klaussner Home Furnishings,Kinfi ne USA Inc,Dalyn Rug Corporation,AC Pacifi c Corporation,International Furniture Di-rect,Jofran Sales,Rug Factory Plus,New Classic Home Furnishings,Bedgear by Guard Master Inc.,Med-Lift & Mobility, Inc,Whalen Furniture/Golden Oak,American Furniture Alliance/Elite Products,Harden Manu-facturing,William’s Home Furnishing,Somerton Home Furnishings,New Pacifi c Direct,Holly & Martin,SEI/

BRO,Adagio Water Features,Wantech International/OK Lighting,The Light Garden,Imagination Mirrors, Inc,Allstate Floral & Craft, Inc,Ren-Wil Inc.,Robert Abbey,IMAX Worldwide Imports,Mercana Art Decor,-Dynamic Rugs,Cal Lighting and Accessories,Summit Lighting,Americana Clock Company,Rhythm Clock Company,Homeview Design,Rizzy Home,Pacifi c Connections,Trend Lighting Group,Viz Glass Inc,Central

tries,United Weavers of America,Art & Frame Mart,Zeugma Import,Dimond/Elk Group International,FOUR-BRO,Adagio Water Features,Wantech International/OK Lighting,The Light Garden,Imagination Mirrors,

Company,Homeview Design,Rizzy Home,Pacifi c Connections,Trend Lighting Group,Viz Glass Inc,Central Oriental,Adesso Inc.,Import Collection, The,Jaunty Co., Inc.,Alpine Furniture,Cornett Enterprises, inc.,Sim-


International,Artists Guild of America,Company C Inc,Grander Images,Somerset Studios,Chicago Textile Corp,Howard Elliott Collection,Luminance,Accessories by Sherwood,Ashton Company (The),Worldly Goods Inc.,Stein World,Colorado Dallas, LLC,Fireside Lodge Furniture Co,Wooded River,Maxcera Corporation,Crys-tal Art Gallery,Fangio Lighting,StyleCraft Home Collection,Crestview Collection,NOVA Lighting,Diamond

mons Bedding Company,Inada Massage Chairs,Jobri, LLC.,Mantua Mfg,Manuta Mfg. Co.,Heritage Brands, division of Intercon,Westwood Design,Intercon,Flexsteel Industries,LaCrosse Furniture Company,M. B. & G. Marketing,Comfort Solutions,Classic Flame,Comfort Industries, Inc.,Tresanti / ClassicFlame,A-Ameri-ca,Parker House Furniture,Homelegance,Bush Furniture Industries Inc.,Handy Living,Howard Miller Compa-ny,Hekman Furniture,winners only,Real Flame,Walker Edison Furniture Co.,Legends Furniture,Trendwood Inc.,Best Home Furnishings,Sandberg Furniture,Serta International,Lifestyle Solutions,Minhas Furniture House Ltd.,Linon Home Decor Products,,Magnussen Home Inc./Ltd.,Ekornes Inc.,4D Concepts,Ultra Com-fort America,Powell Company,Fairmont Designs,Guildcraft of California,Comfort Design,Klaussner Home Furnishings,Kinfi ne USA Inc,Dalyn Rug Corporation,AC Pacifi c Corporation,International Furniture Di-rect,Jofran Sales,Rug Factory Plus,New Classic Home Furnishings,Bedgear by Guard Master Inc.,Med-Lift & Mobility, Inc,Whalen Furniture/Golden Oak,American Furniture Alliance/Elite Products,Harden Manu-facturing,William’s Home Furnishing,Somerton Home Furnishings,New Pacifi c Direct,Holly & Martin,SEI/Southern Enterprises,US Furniture Inc,Ergomotion ,Natura World/Obusforme,Furniture Traditions, In-c,Butler Specialty Company,Bassett Furniture,Skyline Furniture Mfg.,HomeMax Imports - Bedding &,New World Trading,San Miguel Trading Company,Canadel Furniture Inc.,Sigla Furniture Corp.,Screen Gems Furniture,Acrylicore,Next Door Furniture,Ginky Sa De Cv,Mexport,MKL Mueblekipal,San Francisco Arts & Imports,Green Gables Furniture,Home Accents LLC,Groovystu� ,Artisan’s Gallery,Copper Instincts,Pal-adin Industries,Meva,Berry Creek Home Collection,Home Trends & Design Ltd.,Mason Maloof Designs,


Company,Homeview Design,Rizzy Home,Pacifi c Connections,Trend Lighting Group,Viz Glass Inc,Central Oriental,Adesso Inc.,Import Collection, The,Jaunty Co., Inc.,Alpine Furniture,Cornett Enterprises, inc.,Sim-mons Bedding Company,Inada Massage Chairs,Jobri, LLC.,Mantua Mfg,Manuta Mfg. Co.,Heritage Brands, division of Intercon,Westwood Design,Intercon,Flexsteel Industries,LaCrosse Furniture Company,M. B. &


ca,Parker House Furniture,Homelegance,Bush Furniture Industries Inc.,Handy Living,Howard Miller Compa-ny,Hekman Furniture,winners only,Real Flame,Walker Edison Furniture Co.,Legends Furniture,Trendwood Inc.,Best Home Furnishings,Sandberg Furniture,Serta International,Lifestyle Solutions,Minhas Furniture House Ltd.,Linon Home Decor Products,,Magnussen Home Inc./Ltd.,Ekornes Inc.,4D Concepts,Ultra Com-fort America,Powell Company,Fairmont Designs,Guildcraft of California,Comfort Design,Klaussner Home Furnishings,Kinfi ne USA Inc,Dalyn Rug Corporation,AC Pacifi c Corporation,International Furniture Di-rect,Jofran Sales,Rug Factory Plus,New Classic Home Furnishings,Bedgear by Guard Master Inc.,Med-Lift & Mobility, Inc,Whalen Furniture/Golden Oak,American Furniture Alliance/Elite Products,Harden Manu-facturing,William’s Home Furnishing,Somerton Home Furnishings,New Pacifi c Direct,Holly & Martin,SEI/

International,Artists Guild of America,Company C Inc,Grander Images,Somerset Studios,Chicago Textile Corp,Howard Elliott Collection,Luminance,Accessories by Sherwood,Ashton Company (The),Worldly Goods Inc.,Stein World,Colorado Dallas, LLC,Fireside Lodge Furniture Co,Wooded River,Maxcera Corporation,Crys-tal Art Gallery,Fangio Lighting,StyleCraft Home Collection,Crestview Collection,NOVA Lighting,Diamond

G. Marketing,Comfort Solutions,Classic Flame,Comfort Industries, Inc.,Tresanti / ClassicFlame,A-Ameri-ca,Parker House Furniture,Homelegance,Bush Furniture Industries Inc.,Handy Living,Howard Miller Compa-

International,Artists Guild of America,Company C Inc,Grander Images,Somerset Studios,Chicago Textile Corp,Howard Elliott Collection,Luminance,Accessories by Sherwood,Ashton Company (The),Worldly Goods Inc.,Stein World,Colorado Dallas, LLC,Fireside Lodge Furniture Co,Wooded River,Maxcera Corporation,Crys-tal Art Gallery,Fangio Lighting,StyleCraft Home Collection,Crestview Collection,NOVA Lighting,Diamond Star Glass,Privilege International,Noble House, Inc.,AF Lighting / Florida Lighting, Inc,Fine Art Tapes-tries,United Weavers of America,Art & Frame Mart,Zeugma Import,Dimond/Elk Group International,FOUR-BRO,Adagio Water Features,Wantech International/OK Lighting,The Light Garden,Imagination Mirrors,

Company,Homeview Design,Rizzy Home,Pacifi c Connections,Trend Lighting Group,Viz Glass Inc,Central Oriental,Adesso Inc.,Import Collection, The,Jaunty Co., Inc.,Alpine Furniture,Cornett Enterprises, inc.,Sim-mons Bedding Company,Inada Massage Chairs,Jobri, LLC.,Mantua Mfg,Manuta Mfg. Co.,Heritage Brands, division of Intercon,Westwood Design,Intercon,Flexsteel Industries,LaCrosse Furniture Company,M. B. & G. Marketing,Comfort Solutions,Classic Flame,Comfort Industries, Inc.,Tresanti / ClassicFlame,A-Ameri-

Company,Homeview Design,Rizzy Home,Pacifi c Connections,Trend Lighting Group,Viz Glass Inc,Central Oriental,Adesso Inc.,Import Collection, The,Jaunty Co., Inc.,Alpine Furniture,Cornett Enterprises, inc.,Sim-mons Bedding Company,Inada Massage Chairs,Jobri, LLC.,Mantua Mfg,Manuta Mfg. Co.,Heritage Brands, division of Intercon,Westwood Design,Intercon,Flexsteel Industries,LaCrosse Furniture Company,M. B. &

Star Glass,Privilege International,Noble House, Inc.,AF Lighting / Florida Lighting, Inc,Fine Art Tapes-tries,United Weavers of America,Art & Frame Mart,Zeugma Import,Dimond/Elk Group International,FOUR-BRO,Adagio Water Features,Wantech International/OK Lighting,The Light Garden,Imagination Mirrors, Inc,Allstate Floral & Craft, Inc,Ren-Wil Inc.,Robert Abbey,IMAX Worldwide Imports,Mercana Art Decor,-Dynamic Rugs,Cal Lighting and Accessories,Summit Lighting,Americana Clock Company,Rhythm Clock Company,Homeview Design,Rizzy Home,Pacifi c Connections,Trend Lighting Group,Viz Glass Inc,Central

division of Intercon,Westwood Design,Intercon,Flexsteel Industries,LaCrosse Furniture Company,M. B. & G. Marketing,Comfort Solutions,Classic Flame,Comfort Industries, Inc.,Tresanti / ClassicFlame,A-Ameri-ca,Parker House Furniture,Homelegance,Bush Furniture Industries Inc.,Handy Living,Howard Miller Compa-


Company,Homeview Design,Rizzy Home,Pacifi c Connections,Trend Lighting Group,Viz Glass Inc,Central Oriental,Adesso Inc.,Import Collection, The,Jaunty Co., Inc.,Alpine Furniture,Cornett Enterprises, inc.,Sim-mons Bedding Company,Inada Massage Chairs,Jobri, LLC.,Mantua Mfg,Manuta Mfg. Co.,Heritage Brands, division of Intercon,Westwood Design,Intercon,Flexsteel Industries,LaCrosse Furniture Company,M. B. & G. Marketing,Comfort Solutions,Classic Flame,Comfort Industries, Inc.,Tresanti / ClassicFlame,A-Ameri-

Inc,Allstate Floral & Craft, Inc,Ren-Wil Inc.,Robert Abbey,IMAX Worldwide Imports,Mercana Art Decor,-Dynamic Rugs,Cal Lighting and Accessories,Summit Lighting,Americana Clock Company,Rhythm Clock Company,Homeview Design,Rizzy Home,Pacifi c Connections,Trend Lighting Group,Viz Glass Inc,Central

ca,Parker House Furniture,Homelegance,Bush Furniture Industries Inc.,Handy Living,Howard Miller Compa-ny,Hekman Furniture,winners only,Real Flame,Walker Edison Furniture Co.,Legends Furniture,Trendwood Inc.,Best Home Furnishings,Sandberg Furniture,Serta International,Lifestyle Solutions,Minhas Furniture House Ltd.,Linon Home Decor Products,,Magnussen Home Inc./Ltd.,Ekornes Inc.,4D Concepts,Ultra Com-fort America,Powell Company,Fairmont Designs,Guildcraft of California,Comfort Design,Klaussner Home

Inc.,Best Home Furnishings,Sandberg Furniture,Serta International,Lifestyle Solutions,Minhas Furniture House Ltd.,Linon Home Decor Products,,Magnussen Home Inc./Ltd.,Ekornes Inc.,4D Concepts,Ultra Com-fort America,Powell Company,Fairmont Designs,Guildcraft of California,Comfort Design,Klaussner Home

ca,Parker House Furniture,Homelegance,Bush Furniture Industries Inc.,Handy Living,Howard Miller Compa-ny,Hekman Furniture,winners only,Real Flame,Walker Edison Furniture Co.,Legends Furniture,Trendwood Inc.,Best Home Furnishings,Sandberg Furniture,Serta International,Lifestyle Solutions,Minhas Furniture

ca,Parker House Furniture,Homelegance,Bush Furniture Industries Inc.,Handy Living,Howard Miller Compa-ny,Hekman Furniture,winners only,Real Flame,Walker Edison Furniture Co.,Legends Furniture,Trendwood Inc.,Best Home Furnishings,Sandberg Furniture,Serta International,Lifestyle Solutions,Minhas Furniture

G. Marketing,Comfort Solutions,Classic Flame,Comfort Industries, Inc.,Tresanti / ClassicFlame,A-Ameri-ca,Parker House Furniture,Homelegance,Bush Furniture Industries Inc.,Handy Living,Howard Miller Compa-

