HFA Resource Center

High Point Furniture Market

The Resource Center on the first floor of Plaza Suites, space 1-527, has been designed to offer retailers more at High Point Market. Learn how to grow your business, partner with the leading vendors and experts in the industry, and connect with other furniture retailers.

Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping marketing and its impact on retail is becoming impossible to ignore. With new AI tools emerging daily, furniture retailers face a critical question: how do you effectively integrate AI without compromising the human creativity and authenticity that customers trust?

In this live event, industry experts come together to share real-world experiences using AI to enhance marketing performance, customer insights, personalization, and efficiency all without sacrificing brand voice. Panelists will share how AI can be leveraged to differentiate your brand, personalize the customer experience, and create marketing that feels distinct- not automated.

Today’s furniture shoppers buy from brands they trust. In this live event and Q&A, industry leaders will explore how authentic storytelling, centered on your people, process, and purpose, helps furniture retailers stand out in crowded, competitive markets. Panelists will share real-world examples of how to humanize your brand, highlight employees and craftsmanship, and use customer stories to communicate what truly sets your store apart without sounding self-promotional. Attendees will leave with practical, actionable ideas they can apply across digital, social, and in-store channels.

Step into the shoes of today’s furniture shopper and discover what truly shapes their in-store experience.

In this live event, Elevate Marketing Research shares key findings from an in-depth consumer study that maps the modern furniture buyer’s journey—from early inspiration to post-purchase satisfaction. Learn how today’s shoppers move through the showroom, what builds trust and confidence, and where friction causes hesitation or lost sales.

In this session, you will learn: 

• What customers value most when they walk into a home furnishings store
• How shoppers prefer to engage with sales associates and navigate the showroom
• The environments and experiences that make customers feel welcome and confident
• Common pain points that slow or stop the buying decision
• What drives conversion, satisfaction, and long-term loyalty

This session breaks down real consumer data into practical insights retailers can apply immediately to improve store flow, sales interactions, and overall customer experience.

Whether you’re refining your customer experience strategy, training your sales team, or rethinking store layout and touchpoints, this webinar will help you design a customer journey aligned with what today’s buyers actually want.

Today’s most successful furniture retailers aren’t replacing personal service with technology, they’re using it to elevate it.

Join us for an engaging and practical live event exploring how immersive technologies are reshaping the way customers shop for furniture—both on the showroom floor and through digital storefronts.

From 3D room planning to augmented and virtual reality, these tools are helping sales associates and in-store designers bring ideas to life, reduce uncertainty, and guide customers toward confident purchase decisions. Learn how retailers are using technology to shorten the sales cycle, improve design presentations, and build trust—without losing the human connection that sets great retailers apart.

By the end of this session, you’ll walk away with actionable strategies to:

• Support sales associates and in-store designers with tools that guide confident, informed design decisions
• Enhance the design consultation process using 3D visualization, AR, and VR to deliver personalized, high-impact presentations
• Help customers visualize scale, color, layout, and flow—bridging the gap between imagination and reality
• Reduce buying hesitation, accelerate decision-making, and increase close rates
• Seamlessly integrate visualization technology into existing in-store and sales workflows

Your showroom is more than just a display—it’s your most powerful sales tool.

Join us for our upcoming webinar where leading trend experts from Future Snoops (formerly Fashion Snoops) will explore the latest merchandising innovations shaping the furniture and home furnishings industry.

From visual storytelling and layout strategy to color, material, and lifestyle forecasting, you’ll discover how to turn trend insights into meaningful, high-performing retail experiences.

Learn how top retailers are transforming their spaces to captivate customers, increase dwell time, and boost sales with ideas you can apply immediately, whether you’re planning a full showroom refresh or looking to make small updates with big impact.

By the end of this session, you’ll be able to:

• Identify key showroom merchandising trends influencing consumer preferences and furniture-buying behavior.
  
• Learn how to interpret and apply insights from Future Snoops to create compelling showroom stories.
  
• