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Q: Over the years, have you seen customers shift towards or away from American-made furniture? Based on that, what have you done to meet your customers’ needs?
Initially, we saw customers being more concerned about price than where the product was made. In the last few years, we have noticed a shift of attitude. More people are asking if it’s Made in America. We feel it has to do with being dissatisfied with the quality of their previous purchases, patriotism and wanting to support the U.S. economy. Kim Winnette Barr’s Furniture McMinnville, Tennessee... Read More
Q: What advertising medium will you focus the most energy on in 2013?
We are re-directing a lot of our advertising dollars to social media. We have invested in a new website through FurnitureDealer.net and have enhanced our Facebook presence by partnering with R&A Marketing. Also through R&A Marketing we have added Twitter, Foursquare, Pinterest and we will soon be blogging. By partnering with professionals who do this for a living it allows us to stay on top... Read More
Q: Where do you see your business going in the next five years?
At Almira, repeat business and referrals from past customers continue to account for a large percentage of our sales. Being customer service-oriented, friends tell friends about their experiences dealing with us which fuels our sales. That said, going forward I see the growth in smart phones and Internet searches and realize we need to be constantly updating our website, social media sites, email... Read More
Q: How do you prepare for Market?
We prepare for Market by looking at our open to buy report and try to determine what needs to be replaced on our floor. This is a process that helps us start to focus on our needs long before we leave for Market. The last thing we want to do is just go blindly into showrooms, as it is a bit like going to a grocery store when you are hungry! We then prioritize the “must see” vendors, those we should... Read More
Q: Why is it important to connect with others in the industry?
The home furnishings industry is unique in that there are very few national players. This affords each retailer the opportunity to share information on how we do business without the fear of our competition using it against us. I have found that I can learn from retailers that are smaller than our company as well as those larger on a variety of issues including finance, marketing, sales management,... Read More
Q: What advice do you have for the next generation of the industry?
A: Start early—make it your passion and love the work. Get used to people and love that interaction. You must greet people with a great big smile and make people comfortable. Try your best to get along with the older generation as they have traveled the road ahead of you and are making it easier for you. Also be aware of the generation after you, as they are the future for both you and our industry.... Read More
What changes have you made in your business to remain relevant to today’s consumer?
We have really invested in our website, and we now have an employee dedicated to social media. Part of investing in our website was to make it fully bilingual. Even though we cater to a mostly Spanish-speaking consumer, we felt that it was important to have everything available in both English and Spanish. Along with making our website bilingual, we added an area to join our mailing list, a news feed... Read More
What are your fears in your operation today? How are you overcoming these fears?
I wouldn’t use the word fear to describe anything in our operation. We actually refer to ourselves as “street fighters” so fear is not in our vocabulary. The more applicable terminology would be “major risk challenges”. We’re in as complicated and challenging of an industry as any other out there today. We face the same controllable challenges like supply chain and payroll and the uncontrollable like... Read More