Company,Homeview Design,Rizzy Home,Pacifi c Connections,Trend Lighting Group,Viz Glass Inc,Central Oriental,Adesso Inc.,Import Collection, The,Jaunty Co., Inc.,Alpine Furniture,Cornett Enterprises, inc.,Sim-mons Bedding Company,Inada Massage Chairs,Jobri, LLC.,Mantua Mfg,Manuta Mfg. Co.,Heritage Brands, division of Intercon,Westwood Design,Intercon,Flexsteel Industries,LaCrosse Furniture Company,M. B. & G. Marketing,Comfort Solutions,Classic Flame,Comfort Industries, Inc.,Tresanti / ClassicFlame,A-Ameri-ca,Parker House Furniture,Homelegance,Bush Furniture Industries Inc.,Handy Living,Howard Miller Compa-



Furniture,Twin-Star Intl.,Mac Motion Chairs,Lane Home Furnishings,Vitra Furniture, Inc.,Broyhill Furniture Industries Inc,Marshfi eld Furniture,Stanley Furniture,Veneman Collections,Prestige Arts / Art Trends,Two Canaries,Dillon Wells, Las Vegas,Kravet Inc,HStudio by Shlomi Haziza,LMS Design Group,PALECEK,Julian Chichester / Mr. Brown,Four Hands,LEFTBANK ART,Global Views,Studio A - A Global Views Company,Phil-lips Collection,ELEGANT LIGHTING INC,Allegri by Kalco,Kalco Lighting,Trans-Ocean Import Co.,Eastern Leg-ends, Inc.,Capel Rugs Inc.,Norwalk Furniture ,Stylus, Made to Order Sofas,Cyan Design,Elite Home The-atre Seating,Omnia,Ratana Home and Floral,Yosemite Home Decor,Pacifi c Coast Lighting,LA Rug Inc./Fun Rugs Inc.,Lite Source, Inc.,Port to Port Import/Export,Coast to Coast Imports,Canaan,Lumisource,SAMS atre Seating,Omnia,Ratana Home and Floral,Yosemite Home Decor,Pacifi c Coast Lighting,LA Rug Inc./Fun Rugs Inc.,Lite Source, Inc.,Port to Port Import/Export,Coast to Coast Imports,Canaan,Lumisource,SAMS atre Seating,Omnia,Ratana Home and Floral,Yosemite Home Decor,Pacifi c Coast Lighting,LA Rug Inc./Fun atre Seating,Omnia,Ratana Home and Floral,Yosemite Home Decor,Pacifi c Coast Lighting,LA Rug Inc./Fun Rugs Inc.,Lite Source, Inc.,Port to Port Import/Export,Coast to Coast Imports,Canaan,Lumisource,SAMS

Furniture | Home Décor | Gift

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Las Vegas MarketJuly 29 - August 2, 2013

*Added since Winter 2012

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8 J U LY | 2 0 1 3 www.retailerNOWmag.com www.retailerNOWmag.com J U LY | 2 0 1 3 9

Email from our Readers

I just read through your magazine for the first time and got more ideas from it than any other magazine I read about the furniture industry. Thanks for sending it.

Ric Fiegel, Mckinstry's Home Furnishings, Beaver Dam, Wisconsin

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TechNOW Are you using any exciting new tech sites?

Let us know at [email protected]!

All set up on Facebook? How about trying Google+ next? The social networking site is closely integrated with the Google Knowledge Graph, which produces an overview of your store’s profile right on the Google search results—including an option to follow your page. Your store will have more visibility and, since the knowledge graph pulls recent posts from your Google+ home page, it could provide an opportunity for more sale and promotion traction.

Duolingo (free) iOS & AndroidIf you’re in a multilingual area, or

just want to expand your language horizons, Duolingo is the app to get. The game-based learning system uses pictures, sounds and text to

help you learn a new language on the go. And the best part? It’s completely free with no ads.

Good to KnowIs your store a little behind on the technology curve? That’s okay—for now. A recent study by the Urban Land Institute revealed these statistics about Generation Y’s techno-shopping habits. Fifty percent of men and 70 percent of women surveyed

consider shopping a form of entertainment and something to share with friends and family.

More than half the survey participants visit a retail store at least once a month.

Although much of Generation Y uses the internet to research products and compare prices, the overall majority still purchases items at brick and mortar stores.

But don’t wait too long to catch up to the tech trend. The study also found that 91 percent of participants bought a product online in the last six months.

Have you connected with RetailerNOW? Like, Tweet or Pin with us and you’ll be able to experience more content and continue the conversations online!Like: www.facebook.com/RetailerNOW Tweet: @RetailerNOW Pin: www.pinterest.com/RetailerNOWWhat technology are you using in your store? Let us know at [email protected]!

Connect With UsBiznessApps.comHere is a website that makes it super easy for companies to make mobile apps for their business. Most customers are now shopping on their phones. Be there to greet them with a mobile app from BiznessApps.com. Pick from a template, insert your company information, and voilà—your very own mobile presence!

Cool App Maker


Roving Reporter

Your Voice

TIM TIMMONS

Home Furnishings Industry Conference, New Orleans, La.

Get the app to follow our Roving Reporters’ journeys or visit online at www.retailerNOWmag.com.

Let me start off by inviting you all to next year's Home Furnishings Industry Conference, June 1-3, 2014, at the Sheraton Wild Horse

Pass in Chandler, Arizona, because if it's anything like the one we just had in New Orleans, you won’t want to miss it! Those of you that attended this year’s HFIC know what I’m talking about. There was no mistaking the energy in the air. Am I right?

Rich conference content, in addition to the three-association merger that created the North American Home Furnishings Association (your conference host), all created the most positive, invigorating conference experience for staff and attendees alike.

As part of the NAHFA team, I had the unique per-spective of being able to watch industry professionals move through conference with a renewed purpose and vision for their personal and collective futures.

This conference had something for everyone (sounds cliché, but its true). For example, if you are one of those people who starts their day at the crack of dawn, you had an early-riser session waiting for you. Bing Sherwood of Koerner Furniture in Indiana commented, “Hey, I paid to be here and with early-riser sessions, there’s no way I’m hitting the snooze alarm.” That logic seemed to pay off as Bing continued: “Margi Kyle’s early session about difficult clients answered a ton of the questions I had.”

“Learn. Mix. Mingle. Grow.” That was the very fit-ting message at this year’s HFIC. Aside from the engaging and entertaining Doug Keeley who served as our Master of Ceremonies; the inspirational opening session speaker Jim Knight, former head of global training at Hard Rock; the 24 thought provoking and business enhancing learning labs and workshops; the more than 40 showcase exhibi-tors; and dynamic closing speaker Kelly McDonald, who showed attendees how to deliver an exceptional customer experience, I also observed peer-to-peer networking at its finest.

I was fortunate enough to have dinner in the French Quarter with Gordy Wallenstein, president of Furniture Outlets USA in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and Casey Evans of Pedigo Furniture in Livingston, Texas. Even though Casey is the third generation running a single store her grandparents began and Gordy is among the top 100 furniture retailers with 32 stores in the upper Midwest, they shared com-mon stories and picked each other’s brains during our conversation.

Gordy has been coming to conferences for many years, but Casey admitted she had never heard of it before the association she belonged to, the Home Furnishings Independents Association (HFIA), merged with NHFA and WHFA. “As soon as I heard there was a conference specifically for furniture re-tailers, I knew I had to go,” she told me.

I caught up with Casey toward the end of the con-ference to see what she thought of her experience. Her face lit up as she spoke. “I met some amazing people over the past few days and feel indebted to Mary Frye [EVP of NAHFA] forever and a day for opening the door for me into this incredible world.

Casey also noted that in addition to the myriad of beneficial takeaways, there were also many intangi-bles. “Friendships were forged that will last a lifetime. That’s how great of an impact this conference made on me. Believe me, I’ll be back!”

There’s something about industry people gathering in one place that seems to generate an instant ca-maraderie that warms the soul and sparks organic discussions for growth. And when it’s all over you kind of hate to see it end, but then there’s that cheerful refrain of promise passing through every attendees lips: “See you next year!”

My time at the conference was an over-the-top first-time experience.

High Point Team Leader/Creative Development for NAHFA

There are only three ways to increase net profit: increase sales, increase gross margin, and reduce expenses. One area of your business has the potential to help or hurt your profitability in all three ways – your inventory. If you do a better job of managing your inventory, you will increase sales, increase margins, and reduce expenses. Conversely, if you do not manage your inventory, it hurts all three.

Having a defined plan is the only way to ensure success in achieving these goals. RETAILvantage is the only software for the home goods industry that focuses on the 5 SMART Steps to improve your bottom line profitability. Our 5 SMART Steps program, proven to be effective at increasing profitability for so many clients, is really quite simple.

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PROFITsystems has changed the way we do business at our store, increased our profits, and made us better store managers. They’ve helped us learn the latest and greatest techniques for running our store. Now, we enjoy our store and make more money at the same time.” Beckey & Kent Waldrop Miller Waldrop Furniture Hobbs, NM

PROFITsystems has not only changed the way that we do business, it has taught us how to achieve long term profitability by having the right systems in place. We have continued to grow our volume and GMROI, and our bottom line profit has more than doubled with the help of the incredible PROFITsystems family. We would recommend PROFITsystems to anyone who wants to continually grow their business and have fun at the same time.” Chris Ehgoetz & Carrie Molitor Michael Alan Furniture Lake Havasu City, AZ

“ PROFITsystems completely understands our business and is so in tune with the home furnishings industry that they are able to help us on a day-to-day basis. We are on target and are focused. I wish we would have done this sooner.” Dianne Ray Garden City Furniture Garden City Beach, SC

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Using RETAILvantage, we learned to manage our inventory and our profitability has improved substantially. We are able to stay ahead of our competition.”

Chuck McMillan McMillan’s Furniture, Inc. Yale, MI

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Appreciation. What a great word. The idea that a real estate investment can grow in value is a beautiful concept. Make the right purchase at the right opportunity and you can have instant equity. Nurture it over time and

it continues to grow in value. Appreciation is a basic, fundamental concept that leads to long-term success within the real estate market. It intrigues me how this fundamental principle, embraced when dealing with property, is often overlooked and underutilized when it comes to working with people. Leaders who add value to their employees through genuine praise and appreciation are securing their own long-term growth and success.

Over the last year, 65 percent of Americans received no praise or appreciation in the workplace, a Gallup poll reported. Yet, the U.S. Department of Labor notes the number-one reason people leave organizations is because they don’t feel appreciated. Another Gallup study of nearly 5 million employees reveals that increased occur-rences of recognition and praise in the workplace can lead to lower turnover, higher customer satisfaction scores and increased productivity.

Bob Nelson, author of 1,001 Ways to Reward Employees, conducted a survey of 1,500 employees. He wanted to know in these tight, stressful, changing times what rec-ognition items were most important to corporate work-ers. Three out of the top ten responses had to do with praise (verbal, public or written). Here’s how Mr. Nelson explains it:

Although you can thank someone in 10 to 15 seconds, most employees report that they are never thanked for the job they do where they work—and especially by their managers. Systematically, start to thank your employees when they do good work, whether it’s one-on-one in per-son, in the hallway, in a group meeting, on voice mail, in a written thank-you note, in an email or at the end of each day at work.

You might be wondering where money ranked in this survey. A cash reward ranked fifteenth. There you have it. When it comes to demonstrating how valuable someone is, genuine praise and appreciation is more important than cash. I guess the saying that cash is king (or queen) isn’t necessarily true. There’s something about receiving a sincere word of praise or a handwritten note of apprecia-tion that is more sustaining to our human soul than a gift card to a local restaurant.

The Power of AppreciationMARY KAY ASH FOUNDER Mary Kay Cosmetics, Inc.

There are two things people want more than sex and money: recognition and praise.

By Rich Schlentz It’s Cheaper Than You Think



It’s easy to provide praise and appreciation to those in your business with a high-profile role. Perhaps salespeople and store managers, who have direct customer contact and rev-enue impact, get your attention more easily. How about your behind-the-scenes employees like the warehouse manager, ac-counting or showroom planners? Are you investing the time and attention required to keep them engaged and productive for your business? They might be getting lost somewhere near the bottom of your to-do list. In reality, it doesn’t take much time or money to provide all your employees with the power of praise and appreciation. In the long run, genuine appreciation can generate your strongest ROI when it comes to employee commitment, loyalty and effort.

Several years back, I was in the health and wellness business. We were building a new family wellness center, complete with a nutritionally-focused restaurant/bistro. We wanted a registered dietitian to help get our food service off the ground and we were lucky to find Nikki to fill that role.

Nikki worked hard. I watched her hire the food service staff, open the bistro, close it down, make sandwiches, order food and take the trash out to the dumpster late at night. Before leaving for the evening, I would often leave Nikki a voicemail. I’d tell her how much I appreciated her commitment and dedication to our organization and particularly the bistro. I mentioned how I had observed her taking out the trash or spending the extra time required to properly train her staff.

After some time, Nikki received a professional offer she couldn’t refuse. She wisely said yes. The morning after her going-away party, I was checking voice mails and noticed that one was from Nikki. When I heard her voice, I immediately thought, Uh oh! She left this message on her way out…after her final day. This is her chance to let me have it. I quickly imag-ined what I might be getting ready to hear: “Rich, here’s some final advice. Pay your people more… Provide better benefits for the staff… You expect people to work too hard…” On and on she could have gone.

Bracing myself for potential criticism, this is what I heard. “Rich, before I go, I want to give you some advice. Don’t ever stop the encouraging voicemails. They mean the world

to all of us who have received them. Please keep them going after I’m gone. Good luck!” Wow. At that very moment the power of praise and appreciation was made crystal clear to me. It hadn’t cost me a dime—yet it left a lasting mark on the people I led.

Here is a template you can apply to effectively provide mean-ingful praise and appreciation:

Tell the individual what quality or personality trait you admire in them.

Cite the evidence or specific situation where you observed this trait.

Finish by saying, “I wanted to let you know that I really admire this about you.”

Allow a moment for their “Thank you.” Shut up. This is critical. Don’t ruin the moment.

When you’re done—be done.

Here’s an example:Mary, I really admire your ability to listen patiently with our customers. You demonstrated this when dealing with the irate gentleman yesterday. I noticed how you allowed him to talk through his experience until he began to feel better. Your idea for a solution was perfect. He even left happy after interacting with you. I admire these traits in you and your commitment to making our team better.

Although you can provide the power of praise and recogni-tion for someone in less than a minute and it’s virtually free, most employees rarely receive this gift from the owner/man-ager. Begin to provide this feedback to all your employees when they do good work. Predetermine each day to find and recognize something good in others—especially those who work behind the scenes. By taking the time to say you noticed and appreciate their efforts, those efforts—and the results they engender—will continue. Your business will reap the rewards.

Rich Schlentz is the founder and Chief Enthusiasm Officer of EXTRAordinary! Inc., a movement dedicated to reviving the global workplace one culture at a time. Visit him on the web at www.extraordinaryinc.com. Rich recently published his first book, "Your Employees Have Quit—They Just Haven’t Left."

The Power of Appreciation



Do you have a FABULOUS showroom? We want to see it!

RetailerNOW is looking for before and after images of showrooms that underwent makeovers. Send photos of your spectacular spaces by July 22 to [email protected] for your chance to be in an upcoming issue!

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about the best showrooms in the country!

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By Brad Huisken

So your staff doesn’t seem motivated. They aren’t doing it. You don’t see them prospecting, making phone calls, enthusiastically helping customers, setting

in-home appointments nor sketching the home and they generally aren’t doing much of anything to create sales. It’s like they just sit back and wait for customers to come in and then they give them a half-hearted presentation. What can you do?

I will go to the grave believing, in general, people are good. I don’t believe anyone ever takes a job wanting to fail. Most salespeople want to do a great job, create tons of sales and profits, earn substantial commissions and be the professional your customers expect, that you hired them to be and that they wanted to be. Far too often, we hire someone motivated to do a great job, and though they leave the starting gate with a ton of enthusiasm, they eventually fall into a stereo-typical salesperson’s sea of mediocrity. On the other hand, we have seasoned veterans who were once top producers and are now cruising along at half speed. I find the number-one thing people want out of their jobs is the ability to be and feel successful. But the number-one complaint I hear from salespeople is that they don’t feel appreciated, or there is not enough positive feedback or praise for a job well done.

There are basically 10 issues that cause salespeople to lose their motivation or make them seem unmotivated to do a great job—all of which are easy to correct by management.

The rules, policies, procedures or standards have not been justified to them. Too often, management tells people what to do, but not why they must do it. This can be solved by simple explanation, like discussing how add-on sales can dramatically increase profits for the store, and that add-on sales can and will substantially increase personal commissions.

They have not been given the necessary knowledge or skills to complete certain jobs or tasks. How often can a salesperson hear a customer say “I’m just looking” or “I’ll be back” without knowing the proper way to handle these two common occurrences? At every seminar I do, I ask how many participants offer a formal sales training program to educate their staff. Rarely more than 5 to 10 percent of the group have one. There is no such thing as a born salesperson. Sales professionals are educated and trained.

There are factors preventing them from doing their job completely. I refer to these as quality-of-life issues. Let’s say, for example, you have a salesperson whose son or daughter



the salesperson’s sea of mediocrity

is going to be Happy the Snowman in the school Christmas play. That is a busy time and you can’t let him or her see their child in the show. They will seem unmotivated. Be compas-sionate with quality-of-life issues.

The salesperson is not rewarded based on his or her productivity. Every company should have some form of productivity-based pay and incentives. If you pay commis-sion, over time it simply becomes a form of pay. People will reach their comfort zone and stop being motivated. You need added incentives to keep them going. If you want to make changes in your organization, three things have to happen: policy, training and incentives. Make it a policy that this has to be done, train them on how to do it and then reward them for doing it. Salespeople are always wondering what’s in it for them.

The salesperson does not have a goal that he or she is working to achieve. People need goals. Human beings can accomplish some incredible things if they have a goal and are determined to achieve it. This goes back to what I mentioned in the previous paragraph. Anything that is measurable, thus “incenti-viable,” should have a goal set for salespeople to work towards.

The sales manager does not provide positive reinforce-ment. As earlier stated, one of the most frequent comments I receive from salespeople is that they don’t feel appreciated. I believe the formula should be 10 to 1 positive to negative comments. Look for things your staff is doing right, praise them for it and then the negative will be better accepted and more than likely changed.

The sales manager resorts to fear, intimidation and be-littling the salesperson. The days of managing like this are long gone. If you want a staff of adults, then treat them like adults. I find that once managers eliminate comments based on opinions and only focus on fact-based statistics, the job of coaching and managing becomes easy. Saying something based on an opinion will only cause your people to dislike or disrespect a manager. Manage based on statistics and coach on the actions that produced the result, not the result itself, and you will have a staff of adults.

The sales manager does not provide fair discipline and praise. Create a fair and equitable environment for everyone. If a top producer is violating a policy, they should be dealt with just as a lower producer would be. The policy is the policy and no one, including management, should be allowed to violate it. Equal discipline and equal praise across the board will produce a cohesive team that works and produces together.

The sales manager does not give adequate time to the salesperson. I can’t tell you how often I hear salespeople complain about the lack of communication within an organization. When was the last time you spent any time talking to your salespeople, individually? Open the channels of communication. I suggest three forms.

A weekly sit-down with documented one-on-one conversation for each staff member. Talk about goals, productivity, performance, sales-creation and adhering to non-negotiable standards. Give praise and constructive criticism.

A weekly staff training meeting. Spend 30 to 40 minutes every week talking about the four areas where people need training: sales techniques, product knowledge, operations and customer service.

A morning huddle. Fifteen minutes before the store opens, gather everyone that works under the roof and highlight what is happening that day. Review the previous day and recognize top performers. Get everyone focused and ready to do business right before opening.

The sales manager does not make the job fun. If your staff doesn’t wake up every morning enthused and excited to go to work at your furniture store, then you have a problem. Productivity equals morale and morale equals productivity. I can tell a happy place from one where the staff is simply existing. Create a fun and happy place to work. Games, contests, goals, statistics, recognition, praise and positive reinforcement all make the job enjoyable. Selling furniture should be a fun experience. After all, you are helping people design and furnish the place where they are raising their families, where they live and where they entertain. If the salespeople are having fun, the customers will have fun, and sales can’t help but increase.

If you have done all the right things to enable your salesper-son to be successful and thus motivated them to complete the job yet he or she still lacks the drive, they should be replaced.

Create an environment of personal growth and development within your organization, where people want to excel and do a good job, and you can’t help but be successful. So many furniture stores produce a mediocre experience for the staff and their customers, it is a wonder they are still in business. Set the tone and culture for your organization and provide a WOW experience and the store will excel.

Author, trainer, consultant and speaker Brad Huisken is President of IAS Training. For more information, contact IAS Training at (800) 248-7703, email [email protected], fax (303) 936-9581 or visit www.iastraining.com.



YOUR TEAM TO SUCCESS

By Rich Kizer & Georganne Bender

popular motivational technique involves an annual dinner to honor employees. At the dinner, top performers are seated at a head table and treated to a steak and lobster dinner, served on fine china, with a side of expensive champagne. Lesser performers,

relegated to the back of the room, are served beans and franks on paper plates. With plastic sporks. The not-so-subtle lesson: If you want to sit with the winners, you’ve got to be a winner, loser.

PRAISINGEmployee Appreciation


Lame, right? And dangerous. We met a sales-person who attended one of these dinners. “The whole thing backfired,” he said. “Those of us at the ‘bean table’ were so demoralized I don’t think the company ever recovered. I wasn’t the top performer that year, but I wasn’t a slouch either. I began looking for a new job the very next day because I didn’t want to work for a company that treated its people that way.”

How your associates treat customers is a direct reflection on how well they are treated by you. Yet, a Gallup poll found the number-one reason most Americans leave their job is because they do not feel appreciated; 65 percent of the people polled said they received no recognition for good work last year. That’s just crazy. You want to grow your business? You need to get your team on board.

Isolation Creates Dysfunction

In our presentations, we have a go-to saying: Isolation creates dysfunction. Left alone, many asso-ciates flounder, and some even feel like you don’t care. Your goal is to make associates feel like they own the place; to do that you need to get their help and their input.

We have a good friend, a top hospital executive, who is famous for a program he calls “Walking and Talking at 2:00 a.m.” When every other executive was in bed asleep, he could be found wheeling a cart loaded with cookies and apples through the halls of the hospital, talking with as-sociates about how things are going, along with asking for input on how to make their jobs and the hospital better. Because of his willingness to walk in their shoes, the associates trusted him and were open with their questions, concerns and ideas. “Walking and Talking at 2:00 a.m.” showed them they really mattered.

Okay, so what’s the point? We know if you walked around your store at 2:00 a.m., you’d have no

one to talk to except the furniture, but why can’t you “Walk and Talk” at 2:00 in the afternoon or 8:00 at night?

Training is Critical

Training matters. Just ask Larry Miller, CEO of Sit ‘n Sleep, a California-based chain of stores he founded as a single location with his father in 1980. Since then the chain has grown to more than 30 stores that Larry now runs with his business part-ner, Nelson Bercier.

According to Larry, training is the cornerstone of the business: “Associates can’t help customers if they don’t know what they’re doing. Putting them on the sales floor without the right tools is like throwing them to the wolves.” Tiffany Packman, Sit ‘n Sleep’s VP of Human Resources, agrees.

“We’re willing to hire people with zero experience,” she says. “We look for good people who communi-cate well and have a good attitude. We need team members who will stay with us from entry-level to management.”

Sit ‘n Sleep has one of the most complete training programs we’ve ever come across in an independent retailer. It’s completely focused on teaching associ-ates the skillset they need to succeed. “We always hire two or more associates at a time,” Larry told us. “We want them to have a buddy to learn with. It’s an easier transition from training to the sales floor when you know you have a partner you can count on.”

New-hire training is a two-week investment that includes a few days at the corporate offices, fol-lowed by time in various stores observing the sales process, plus in-store training with staff and vendors. New hires also take factory tours and spend time working in the distribution centers. The training program at Sit ‘n Sleep even includes ride-alongs with delivery personnel. The goal is to have a complete understanding of how things

The goal is to have a complete understanding of how things work at every level so customers receive the very best in a service experience.




work at every level so customers receive the very best in a service experience. After the initial train-ing there is additional vendor training, follow-up and one-on-one coaching. Sit ‘n Sleep also offers yearly Leadership Training, an in-depth course to groom future management personnel.

We’re All in This Together!

Showing your appreciation has to be an on-going philosophy or it just becomes lip service. Even with the best of intentions, a dusty Employee of the Month plaque in the staff lounge that’s three months behind doesn’t count. Appreciation takes commitment.

Sandy Harms owns Black’s Home Furniture, in Yreka, California—a business that’s been in her family since 1947. Sandy understands just how important her team is to the store and its success. In addition to traditional celebrations, such as an annual Christmas dinner, associates at Black’s enjoy flex-time and other non-traditional perks.

Take Cris Weller, for example, a member of Black’s team since 2003. Cris is Sandy's go-to person, or as Sandy describes her, “She’s me when I’m not here.”

Cris attends markets and trade shows with Sandy, and sometimes she even attends them on her own. Because Cris spends most of her time on the sales floor, face-to-face with customers, she knows exactly what they want and expect from Black’s. Sandy makes sure to include Cris in critical meetings with suppliers, authorizing her to choose product and make important decisions for the store.

Trust is motivating. Sandy recognizes Cris’ value to the store and reinforces her efforts with more than a “job well done.” How do you praise your team members? We’ve seen everything from elaborate incentive programs to efforts as simple as handwrit-ten thank you notes. Sometimes it’s not what you do, but that you do something.

If praising your people to success is new to you, start here: Put ten pennies in your right pocket every day, then look for reasons to congratulate, compliment, appreciate or recognize individual associates. Each time you praise someone, you get to move a penny from one pocket to the other. The deal is that you can’t go home until all ten pennies have legitimately been moved from your right pocket to your left. It sounds easy, but trust us, it’s hard. At least until you get in the habit of looking for the positive.

So, go out on a limb. When someone does some-thing cool, do something unexpected. Give an associate a surprise hour or day off with pay. Wash their car in the parking lot in plain view of custom-ers. Rent someone a convertible for a week. Take them to lunch at their favorite restaurant. Spring for tickets to a theme park, play or sporting event. Supply pizza once a week for a month, or a free massage on company time. Your celebrations don’t have to be formal—just fun. Give it a shot. You’ll see a big change in how your team acts and get more smiles per square foot!

TIME OFF

DRY CLEANING PICK-UP

TREATS

TROPHIES TIED TO GOALS LUNCH

ADDITIONAL TRAINING

Thank you!

GIFT CARDS

SIMPLE WAYS TO SHOW APPRECIATION

Sit ‘n Sleep, CaliforniaSit ‘n Sleep associates enjoy all sorts of traditional incentives, such as contests and spiffs, but owners Larry Miller and Nelson Bercier look for out-of-the-box ways to show their appreciation as well.

When the distribution center team went a full year without a single accident, they were treated to a first-class evening on the town. The fun started with a chartered bus ride to the Staples Center in Los Angeles, followed by a no-holds-barred evening in a luxury suite at a Laker’s game.

Alspaugh’s Ace Hardware, Kingwood, Texas Employee vests at Alspaugh’s Ace Hardware in Kingwood, Texas, are heavy with tiny pins in the shapes of hammers, pliers and screwdrivers. Having a pin on your vest is a status symbol.

Owner Rick Alspaugh came up with his pin program a number of years ago. Any management person at Alspaugh’s Ace can give an associate a pin for high sales, helping another associate with a project without being asked or for receiving a great customer comment or letter. The pins are awarded on the sales floor, in front of customers and peers, along with a $20 dollar bill.

The coveted crescent wrench pin is equivalent to winning an Oscar. Crescent wrenches come with $50. They can only be awarded by Rick, and it’s a big deal to receive one. Customers rave about the service at Alspaugh’s; they consider it an honor to work with an associate sporting a crescent wrench.

On the Pot, Salina, KansasRobin and Julie Cates own On the Pot, a paint-your-own pottery studio in Salina, Kansas. Most of their staff is young, over-the-top creative types, so Robin and Julie are always on the lookout for low-cost, fun and fresh incentives. The Cates sisters are also big believers in allowing their team to choose their own rewards. They’ve said yes to fancy dinners, nights at the movies, roller skating parties, bowling outings and mini-golf tournaments. And in between, team members are rewarded with $10 gift cards from the coffee shop next door. Get a nice compliment from a customer? Cool! You get a $10 card.

Inside the store you’ll find a huge bulletin board—a Wall of Fame—that’s used to brag about staff accomplishments. When a team member does something worth celebrating it’s given a prime spot on the Wall of Fame. Associates appreciate the extra attention and customers enjoy being able to help applaud their successes.

Exemplary Employees These three engaged teams serve as role models of employee appreciation.

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Your designer meets in the customer’s home to create the shopping cart and check inventory availability for delivery.The warehouse staff needs toquickly receive an item to loadit on the delivery truck. Theowner or manager is travelingand wants to get a quick glanceof their daily or monthly businessanalytics. All of this can be donewith a tablet or smartphone.Myriad Software understandshow important it is to be mobile.

Whether it’s to close a sale or review the important aspects of your business, a tablet orsmartphone will provide accessto your business managementsystem in or outside of yourdaily operation.

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• • •

Please stop by and see us at the Las Vegas Market

RRC Building B, 10th Floor

July 29-August 1, 2013

THINK MOBILE

1-800-676-4243 • s [email protected]

Being portable for sales, inventory or business analyticsis key for any Home Furnishingsretailer. Using a PC, tablet orsmart phone to work inside oroutside of your store is critical inthis day and age of technology.

Your designer meets in the customer’s home to create the shopping cart and check inventory availability for delivery.The warehouse staff needs toquickly receive an item to loadit on the delivery truck. Theowner or manager is travelingand wants to get a quick glanceof their daily or monthly businessanalytics. All of this can be donewith a tablet or smartphone.Myriad Software understandshow important it is to be mobile.

Whether it’s to close a sale or review the important aspects of your business, a tablet orsmartphone will provide accessto your business managementsystem in or outside of yourdaily operation.

So if you’re looking for a businesssystem that allows you to workwhen you’re in your operationand on the go, think Eclicktic™and Eclicktic™ BE Mobile.

Contact a Myriad Software sales representative @[email protected]

• • •

Please stop by and see us at the Las Vegas Market

RRC Building B, 10th Floor

July 29-August 1, 2013

RetailerNOW catches up with food industry mogul Paula Deen and finds

out about the connection between food, family and furnishings.

Paula Deen


Feature

: What made you decide to get into the furniture business?

PD: Well, it’s funny. I always loved anything under the roof of my house. I don’t know if you know, but I went on a 20-year ride with agoraphobia, so my home was every-thing to me. I loved going to nearby yard sales looking for ways to improve my little house. The kitchen is definitely the heart of the home, but I loved everything underneath that roof. One day I got a call from Universal Furniture, and of course I was thrilled, flat blown to death. I had a mental attachment to my home of 20 years and I just felt like I could contribute to somebody. So Universal came down and we walked my house for two or three days, just talking and looking at the different pieces I had come upon across the years. I pointed out things I really liked that I thought would work for other people. We realized there were ways to make it more utilitarian, more useful. They went back to the design table and it was a perfect fit. I tell ya, it feels so good. You feel like you’ve done your job when the furniture comes out and it doesn’t just please me, but it pleases thousands and thousands of people.

By Jennifer Billock

At April in High Point, food industry mogul Paula Deen introduced her new furniture line, the Paula Deen Home River House Collection. RetailerNOW caught up with her to discuss the new furniture, her goals in the furnishings business and the interplay between food and the home.

: How do you think the furniture and food industries play off one another?

PD: Oh my gosh, because it all takes place underneath the roof of your house! There’s nothing better than cooking a fabulous meal and spreading it out on a big table and watching your children, your grandchildren, your family and your friends enjoy the fruits of your labor. There’s just nothing any better. The home is where nine-tenths of your memories are made.

: What kind of furniture do you have in your line?

PD: It’s pretty. It’s the whole house. Beds, livings rooms, the kitchen, it’s everything. I have this precious little dock house where I live. You can no longer build a dock house; the only way you can have one is if it was grandfathered in. The dock house is the reason we bought this property, but it was dilapidated. We were able to bring it back as long as we didn’t veer outside of the original footprint. So this year’s collection was inspired by the dock house. And


Feature

it’s incredible. Beautiful vintage red wicker chairs. Oh my goodness. We brought those back and they are just incred-ible. And of course, the youth line. The boy’s youth line especially is doing so well. I was with Universal a few weeks back and they said it’s so unusual for the second edition to be as successful as the first, but it seems like each edition is received as well or better than the first edition. It’s just so great to know that we’re able to hit the sweet spot for oth-ers. It’s like cooking a meal and then loving it. The furniture is the same way. It’s great to design something that other people find beautiful.

: What’s your best selling item?

PD: I know in the first edition, it was the Bag Lady Cabinet. You know, it’s still one of my favorite pieces. It’s so utilitarian. It can go from your bathroom to your kitchen and every-thing in between. That little piece is still so near and dear to my heart. That was the name of my original little business that I started with $200, The Bag Lady. We are introducing Paula Deen Foods, and with our food company, we have formed The Bag Lady Foundation. It’s like I’ve come full

circle. The Bag Lady Foundation will receive a certain per-centage of the profits of all sales from the food. The money will be there to help others at our discretion, whomever we feel like needs it, like Oklahoma right now. The Bag Lady, she is the be-all end-all. So that little Bag Lady Cabinet, it means a lot to me.

: Why should a retail store carry your line as opposed to a different one?

PD: My name is not just a name stamped on a piece of furniture. I’m actively involved in the design. I was just in High Point with so many dealers and they came up to me and said that Paula Deen was the number-one seller in their store. So I know that we are hitting a need or a want for a lot of people out there in their homes. That’s what it’s all about. Not just hitting what you like, but being able to hit what the masses like. You know, we’ve got such a variety of different tastes. We’ve got a dark cherry finish, we’ve got the white with a gray rub, we’ve got oyster shell, which is kind of a beautiful light-grayish color. I think we have something for everybody’s tastes.

It’s my goal that when you walk in your home, for it to almost wrap its arms around you and

say, “Hey, welcome home. Come on in!”

Interview continued on page 28


: Do you ever visit the stores that sell your items?

PD: Yes. I’ll go in and they’ll have books for their guests and we’ll do a book signing. I get to mingle with the folks and talk to them about the different pieces of furniture, like what it was inspired from. You know, we just chat.

: What are your long-term goals within the home furnishings industry?

PD: Well, certainly my partnership with Universal has been fabulous, and we just plan to keep introducing casual, comfortable collections. It’s my goal that when you walk in your home, for it to almost wrap its arms around you and say, “Hey, welcome home. Come on in!” To have things that you can live with, not around. I don’t want anything that my grandchildren can’t touch. I want them to

enjoy everything I have in my house. I want them to be able to hunker down in my sofas and my chairs and feel my house is so comfortable for them, that it’s a safe place. I was blown away when I walked into our showroom at High Point, and there were two rooms that looked just like our dock house. Blew me away. So incredibly gorgeous. It just seems to get better and better. It’s almost impossible to think that, but it does.

Paula Deen Enterprises now includes 17 different licensees and covers a broad gamut of good-living products. The product line includes a full line of cookware and dishes, assorted food products, sauces, spices and bakery goods. In recent years Paula also introduced a complete line of furniture, greeting cards and the Paula Deen and Family Party at Sea Cruise.

Paula's personal views do not reflect the views or opinions of RetailerNOW.

Interview continued from page 27

Bag Lady Cabinet

Chairs from the Boat House

kathyireland.com


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MONDAY JULY 29

9:00 - 10:00 a.m. There is NO App for Comfort Lorri Kelley, Palliser Furniture

10:30 - 11:30 a.m. Old School vs. New School Marketing Kyle & Kevin Doran, R&A Marketing

12:30 - 1:30 p.m. DrivingTraffic&IncreasingTickets with a Private Sale - Best Practices GE Capital, Best Practices

2:00 - 3:00 p.m. Selling Premium Jody Seivert, One by One Companies

3:30 - 4:30 p.m. Building Up Your Sales Team Joe Milevsky, JRM Sales & Management

TUESDAY JULY 30

9:00 - 10:00 a.m. Managing the Customer Experience During the Delivery Process Satish Natarajan, DispatchTrack

10:30 -11:30 a.m. Bottlenecks&ConstraintsandHow to Break Them David McMahon & Wayne McMahon, PROFITSystems, Inc.

12:30 - 1:30 p.m. whY buY into gen Y? Leah Kirkland & Josh Camden, MicroD, Inc. 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. Targeted Direct Mail—Using Your Data to Effectively Reach Your Customer Bob George, FurnitureCore/Impact Consulting

3:30 - 4:30 p.m. Succession Planning Catrina Harding, GE Capital

WEDNESDAY JULY 31

9:00 - 10:00 a.m. What's Your Sign? Desi Miller, Moso Graphics

10:30 - 11:30 a.m. 21st Century Marketing Tim McLain, Netsertive

12:30 - 1:30 p.m. Million Dollar Merchandising 2014 Bob Moorman, JRM Sales & Management, Inc.

2:00 - 3:00 p.m. Social Media in the Workplace Pascal Benyamini, Drinker Biddle & Reath, LLP

3:30 - 4:30 p.m. What Were You Thinking? Brad Huisken, IAS Training

THURSDAY AUGUST 1

9:00 - 10:00 a.m. Warehouse is Not a Bad Word Pat Corcoran, BPD Storage Solutions

10:30 - 11:30 a.m. Unraveling the Freight Mystery Grant Laidlaw, Northwest Furniture Xpress

Las Vegas Market

@ The One-Six Club

LAS VEGAS MARKET July 29 - August 2


MONDAY, JUlY 29, 2013

9:00 - 10:00 a.m.

There is NO App for Comfort Lorri Kelley, Palliser Furniture

Shoppers today look for what they want online, run to the closest store, and want to get in and out before you can say, "Babysitter"!

The shopping EXPERIENCE is moving from tactile to virtual and you can end up with missed opportunities to sell them accent pieces, or product for an additional room. Consumers need to be hit with the idea at your website that a purchase decision cannot be made unless they walk in and "test drive" that recliner or sleeper sofa.

We will show you ways to get customers to put down their mobile devices and become active in their search for comfort!

10:30 - 11:30 a.m.

Old School vs. New School Marketing Kyle & Kevin Doran, R&A Marketing

A lot of people talk about old school vs. new school marketing. Which way works better? Social media is for the younger crowd, newspaper is for the older customer and what the heck are Pinterest, Vine, and Instagram? Brothers Kyle & Kevin Doran (three years apart) dare you to take on the longstanding battle of younger brother vs. older brother. However, this time the spat is over how to utilize old school media versus new school media. You might just be surprised how this one ends up!

12:30 - 1:30 p.m.

DrivingTraffic&IncreasingTicketswith a Private Sale – Best Practices GE Capital

Looking for an opportunity to drive traffic and increase sales? Private sale events have been a proven way to fill your parking lot, but also a way to boost loyalty with your best customers. We've got the solution to help you create your own private sale. Done well, private sales build customer relationships and enhance your reputation and your bottom line.

Learn the most vital keys to a successful private sale and ask the experts at GE Capital your questions.

2:00 - 3:00 p.m.

Selling Premium Jody Seivert, One by One Companies

In a race to the bottom of quality and price, salespeople and sales managers are having an increasingly difficult time differentiating and selling high-quality products. Learn the 3 ways to sell premium home furnishings that will increase top-line sales and average ticket sales in your showroom.

3:30 - 4:30 p.m.

Building Up Your Sales Team Joe Milevsky, JRM Sales & Management, Inc.

There are huge differences in the performance of salespeople from store to store and even on the same sales floor. It is up to us as owners and managers to manage those differences by helping the lower performers move toward the middle, the middle toward the top and the top to achieve new heights.

What is the magic profile for a successful salesperson in our industry?

Where do I find my best candidates? How do I help my salespeople improve and succeed? How do I hold them accountable without discouraging them? How do I reward their good performance financially and

emotionally?

People buy from people, not stores. Spend one hour with Joe to gain insight into the opportunity that is within the grasp of your sales team.

TUESDAY, JUlY 30, 2013

9:00 - 10:00 a.m.

Managing the Customer Experience During the Delivery Process Satish Natarajan, DispatchTrack

We all know that the sale is not complete until we deliver the product to our customers. We also know a repeat customer is a customer earned. Hence it is of utmost importance that we treat the customer in the delivery or service process with the same care that we do during the sales cycle.

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Las Vegas Market

2:00 - 3:00 p.m.

Targeted Direct Mail: Using Your Data to Effectively Reach Your Customer Bob George, FurnitureCore/Impact Consulting

Using your consumers and targeted geographic and psychographic research, you can send specific messages to new customers—a very effective alternative to television, but with measurable results. Can you track how successful your direct mail piece is in

bringing in customers to your store? Can you spend less on your advertising by using direct mail and

get better results? Can you change your target market mid-campaign?

Instead of using a shot-gun approach with your direct mail pieces, use a sniper’s approach to target consumers that are most like those people who have already purchased your products.

Your best customers are not only the ones that have just purchased from you, but also the ones that fit a profile that is just like your consumer.

Using your customer and sales data is the best way to make sure you are getting the most bang for your advertising buck.

Learn about what information you need to run a successful targeted direct mail campaign that can not only save your advertising dollars, but also make your campaign more successful. Stop spending money on advertising campaigns in which you don’t know the outcome. Be sure of your success.

3:30 - 4:30 p.m.

Succession Planning with GE Capital Catrina Harding, GE Capital

Identifying and cultivating your successor may not be second nature to some people. Yet without a systematic approach to assessing and developing the leadership talent needed across the business, a company can be caught unprepared by anticipated or unanticipated departures.

Do you know how to develop the next leader? Do you know what you need to do to become the next leader?

Managing the Customer Experience continued This talk will be a presentation of how technology can help in simplifying the process and a dialog between the various retailers as to what they see on a day-to-day basis.

10:30 - 11:30 a.m.

Bottlenecks&ConstraintsandHowtoBreakThem David McMahon & Wayne McMahon, PROFITSystems, Inc.

Have you ever wondered why some businesses seem to run smoothly while others seem to live in a constant state of chaos?

We see this all the time in the field. Even in the same market area, one business may operate smoothly, have happy employees and satisfied customers while another business may just be putting out one fire after another. Efficiently run businesses are always the ones that come out on top in terms of sales, profits and cash flow. The reasons for the differences are operational bottlenecks that are caused by productivity constraints. In this talk, we will discuss the signs of bottlenecks and constraints and how to break them. This can allow your organization to run better, be more profitable and free up cash.

Bonus: Attendees will receive a coupon for David’s new book: “Field Tips – Retail Business Improvement Writings”

12:30 - 1:30 p.m.

whY buY into Gen Y? Leah Kirkland & Josh Camden, Moderators, MicroD, Inc.

There are over 80 million GenY consumers that hold $200 billion in spending power. How much do you really know about the demographic born between 1982-1999?

What are they buying? How are they shopping? What gets them to spend?

Join us for a panel discussion and Q&A session, presented by MicroD’s retailer, manufacturer and technology partners, to learn about what matters to this generation. In addition, panelists will review the roles of social media, eCommerce and how to maximize your website to attract and sell to the GenY consumer.


Las Vegas Market


WEDNESDAY, JUlY 31, 2013

9:00 - 10:00 a.m.

What’s Your Sign? Desi Miller, Moso Graphics

Join Desi Miller of Moso Graphics to explore how to take full advantage of your advertising dollars. Learn quick, easy steps to create an event atmosphere in your store by continuing your advertising with in-store messages that complete the sale!

10:30 - 11:30 a.m.

21st Century Marketing Tim McLain, Netsertive

With the proliferation of cell phones, tablets, laptops and all things digital, your potential new customers are spending less and less time in front of “traditional” media. The digital age is upon us and the most successful furniture stores will be those that embrace the change and adopt their marketing strategies to fit changing media dynamics. Join us for an overview of the changing face of marketing and how your store can take advantage of these trends.

12:30 - 1:30 p.m.

Million Dollar Merchandising 2014 Bob Moorman, JRM Sales & Management, Inc.

Do your displays elicit the emotional responses that you desire?

Does your lineup and presentation support the image that you wish to portray?

Are you getting the most out of in-store signage, tagging and graphics?

What do you do with product that is not achieving your desired rate of sale?

Do your sales associates enhance your merchandising and display efforts?

Attend this seminar and explore the world of opportunities that can be created with today's ever-changing merchandising focus.

2:00 - 3:00 p.m.

Social Media in the Workplace Pascal Benyamini, Drinker Biddle & Reath, LLP

This presentation focuses on employer social media policies, the do’s and don’ts, best practices, and social media and background checks. Some of the specific questions that the presentation

Social Media in the Workplace continued

addresses are: How can employers restrict employees’ use of social media yet at the same time preserve employees’ rights and their privacy? When can an employee be disciplined for statements made on social media? To what extent should managers use social media regarding current and prospective employees, especially when conducting background checks?

3:30 - 4:30 p.m.

What Were You Thinking Brad Huisken, IAS Training

Unlock the mystery of why some companies are fun and productive places to work and others are not. In today’s retail environment the only thing that separates one company from the competition are its people. The main responsibility of a storeowner and/or manager is to provide the sales staff with the tools and benchmarks needed through accountability, non-negotiable standards, incentives, consequences, training and knowledge in order to achieve success.

THursDay,augusT1,2013

9:00 - 10:00 a.m.

Warehouse is NOT a Bad Word Pat Corcoran, BPD Storage Solutions

With accurate inventory information and the right storage system to protect and store inventory, you can reduce handling and reduce "cannot locate" product. BPD Storage Solutions has the decades of experience to help you with your storage system requirements.

Come learn about how BPD Storage Solutions can work for you, and how you can get a free consultation.

10:30 - 11:30 a.m.

Unraveling the Freight Mystery Grant Laidlaw, NorthWest Furniture Xpress

Grant will share what he wishes he had known as a retailer. He combines his unique perspective of 27 years on the retail side of furniture logistics with the benefit of a five-year view into the Specialized Furniture Carrier world. Just a few of the insights to be shared: understand pricing; cube, weight, POI, what’s right for you? Find out how to get the best of your carrier by being a partner rather than just a customer.

Las Vegas Market


Your success is more than inventory and the RRC MarketPlace is more of what you need.

B-1050, Your Association’s Home at Market

ACA - Advertising Concepts of AmericaBest Buy for BusinessCredit Source Insurance & FinanceCrossCheckCustom Design SoftwareDiakon LogisticsDispatchTrackDSI DeliveryFurniture Training CompanyFurniture WizardFurnitureDealer.netFurnServeGE CapitalGenesis Software SystemsGuardian Protection ProductsJRM Sales & Management

Las Vegas Market

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Why offer a consumer credit card program? It’s simple—consumers are looking for it!66% of GE Capital cardholders say they always look for financing when making a large purchase.* There’s never been a better time to get started with the NAHFA/GE Capital consumer credit card program.

Visit GE Capital at the North American Home Furnishings Association Retailer Resource Center during the Las Vegas Market located on the 10th Floor, Building B-1050. To learn more call 866-209-4457www.gogecapital.com

*Data gathered from 2012 GE Capital Big Ticket Consumer Study.


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Breakfast and a Break Join us in the Buyers Club for a full breakfast, gourmet coffees to order and cold beer in the afternoon.

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In-Store Financing

Check SolutionsSave 10% or more on your check guarantee processing.

This complete check guarantee program allows you to process your single-check transactions, all at association member pricing.Check Guarantee

h Checks approved in seconds h Funds deposited into your account in 48-72 hours h All equipment supplied by CrossCheck

Multiple Check Options GuaranteeNow you can offer a 90-day Multiple Check Option. This no-recourse, non-credit-based approval process gives you the ability to let customers pay over 90 days.

Every Day, Every Dollar

Why go it alone? You have access to the lowest EVERY- DAY financing rates in the industry, PLUS rebates back to you with the North American Home Furnishings Association In-Store Financing program.

Our EVERY-DAY financing rates are based on more than $400 million in annual volume.

Exclusive program features:

h Dedicated marketing & client relationship team h Open-to-buy reports & consumer sweepstakes

sponsored by GE Capital h Furniture industry insights and case studies h Consumer spending statistical data h Members-only holiday specials

A simple one-page dealer application will have you transacting in less than 7 days!

CALL TODAY FOR THE RATE SHEET & HOLIDAY SPECIAL PROMOTIONS

Bankcard ProcessingLowest rates in the industry What are you really paying for merchant card processing?

h Straightforward interchange plus pricing Enjoy the same pricing structure as Walmart, McDonalds and Nike.

h No per-transaction fees h Deposit into your own bank h NO Contracts h Easy one-page application process h Dedicated account manager

Secondary and Alternative FinancingIf your primary lender does not approve your customer’s credit application,

CreditSource is the answer. With Secondary and Alternative “No Credit Check” Financing options, you can help credit challenged customers.

h 90-Day SAC h Instant Online Approvals h Closed-End Contracts h No Dealer Recourse h No Enrollment Fees h No System or Usage Fees h Quick Approvals

Marketplace

CALL TODAY TO START SAVING MONEY AND ACTIVATE ANY OF YOUR MEMBER BENEFITS: (800) 422-3778


Join or renew your Association membership today and start enjoying the benefits of belonging. Whether you are looking for great financing rates, first class

education or a community of peers, your Association provides it all.

(800) 422-3778 nahfa.org

"Belonging to NAHFA puts me with the best and the brightest in the business. Seeing and hearing from my fellow retailers refreshes, renews, and motivates me to get 'er done! Without fail, I come home from every meeting with new and better ways to do what I have been doing my entire career. I get the TLC that I need!"

—Mike Spiller, Spiller Furniture


Advertising Concepts of AmericaAICO/Amini Innovation Corp.American ExpressAmerican LeatherAshley Furniture Industries, Inc.AspenhomeAssociated Volume BuyersBecker Designed, Inc.Bernards, Inc.Best Buy for BusinessBest Home FurnishingsBraxton Culler, Inc.Cargo Consolidation ServicesCentury FurnitureCoaster Company of AmericaCory Home Delivery ServiceDécor-Rest Furniture Ltd.Diakon LogisticsDSI CompaniesEkornesElements InternationalElite LeatherEmerald Home FurnishingsFairmont DesignsFlexsteelFurniture of AmericaFurniture WizardFurnitureDealer.netGE CapitalGreat American Furniture ServicesGuardian ProductsGuardsman/The Valspar Corp.

Harden Furniture CompanyHigh Point Market AuthorityHolland HouseHomelegance USA HFB MagazineHorich Hector Lebow Advertising Consulting Services, Inc.Innovative Delivery SystemsJofran Sales, Inc.Julius M. Feinblum Real Estate, Inc.KincaidKing Hickory Furniture CoLane Home FurnishingsLazar IndustriesLeaLeggett & PlattLiberty FurnitureLifestyle EnterprisesLinon Home Décor ProductsMagnussen HomeMail AmericaMassood LogisticsMed-Lift MobilityMicroD, Inc.Mohawk Finishing Products, Inc.Myriad SoftwareNatuzzi Americas, Inc.NetSertiveNourison IndustriesOkinus Credit SolutionsPacific Furniture Dealers

Phoenix A.M.D. International, Inc.PROFITsystemsProtect-A-BedRestonic Mattress Corp.Sandberg FurnitureSAP RetailSerta Mattress CompaniesSimmonsShock WatchSleep-EzzSource International, Inc./4 Sales FinanceSphinx by Oriental WeaversStandard FurnitureSteve Silver Co.STORISSuryaThe TV ShieldThe Uttermost CompanyTidewater Finance CompanyTrendwood, Inc.Tropic Survival Advertising & MarketingTruckSkin, LLCTwin Star/Classic FlameUnited Furniture IndustriesValassis, Inc.Vaughan Furniture Co.Versatile SystemsWahlquist Management CorporationWorld Market CenterZenith Global

Our Association gratefully recognizes all of our supporters whose dedication and committment has strengthened our industry.

THANK YOU

To become an industry partner contact:North American Home Furnishings Association800.422.3778 or email: [email protected]


CONFERENCENEW ORLEANS

HOME FURNISHINGS INDUSTRY

HIGHLIGHTSfrom 2013


Making it Big, Keeping it Easy2013 Home Furnishings Industry Conference, New Orleans

Let me ask you this: Have you ever been served cham-pagne from someone suspended upside-down above you by a single loop of fabric? Well, if you were at the

HFIC’s final night Masquerade Ball, you can confidently brag to your friends that you have! And that wasn’t the only surprise in store for conference attendees this year. As the first conference hosted by the North American Home Furnishings Association, the organization added as much lagniappe (that’s New Orleans lingo for “a little something extra”) as possible. For starters, the hotel was just steps from the French Quarter and Bourbon Street, so it was easy to get out and have a great time after a fulfilling day at conference. NAHFA sponsored off-site activities of a ghost tour and a swamp airboat ride, as well as an evening dine-around, so attendees were able to take in the real flavor of the city.

Conference kicked off on Sunday, June 2, with an enter-taining opening session by both Master of Ceremonies Doug Keeley, who reminded us that everyone has a unique story, and by Jim Knight, former head of training at Hard Rock, who showed us how to create a business culture that rocks. That evening, attendees were able to get creative planning and making their masks for the Masquerade Ball before sitting down for dinner and a magic show. Monday and Tuesday, June 3-4, focused on learning and shopping more than 50 vendors in the showcase. Many seminars and workshops were standing-room only, and participants left with a wealth of information to help take their businesses to the next level. Some of the standout sessions included the early-riser Bloody Marys and Difficult Clients session with Margi Kyle, Bob Aita’s healthcare reform presentation, shopper trends from GE Capital, a three-part social media

Nightlife in New Orleans

Show me the money

In a moment of calm, conversation rules

Getting ready to mask her identity


course by Crystal Valkaitis, and cash flow and key trends presentations by Gene Marks. The closing session on Tuesday by Kelly McDonald took an in-depth look at controlling your organization’s customer experience. Throughout confer-ence, NAHFA sprinkled in a lot of extras, like the Product Showcase Game, where retailers had to ask questions of and collect signatures from at least 40 of the showcase vendors to enter in a drawing for $1,000. The Big Easy Best Idea contest was also a hit, allowing participants to share their greatest ideas for business success in a challenge to win up to another $1,000. Showcase exhibitor Serta brought its own lagniappe along with a visit from its mascot, the Serta Sheep. He walked around the showcase saying hello and attendees left with some great photos.

To download presentations from any of the seminars or workshops, head to http://www.thehfic.com/education.aspx.

The Masquerade Ball on June 4 was a fun and fitting way to end our time in New Orleans. We were all able to show a different side of ourselves with costumes and masks. A local band played the soundtrack for the evening and aerial artists served champagne suspended in the air. And your associa-tion’s very own Kaprice Crawford, Membership Team Leader, won the dance competition! The ball truly showcased the magic and mystery of the Big Easy.

Overall, conference this year was a huge success. I hope you’re gearing up for next year at Wild Horse Pass in Chandler, Ariz., from June 1-3! We’ll see you there. And don't forget, just like this year and every year, we'll have an app ready to go so you can have conference information at your fingertips.

Opening Speaker, Jim Knight

Serta Sheep posing for photos

North American Home Furnishings Association board members and staff

Masqueraders ready to party!

At the Ball!

Relaxing on the Serta iComfort mattress

A break between education

The Belle of the Ball!

Connie Post

Orange is in! Masked revelers at the Ball

Where's Captain Morgan? What a disguise!

Look at all those beads!

Wine Time!

A break between education

K I N C A I D F U R N I T U R E

MORE EXOTIC THAN YOU MAY THINK.�

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at its most elegant. See all the ways Kincaid is more than you think at KincaidFurniture.com.

Connie Post

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By Heather Eagle


According to a 2012 Towers Watson study, “companies are running 21st century businesses with 20th century workplace practices and programs.”

Yes, it’s a brave new world of work—and workers.


“Employee engagement may have begun life as a corpo-rate buzzword, but over the last decade, it’s been widely acknowledged as a critical element in drawing out discre-tionary effort from workers,” the study says. “The steps organizations have taken to improve engagement are begin-ning to fall short.”

The study indicated only 35 percent of the participating 32,000 full-time workers are highly engaged. This is not surprising. Five years of economic turmoil, nearly a decade of competing in a flat world and more than a decade of being connected 24/7 have taken their toll.

Employees everywhere express some level of concern about their financial and professional security, their stress on the job, their trust in their company’s leadership, the support they receive from their managers and their ability to build their careers.

In fact, many have been doing more with less, for less, for more than a decade. The reality is that it’s not likely to change anytime soon, if ever.

These statistics on employee engagement are a wake-up call for employers, regardless of whether they’re looking for the right talent, struggling to maintain engagement or trying to retain employees with essential skills.

Businesses appear to be at a critical tipping point in their ability to maintain engagement over time. While many are already running their businesses differently in today’s marketplace, a large number don’t appear to be keeping pace with how they manage and support their employees.

According to the study, “when engagement starts to decline, companies become vulnerable not only to a measurable drop in productivity, but also to poorer customer service and greater rates of absenteeism and turnover.”

Sustainable engagement describes the intensity of employees’ connection to their organization based on three core elements:

The extent of employees’ discretionary effort committed to achieving work goals (Being engaged)

An environment that supports productivity in multiple ways (Being enabled)

A work experience that promotes well-being (Feeling energized)

It is essential for organizations and their leaders to have a clear understanding of what matters to employees and why and how that affects their productivity and behavior on the job.

In contrast to many of the more reward-oriented elements that affect attraction and retention, the drivers of sustain-able engagement focus almost entirely on the culture and relational aspects of the work experience.

Top five drivers of sustainable engagement:

Leadership

Is effective at growing the business Shows sincere interest in employees’ well-being Behaves consistently with the organization’s core values Earns employees’ trust and confidence

Stress, balance and workload

Manageable stress levels at work A healthy balance between work and personal life Enough employees in the group to do the job right Flexible work arrangements

Goals and Objectives

Employees understand:• The organization’s business goals• Steps they need to take to reach those goals• How their job contributes to achieving goals

Supervisors

Assign tasks suited to employees’ skills Act in ways consistent with their words Coach employees to improve performance Treat employees with respect

Organization’s image

Highly regarded by the general public Displays honesty and integrity in business activities

By focusing on these five drivers of sustainable engagement, organizations can focus on a relevant change agenda that can make a difference in their performance, often without a significant financial investment.

Heather Eagle is a creative marketing communications professional who specializes in developing strategies, building plans and implementing creative, targeted, results-oriented, integrated marketing communications programs from concept to completion.

Only 35 percent of full-time workers are highly engaged.



ll the best laid plans are sometimes interrupted by major events, natural disasters, political issues and the economy. Companies in our industry started to feel the chill of the economy around the end of 2006 and

through 2007. When the meltdown came in September 2008, no one was ready for what happened.

All businesses were affected by the great recession that followed the crash of 2008. During the collapse, even huge healthy multi-nationals had temporary difficulties borrowing funds for short-term business needs. Every country in the world felt the pain and some of the financial issues remain ongoing. During the crash, consumer confidence eroded very quickly and the

housing market tumbled. The home values in some of the hardest hit markets fell as much as 35 to more than 50 per-cent. It is only recently that the prices have begun to recover.

Those of us in the furniture industry found ourselves in the epicenter of the meltdown: the housing industry. Our busi-nesses serve the homeowner and the homeowners were in trouble. Many had used their home equity to finance their lifestyle. As a result of subprime loans that were ratcheting up and home values falling, many owners simply could not pay. When they tried to refinance, home values were too low to allow the loans to be processed. It became a vicious downward spiral.


Business owners took a hard look at their operations in order to trim excess costs to weather this financial storm. Stores reported annual volumes that were re-duced dramatically as customers were too strapped or too frightened to think about furniture. Unfortunately, many retailers failed and went out of business. Our in-dustry was among the hardest hit.

But, congratulations! If you are reading this article, you have made it through these trying times and have adapted to the new reality. Over the last few years while we were all in survival mode, busi-ness changed dramatically. The internet became ubiquitous. Product pricing became much easier to find online. Customers no longer need to run be-tween stores to find prices, but can go onto their smart device and check it out right in our stores. More and more cus-tomers are doing their furniture shopping at home, preparing themselves with ideas and pricing online. The internet is a very serious factor for business today. Not only do our customers shop us, but it is one of our most useful communication tools. We can communicate inspirational ideas, blogs, planning tools for clients, how to care for products and new product of-ferings. Many of us keep our customers abreast of their order progress with emails and now electronically communicate purchase orders and time-sensitive data to vendors, cutting down on wasted time.

Because online is now one of the best ways to communicate with customers, advertising budgets have shifted to reflect the energy pouring into this part of busi-ness. Social media has taken off and we are all chasing it to find ways to apply it to business. iPads or tablets have found their way onto our floors and designers and sales associates can communicate in real time, with virtual catalogues, any-where on our floor or at the customer’s home. This is only the beginning of the changes we all face.

Today e-commerce is a reality, here to stay and growing in our industry. Many of us are not yet selling online but are trying to figure out how. The simple fact is internet sales portals are growing—while some of us sit still not knowing how to venture into this new area of commerce. There is no question that we all need to figure this out, and soon.

While this huge shift is going on, we still need to be in shelter magazines, newspapers and television, but it is no longer the same line expense as we have shifted to digital informa-tion and communication. Now the internal struggle for many is how to allocate the dollars we have to spend across these many communi-cation media, all while managing our websites, content, search engine optimization, email and social media campaigns.

How many times have you heard, “I can’t wait for the return of the good old days”? It will be a long wait because they are not coming back. We are in a new reality. These are the good new days! We must use all of our resources and get educated about emerging trends and technology quickly to take advantage of our improving economy. If we are to thrive, we need to learn fast or we will become another business that could not keep up. This is un-doubtedly the most interesting time of our lives. It’s not the easiest but certainly we are a living part of the fast-paced changes.

We all carry personal smart phones in our pockets that have very powerful communica-tion tools. Email, web, social media, apps, business reports, GPS and banking are all now available at our fingertips. This technol-ogy is expanding quickly and we all know it will continue. Technology is everywhere today. Business today could not exist without it.

Like us, our new association is struggling to be on top of this new shift in communica-tion. They are working to research and deliver programs and services that will help members deal with all of today’s changes. Education is vital as we grapple with the issues amid a tight competitive market. The NAHFA staff and board are all focused on these important issues.

Our industry is poised to grow again as we steadily leave the doldrums and pick up some economic tailwinds. How we shape our tomorrow is a serious question for businesses today.

It is my feeling that the glass is half-full and the future, while complicated and uncharted, is exciting and promising. Welcome to the Good New Days!

Fresh Perspectives


hen Rick Bezaire lost both his father and father-in-law 16 weeks apart with

his daughter getting married in Jamaica right in the middle, his daughter would

often ask him, “How is this going to work?” His answer was always this: “It will work out, in some way, shape or form. Don't ask me the shape, don't ask me the form; but, it WILL work out.” And it always did, thanks to family values—a concept Rick also lives by in his work as Company Quality Supervisor at Tepperman’s in Canada.

Rick has been part of the Tepperman’s family for 38 years. He joined the company fresh out of college on April 14, 1975—the 50th anni-versary of the business. He began his career doing small repairs in the warehouse. Next he went on the road doing warranty work and touch-ups as an in-home furniture technician. He now serves as quality super-visor for all the stores, working with vendors and training on-road technicians. Even after

decades at the company, Rick is still enthusiastic about all the roles he has played, the people he has worked with and customers he has helped over the years.

