Press Release - October 17, 2009
HomeFurnishings.com Launched With The Support of 3700 Retail Storefronts
HIGH POINT, NC – When the non-profit The National Home Furnishings Association (NHFA) launched their new consumer web portal, HomeFurnishings.com, on Oct. 15, it had the support of 3700 retail storefronts or about 1900 retailers found in the HomeFurnishings.com dealer locator.
Doug Kays, chairman of the NHFA, noted, “The reception and level of commitment by our membership to this exciting, all-industry promotion program and consumer web portal has been rewarding. In development for the past 18 months, the key objective of this program is to elevate the perceived value of our products by the consumer and get this consumer into the stores of our members. We are confident that we have compelling content and a sustainable revenue model that will enable us to invest in industry promotion at higher and higher levels over time. Our not-for-profit service mission ensures our members, suppliers, and advertisers that their investment in our program will be maximized.”
In a show of support for this remarkable promotional program and consumer web portal, Schewel’s, Wolf’s Furniture Enterprises, Lawrance Furniture and Morris Home Furnishings along with RoomStore, Spiller Furniture and Garden City Furniture, just to mention a few, have all committed to participating in the HomeFurnishings.com program. By the end of the fourth quarter, NHFA is looking forward to concluding discussions regarding participation with the majority of its current and past leadership and launching its promotional program in the first quarter of 2010.
According to Mike Spiller, NHFA president and chairman of Spiller Furniture Stores in Tuscaloosa, “NASA’s space shuttle has given us the ability to go to outer space and return with amazing results. HomeFurnishings.com will give us amazing results as well. The only difference is HomeFurnishings.com flies faster and goes further with the internet. Both of these vehicles are expensive and no one entity could go it alone. But like the space shuttle, HomeFurnishings.com becomes very affordable when the cost is shared by many subscribers. HomeFurnishings.com is professionally done and impressive. Full of rich content and great ideas aimed at the consumer and with the dealer locator, it will “SHUTTLE” customers to our websites and get them into our stores. HomeFurnishings.com is our rocket to success!!!”
Dianne Ray, president and owner of Garden City Furniture in South Carolina, said that HomeFurnishings.com will “help our store by putting us in front of consumers looking for home furnishings and giving them the confidence and trust to shop with us as the preferred home furnishings retailer of the area.” She also liked that “it gives the consumer information on how to learn about home furnishings from resources that are giving information for consumers to make good buying decisions.”
Sandy Nunnally, vice president of marketing and advertising for RoomStore said that “we like that the industry is working together as a whole to promote the furniture category to consumers. It is important that consumers feel confident about their purchase decisions and that we create interest in the category. I think the personality and professionalism of the site and the exposure in the respected national media will lend credibility to our retail stores.”
National Home Furnishings Association (NHFA) is the nation’s largest non-profit organization devoted specifically to the needs and interests of home furnishings retailers. NHFA’s membership comprises 2500 business entities representing over 9,000 stores in all 50 states and several foreign countries. NHFA’s mission and vision encompass the association’s commitment to helping home furnishings retailers operate highly profitable businesses that provide an exceptional level of service to the consumers who buy their furniture. The mission of National Home Furnishings Association is to provide its members with the information, education, products and services they need to remain successful. NHFA’s vision is to excel as the definitive resource for information and leadership for home furnishings retailers.
For more information about this article, please contact Karin Mayfield at (800) 888-9590, ext. 6134.