Furniture First Buying Group announced that it has finalized its plans to hold their Annual Symposium in Las Vegas, NV, Friday, September 11th – Sunday, September 13th. The event will be held at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino and hotel rooms for the membership will be sponsored by the World Market Center. After the Symposium, members will have the convenience of shopping the Market.
This year’s theme, “Retail Revolution / Evolution” will focus on enhancing the customer experience through social media, in-store seminars, in-store selling and email marketing. Members will also learn about non-commission sales methods, how to double their closing ratio, generate profit from home deliveries, sell add-on TVs with home entertainment and bedroom furniture purchases, increase their average mattress sale by $200, build and maintain their website using the Furniture First custom program and how to implement private label programs.
Furniture First has arranged a dynamic and knowledgeable cast of speakers who include both industry professionals and retailer-members. Industry professionals include: Leslie Carothers,The Kaleidoscope Partnership; Jim Gilmore, Strategic Horizons; Mark Lacy, The Furniture Training Company; Bill Hale, DSI Systems Inc.; George Whalin, Retail Management Consultants; John McCloskey, The Profitability Consulting Group; and Chris Sietsema, Off Madison Ave. Those presenting from the membership include: Carmine Caruso, Blocker’s Furniture; Randy Coconis, Coconis Furniture; Riley Griffiths, Riley’s Furniture Gallery; Ed Kennedy, Great Deals on Furniture; Dave Tolbert, Fashion Furniture; Bob Wetmore, A & W Furniture; and Board of Directors Chairman, Jeff Winter, Discovery Furniture.
Along with the variety of educational sessions, Furniture First will also hold a “Best Sellers” Networking Session in which the membership will be asked to present a list of their top merchandise. A “Best Idea” Session, which will consist of best ideas in operations, marketing, training, management, warehouse and delivery, will give members a chance to win cash prizes.
Sponsors for the event include:
- • A.R.T
• Jofran Inc.
• Ashley Furniture Industries
• Julius M. Feinblum Real Estate
• AspenHome
• Klaussner Furniture Industries
• Catnapper
• Leggett & Platt
• Coaster / Private Reserve
• Protection 1st (Montage)
• Comfort Solutions (King Koil)
• Sealy Mattress Co.
• CraftMaster Furn. Corp
• Serta International
• Great River Trading Co.
• Simmons
• Guardsman
• Tempur-Pedic
• Impact Consulting Company (Performance Group)
• World Market Center
Furniture First is a home furnishings & mattresses only buying cooperative representing independent home furnishings retailers from medium-low to medium-high end quality products across the United States. If you would like more information about the organization, please contact Bill Hartman, President, at 1-800-411-3477 ext. 123 or via email at BHartman@FurnitureFirst.com or Bob Muenkel for new membership information, at ext. 136 or via email at BMuenkel@FurnitureFirst.com or visit Bill and Bob at the Furniture First Las Vegas Showroom located at WMC B-0962. For more information visit www.FurnitureFirst.com or www.FurnitureFirst.coop