In today’s environment, people are unlikely to stay with the same organization for long. Statistics indicate people will change careers about five times and many change organizations even more. What kept Rick in the same place for all those years?

Tepperman’s and Me... Spotlight on 38 Years of Dedication.

“It wasn’t something you did in those days,” he says. “My parents had taught me to stick it out. My dad was a land-scaper and used to say, ‘People go looking for greener grass and then realize they still have to cut it.’”

Remaining with one organization for close to four decades speaks volumes about the leadership of the company. Rick couldn’t agree more.

“Employees are carefully selected to reflect the mission of the company,” he says. “Poor attitudes just don’t fit in retail. I’ve talked to several new employees over the years. The one com-ment that is consistent is that ‘the people are always so nice here’... and that stands for the owners, employees, vendors and customers. We certainly wouldn’t be able to do [the TV show] Undercover Boss.”

Tepperman’s has endured recessions and fires while em-bracing expansion and technology, and the family values idea has always seen them through the tough times. The company has long felt like home for Rick and many other long-term employees.

By Heather Eagle

RICK bEzAIRE Quality Supervisor Tepperman's, Canada

“Tepperman’s has always given me opportunities to try new things. In fact, they were the ones who asked me to come off the road to start training the next generation of touch-up and repair people.”


“My greatest achievement has been my rise from my first position as touch-up guy, to road tech, to trainer, to quality supervisor,” Rick says. “Tepperman’s has always given me opportunities to try new things. In fact, they were the ones who asked me to come off the road to start training the next generation of touch-up and repair people.”

Following customers through several moves was very inter-esting for Rick.

“I would see a young couple furnish their complete home black,” he says. “I would think to myself, they obviously do not have kids. A few years later, with a couple of rugrats running around, all of sudden beige was more practical. Needless to say, we had some fun conversations, along the lines of ‘What was I thinking!’ I have also taken care of people storing furniture for their kids getting married. One mother had three daughters getting married in 16 months. Two of the daughters had bought the same bedroom set. You can imagine the rest. I would tease her and call her the warehouse manager.”

When traveling to customer homes for touch-ups, Rick often found a touch on the shoulder when he walked in the door just set the customers’ minds at ease, particularly the seniors.

“I absolutely loved the seniors,” he says. “That touch was just a small gesture, but it worked well for my customers and for me. I often left with cookies or preserves.”

All in all, Rick has had an interesting journey with Tepperman’s. But has he ever considered leaving the company?

“It seemed that every time I had one of those bad days, the next day was as smooth as silk,” he says. “I could actually count on it. Quite frankly, I can't honestly remember ever wanting to go anywhere else.”


Above: Tepperman's Delivery Truck

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to �nd out more about employee appreciation and have access to other valuable resources

go online: retailerNOWmag.com

5 Common Recognition MistakesAlthough employees enjoy different types of appreciation, some tokens of gratitude

universally miss the mark. The five most common recognition mistakes are:

NOT GETTING FACTS STRAIGHT Nothing's more embarrassing than incorrectly acknowl-edging a person's name or individual accomplishment.

OFFERING TOKEN GESTURESThe form of recognition should fit the degree of achieve-ment. Giving someone a stapler for his or her five-year anniversary, for example, sends the message the milestone is insignificant.

BEING VAGUETelling employees they did a "good job" is a generic form of kudos. Tie acknowledgement back to specific actions so people know exactly what they did right.

GOING OVERBOARDRecognition doesn't need to be extravagant to be effective. Small everyday things, such as saying "thank you" or giving credit for good ideas can be powerful.

OVERLOOKING CONTRIBUTORSAlthough some workers naturally gravitate toward the limelight, don't forget to also celebrate unsung heroes who help behind the scenes.

For the full infographic visit: http://work.com/blog/category/infographics

LIVE LIFE OUTDOORSTuesday, September 17 – Friday, September 20, 2013

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S P O N S O R E D B Y



Be in the KnowHow the Affordable Care Act Impacts You By Sue Masaracchia-Roberts

Although it goes into full effect on January 1, 2014, a lot of confusion still surrounds the logistics and implications of the Patient Protection Affordable Care Act (PPACA), otherwise referred to as the ACA. The only certainty is that employer and employee issues and financial circumstances are intertwined and both will be affected, some more than others.

Current ACA regulations, which still are not final, mandate that employers with more than 50 full-time employ-ees—including full-time equivalent (FTE) employees—are required to provide affordable, government-approved healthcare coverage to full-time employees.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services website, starting in 2014, “large businesses—those with 50 or more full-time work-ers—that do not provide adequate health insurance will be required to pay an assessment if their employees receive premium tax credits to buy their own insurance. These assessments will offset part of the cost of these tax credits. The assessment for a large employer that does not offer coverage will be $2,000 per full-time employee beyond the company's first 30 workers.”

If an employer has less than 50 full-time employees, the business is not required to provide health coverage and is not subject to a penalty. Under these rules, a full-time employee is defined as

one who works 30 hours or more per week; hours can be averaged for up to a year. Coverage must be available for all full-time employees; however, em-ployers are not required to help pay for dependent coverage.

Part-time employees who work an av-erage of 30 hours or more a week are included in this insurance requirement. An employer may pay a penalty if at least one of its FTEs purchases coverage through an Exchange and qualifies for a premium tax credit or cost-sharing reduction (referred to as a subsidy).

To qualify for subsidized coverage, an employee’s household income must be less than 400 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL) and their employer

must not offer “minimum essential cov-erage” or the employer-offered coverage must be deemed “unaffordable.”

Those individuals who can obtain sub-sidies through exchanges are those who are unemployed, those whose employ-ers do not offer affordable healthcare and those whose household incomes are less than 400 percent of the federal poverty level.

Tax credits are available for small busi-nesses and non-profits to help bring down the cost of providing insurance. However, employers do not have to offer insurance to those working less than 30 hours.

Part-time employees need to prove they have obtained their own insurance. They can benefit from exchanges, fed-eral premium subsidies or an expansion of Medicaid, which all begin in January.

These exchanges, run either by the state or federal government, offer individuals and small businesses a choice of plans and levels of coverage, which vary on a “metal” scale: bronze, silver, gold and platinum. Bronze, for example, will be the most basic policy with the lowest premium and greatest out-of-pocket responsibility, and platinum will be the most expensive premium but comes with the least amount of financial re-sponsibility out of pocket.

Agents and “navigators” will help fa-cilitate outreach and enrollment in the

NEIL TRAUTWEIN Vice President National Retail Federation (NRF)

“What used to be a fringe benefit is now at the front and center of employee costs in terms of the human resources element as well as regarding the opportunity for expansion.”


Continued on page 62


exchange; however, other plans can be purchased from outside the exchange.

Since exchanges are limited to individu-als and groups of 100 or less (50 or less in some states), the impact is limited to the small-group market. Some em-ployees may not be eligible for subsidies, due to their incomes and salaries; they will have to cover their own healthcare costs.

“What used to be a fringe benefit is now at the front and center of employee costs in terms of the human resources element as well as regarding the op-portunity for expansion,” explained National Retail Federation (NRF) Vice President Neil Trautwein.

An employer who offers qualifying cov-erage to full-time employees, however, can still be penalized if the insurance fees are not affordable and provide a “minimum value.” Employers with more than 50 full-time staff could pay a penalty of $3,000 per employee for offering coverage that does not meet the minimum requirements or costs employees too much money, or if they purchase health insurance through the exchange with premium credits.

“The compliance cost of managing this complex law will be the great-est expense for retail store owners,” said Trautwein, who serves as NRF employee benefits policy counsel and government relations. “Even if your employee base is below 50, you still need to communicate to the IRS and exchanges. Even the smallest retailers may not see greater access to care with the ACA and will have greater hoops to jump through.”

This is even truer for large employers. The ACA creates a business issue as it requires a great deal of coordination between human resources, finance and information technology, along with IRS reporting mechanisms. It also re-quires the communication of costs and tax liabilities to boards and sharehold-ers, and employee education.

According to the Obamacare Facts: Dispelling the Myths website (www.obamacarefacts.com), starting in 2014 small business employers with less than 100 employees (50 in some states) will be able to use the SHOP exchange. The SHOP exchange, or Small Business Health Options Programs, offers small businesses a vast array of qualified health plans that allows employers and employees to choose insurance that meets their budgets.

Whether employers offer insurance or not, other factors come to bear on employer coverage decisions. The NRF anticipates increased insurance costs for younger employees and a slight

decrease for older employees. Some retailers may decide to reduce staff; however, many could opt to pay the penalties or reduce full-time staff.

Employers need to keep in mind, how-ever, that health benefits serve to attract quality employees. Uninsured employ-ees may result in greater absenteeism, presenteeism and worker’s compensa-tion claims. Also, employer penalties for not insuring workers may increase as more employers choose to pay them rather than pay for coverage.

The greatest negatives of the ACA come from the sheer number of regulations that involve multiple agencies and state governments.

“We worry a lot about cost and convert-ing the healthcare system into a manda-tory system. When it comes to retail sales numbers, the fact is, our margins are very thin between what we pay for merchandise and what we sell it for,” Trautwein added. “It is tough to absorb additional labor costs, especially since healthcare is our greatest cost next to in-ventory and wages. The administration recognizes that we are the [proverbial] canaries in the coal mine. Currently, the NRF is working to help revise the negative, unintended consequences of these regulations.”

Each business, regardless of size, must continue to decide whether to provide coverage and to what extent it will cover health insurance for its employees.

Sue Masaracchia-Roberts is a freelance writer and public relations consultant specializing in healthcare issues, profiles and small businesses. On the board of the Myra Rubenstein Weis Health Resource Library, she also is a member of the Midwest Writers Association.

ObAMACARE fACTS For employers with less than 100 employees

The SHOP exchange, or Small business Health Options Programs, offers small businesses a vast array of qualified health plans that allows employers and employees to choose insurance that meets their budgets.


Visit retailernowmag.com for a healthcare reform act glossary of terms and acronyms.

Head to www.thehfic.com/education.aspx to download a copy of bob Aita's HfIC presentation, "Taking the fear Out of Reform: The Medical Reform Act and Your business."

Continued on page 61


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Omnia Phone: (909) 393-4400 Fax: (909) 393-4401 Founding Member: Sustainable Furnishings Council Website: www.omnialeather.com Website: www.americanelegancefurniture.com Las Vegas Showrooms A-256 & A-242

Market Preview

OmniaThe t imeless design of the Stetson is the focal point of any room setting. With its classic yoke design, personalized comfort is achieved by offering a designer leather inlay. The numerous leather options combined with different seating comfort options gives the Stetson the attention it deserves in any setting. Sofa dimensions are 92L x 39H x 42D.

MerchandisingSpecial Advertising Section

Cresent Fine FurniturePhone: (615) 975-4862 Fax (615) 452-0098 Website: cresent.com [email protected] @cresentfurn New Las Vegas Showroom B-554

Cresent Fine FurnitureHudson is an urban contemporary design in solid wire-brushed oak featuring a cantilevered platform bed with floating pier nightstands. Paired with sleek cases on inset plinth bases, Hudson is available in two textured finishes, a light cerused Sand and a Black Tea with graphite cerusing. Custom T-bar pulls in a white bronze finish complete the look.

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The Scoop

What’s going on with our retailers across the countrythe scoop v ICfA Announces Apollo Award finalists

The International Casual Furnishings Association announced finalists for the 2013 Apollo Awards, a program that recognizes retail excellence in the sales and marketing of outdoor furnishings.Finalists must show outstanding accomplishments and a commitment to customer service. The ICFA membership will vote via an online ballot for a winner in each of two categories later this summer. Finalists will be honored and the winners announced at the ICFA Awards Gala on September 19, 2013, during the International Casual Furniture and Accessories Market in Chicago.

Finalists in the 2013 competition include:Single Store Category

Kolo Collection, Atlanta Outdoor Elegance, La Verne, Calif. Seasons Four, Lexington, Mass. Sunnyland Furniture, Dallas Village Green, Rockford, Ill.

Multi-Store Category

ABSCO Fireplace & Patio, Birmingham, Ala. Patios Plus, Rancho Mirage, Calif. Outside in Style, Austin, Texas Stauffers of Kissel Hill, Lititz, Pa. Yard Art Patio & Fireplace, Irving, Texas

v AHfA Awards Six ScholarshipsThe Suppliers Division of the American Home Furnishings Alliance has awarded six $2,000 scholarships to students who are children of AHFA member company employees. The scholarships are presented annually by AHFA’s Suppliers Division, which supports the program with an annual golf tournament. The Suppliers Division has more than 150 members, all producers of products and services targeted for the residential furniture manufacturing industry. Division members launched

the scholarship program 11 years ago and built the fund so that six awards could be presented each year. The 2013 recipients include Austin D. Daniels, son of Kevin R. Daniels, who is employed by Flexsteel Inds. in Dubuque, Iowa; Jeffrey L. Jones, III, son of Deborah A. Jones, who is employed by England Inc., New Tazewell, Tenn.; Kelsey J. Workman, daughter of Glenn T. Workman, who is employed by Bassett Furniture, Newton, N.C.; Megan E. Underwood, daughter of Harry L. Underwood, who is employed by Stanley Furniture Co., Stanleytown, Va.; Nicole B. Smith, daughter of Jennifer L. Smith, who is employed by Bassett Furniture Warehouse, Bassett, Va.; and Kaitlyn P. Crews, daughter of David E. Bryan, who is employed by Ashley Furniture Co., Ripley, Miss.

v Hooker furniture Partners with Independent RetailersHooker Furniture and its independent dealers are moving forward with a manufacturer-retailer alliance to engage today’s changing consumers through web marketing and local-focused e-commerce.As part of the co-branded partnership called P3, Hooker is building out e-commerce websites, or “iStores,” for retailers that offer Hooker Furniture brands for sale in the retailer’s local marketplace, including Hooker, Sam Moore, Bradington-Young and Seven Seas Seating. Eventually, retailers may add other vendors to their iStore as desired.Currently, approximately 30 retailers are part of the P3 program, including seven with live e-commerce enabled iStores. Several more iStore websites are live and should be e-commerce enabled in the near future. The iStores are being built and serviced by Hooker’s partner, Channel Redefined of Green Bay, Wisc., an e-commerce specialist in the home decor arena for more than 15 years. In addition to the e-commerce platform, the other key facet of the P3 program is in-depth training by Hooker in online marketing and sales best practices, consumer trends and product knowledge through an ongoing P3 University Webinar program.

Send your latest news stories to [email protected]. We love to hear what’s going on with you.


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Quick-Fire Marketing is brought to you by R&A Marketing. Armed with more than 25 years of furniture retail marketing experience as a full-service traditional and digital marketing company, R&A is the industry’s premier agency for retailers in the home furnishings and appliances/electronics industries. Visit us on the web at www.ramarketing.com or email us at [email protected].

We recently had a client experience an increase in traffic by 31 percent versus the previous year. Why? We made a concentrated effort to deliver our client’s message straight to the consumer in the comfort of his or her home.Marketing messages bombard today’s consumers in so many ways every day to the point that a lot of these messages just become noise. This is the nature of today’s online and mobile marketplace. It may seem overwhelming (because it is!), but we don’t need to manage every aspect of this reality. What we should focus on is how and when our consumer will hear the noise, and how we can make our message stand out.Let’s look at a common advertising medium: outdoor billboards. Billboards have become digital advertisements that rotate messages no differently than an online banner or TV commercial. How many cars/people are you potentially missing? In today’s fast-paced world it is almost too easy to overlook these types of marketing messages. Can this medium truly give you a direct channel to the consumer?How do you define a “direct channel”? It can be anything the consumer has to consciously do on his or her own time. He or she could turn on the TV while preparing breakfast or check their email before leaving the house to run errands. They check the mailbox first after a long day at work or they update their social media outlets directly from a smart phone. These devices and mediums all revolve around personal space. They are advertising vehicles with which consumers will receive your message through their own free will.

Utilize the Every Door Direct Mail program and send out targeted mailers over a four-week period. Include an additional mobile opt-in feature for a text special or have them scan a QR code.

Utilize pay-per-click advertising to drive potential furniture searches toward a dynamic online landing page and give the shopper an additional bonus offer. Added bonus: You have just directed them to your best promotional vehicle—your website.

Send out email marketing campaigns that talk about a store-wide offer while featuring various clearance items that are only available to your email subscribers.

q Have a “Gas Card Giveaway” sweepstakes on Facebook, while utilizing Twitter and Pinterest to drive activity to your Facebook page.

Purchase decision-making no longer happens in the car while deciding to shop. It happens long before that. It starts through searches on the web, information gathered through direct, targeted mediums and through online conversations. Consumers are speaking up and telling us how and where to reach them. Are you willing to listen?

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What’s SellingEvery month, What’s Selling Now features best-sellers from across the country, in different styles, categories and price points. Here’s what’s selling now.

Submitted By: Duane CollieStore Name: The Keeping RoomLocation: Alexandria, VirginiaManufacturer: Hancock & MooreProduct Name: Sundance seriesIs the product: Made in America – Yes Warehouse Ready – No Container Product – NoCost: Varies based on custom optionsRetail Cost: Varies based on custom optionsProduct Level: HighWhy do you think it is a successful seller? The style is unique. It has concave features and button details. You could furnish the whole room with the series.How available is the product from the manufacturer? Custom-made in 6 to 8 weeks.

Submitted By: Neil LarsonStore Name: My House Your Home FurnishingsLocation: Brick, New JerseyManufacturer: CoasterProduct Name: Sandy Beach collectionIs the product: Made in America – No Warehouse Ready – Yes Container Product – NoRetail Cost: $2,699 for the full collectionProduct Level: HighHow available is the product from the manufacturer? Available immediately

What’s Selling


MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR THESE INDUSTRY EVENTSCalendar MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR THESE INDUSTRY EVENTSCalendar

Las Vegas MarketJuly 29 – August 2, 2013Las Vegas, NV www.lasvegasmarket.com

KEM Edison, NJ Furniture & Accessory Market

August 4-6, 2013Edison, New Jersey www.kemexpo.com

9th Annual Pilgrim Furniture City’s Open Classic

August 6, 2013north stonington, Connecticut www.PilgrimfurnitureCity.com

77th Central Florida Furniture & Accessory Market

August 11 & 12, 2013Kissimmee, FL www.kemexpo.com

Tupelo Furniture MarketAugust 15-18, 2013tupelo, Mississippi www.tupelofurnituremarket.com

China International Furniture Expo

September 11-15, 2013shanghai, China www.chinaexhibition.com

International Casual Furniture & Accessories MarketSeptember 17-20, 2013

Chicago, illinois www.casualmarket.com

Midwest Furniture Show

September 25-26, 2013schaumburg, illinois www.midwestfurnitureclub.com

High Point Market

October 19-24, 2013High Point, North Carolina www.highpointmarket.org

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Ad Index

ADVERTISER PHONE WEBSITE FACEBOOK TWITTER PAGE#

Ashley Furniture Industries (608) 323-3377 ashleyfurniture.com 22

Cargo Consolidation Services (828) 459-3180 cargoconsolidation.com 30

Coaster (877) 262-7837 coasterfurniture.com www.facebook.com/coasterfurniture @CoasterCompany 24

Cory1stChoiceHomeDelivery (201) 795-1000 corycompanies.com @CoryHomeDlvry 71

Cresent Fine Furniture (615) 452-1671 cresent.com www.facebook.com/cresent.furniture @cresentfurn 52

Diakon (703) 530-0677 diakonlogistics.com www.facebook.com/Diakonlogistics 68

Furniture Wizard (619) 869-7200 furniturewizard.com www.facebook.com/furniturewizard 52, 53

GE Capital (800) 888-9590 nahfa.org 3

HighPointMarket (336) 869-1000 highpointmarket.org www.highpointmarket.org/facebook @hpmarketnews 13

International Casual Furniture Market (312) 527-7764 casualmarket.com http://tinyurl.com/casualmarket 60

Jaipur Rugs (888) 416-8600 jaipurrugs.com www.facebook.com/jaipurlifestyle @jaipurlifestyle Inside Back

Kincaid Furniture (828) 728-3261 kincaidfurniture.com 51

las Vegas Market (888) 962-7469 lasvegasmarket.com www.facebook.com/wmclv @worldmarketctr 7

lynch Sales (305) 444-3939 lynchsales.com facebook.com/lynchsales 59

MicroD (800) 964-3876 microdinc.com www.facebook.com/microdinc @microdinc IFC, Back

Myriad (800) 676-4243 myriadsoftware.com http://tinyurl.com/myriadFB 23

Northwest Furniture Xpress (828) 475-6377 nwfurniturexpress.com www.facebook.com/retailernow 15

Nourison (201) 368-6900 nourison.com www.facebook.com/nourison @nourison 29

Omnia (909) 393-4400 omnialeather.com http://tinyurl.com/omnialeather @Omnialeather 52

Planned Furniture Promotions (800) 472-5242 pfpromotions.com 14

PROFITsystems (716) 894-1414 profitsystems.com www.facebook.com/profitsystems @PROFITsystems 10, 11

r&aMarketing (888) 225-0776 ramarketing.com www.facebook.com/RAmarketing @RAmarketing 66

Serta (888) 557-3782 serta.com www.facebook.com/sertamattress @sertamattresses 5

Steve Silver stevesilver.com www.facebook.com/SteveSilverCompany 70

STORIS (888) 4-STORIS storis.com http://tinyurl.com/STORIS @STORIS 18

Surya (877) 275-7847 surya.com www.facebook.com/SuryaSocial Inside Cover

NaHFasponsors (800) 888-9590 retailerNOWmag.com www.facebook.com/retailernow @retailerNow 46

Call the Cory Team TodayFor all your internet, brick & mortar and last mile delivery needs. 201.795.1000

[email protected] • www.corycompanies.com

The only home delivery company in the NY Metro area with the scale and expertise to meet the warehousing, prep, deluxing, tracking and last mile

delivery needs of any national retailer, independent or design center operation.

Reach 25 Million ConsumersFrom Cory’s State-of-the-Art

NJ Distribution Center

Direct from manufacturer Port of NY • Open, Inspect & Prep Furniture • Large Modern Fleet • Service From CT through DEUniformed Courteous Drivers • Next Day Delivery / In-Home Repair • Trained Crews-White Glove Delivery • Tracking / Tablets

Family Owned.Trusted Retail PartnerFor 80 Years.

cory ad nhfa third 0313_Layout 1 3/20/13 9:43 AM Page C3

PLaCEyOurWarEHOusEOrTOuCH-uPOrDEraTMarKET AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF MARKET SPECIAl SAVINGS.

$5 off your $50 order$15 off your $100 order$40 off your $200+ order

Orders must be placed in person B1050** Orders must be paid in full at market ** Discounts cannot be applied to sales tax or freight

RRCRETAILERRESOURCE CENTERWestern Home Furnishings Association

B-1050

HOT Summer Savings


The Now ListA quick dose of fun facts, random trivia and useful

(or useless) bits of info

In Saudi Arabia, it’s illegal for men to work in stores exclusively selling women’s undergarments and makeup.

Bieber Fever? Music industry giants discovered Justin Bieber because of his YouTube video resume.

In one night, a mole can dig 300 feet of tunnel.

psst... “123456” is the most common email password. If this is your password, you should probably change it!

30% of telecommuterswork in their pajamas.

1,896 HOURS On average, U.S. employees spend at least 1,896 hours per year at work.

During a single workday, a typist’s fingers travel 12.6 miles on average.

More Alaskans walk to work than do employees in any other state.

Americans spend more than 100 hours a year commuting to work.

Out of all full-time U.S. workers, 66 percent claim to be heavy drinkers, compared to 4.9 percent of part-time U.S. workers.

NAPPING ON THE JOBEmployees can nap at work at one percent of U.S. employers.

Rubber bands will last longer if you refrigerate them.

People with blue rooms appear to be getting the best night's sleep, while people with caramel-colored walls are having the most sex.http://www.houzz.com

RETAIL CRIME The top 10 U.S. cities with the worst organized retail crime are: Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Northern New Jersey and San Francisco/Oakland.

iPHONE SECRETFor the busy minimalist who wants to keep a low profile, this option is for you. Go into “settings” >

“accessibility” and then turn “LED flash for alerts” to “on”. This will prompt your phone to turn on the camera flash whenever you receive a message or email when the phone is set to silent.

Vol. 2 Issue 5

“EMP

LOYEE A

PP

REC

IATION

” JULY Issue

JULY 2013

2YEARS

1993 - 2013

why buy into generation y?

mobile.iPadsmartphone

web.retailersmanufacturers

seo.local listingskeyword metrics

one source.marketingselling

MicroD incorporated11301 Carmel Commons Dr., Suite 114 | Charlotte, nC 28226

1985 tate blvd., Suite 301 | hickory, nC 28602

[email protected] | 800.964.3876 | www.microdinc.com

panel discussion @ upcoming las vegas market.tueSDay, JuLy 3012:30 PM - 1:30 PMretailer resource Centerbuilding b / 10th Floor

We look forward to seeing you!

whY BuY into genY? There are over 80 million GenY consumers that hold $200 billion in spending power. How much do you really know about the demographic born between 1982-1999? •What are they buying?•How are they shopping?•What gets them to spend?

Join us for a panel discussion and Q&A session, presented by MicroD’s retailer, manufacturer, and technology partners, to learn about what matters to this generation. In addition, panelists will review the roles of social media, eCommerce, and how to maximize your website to attract and sell to the GenY consumer.

July 2013—Employee Appreciation

Documents

productive workers

happy workers

website product placement

tmlas vegas market

store sales

store shopping product

home accessories

weekly recognitiononce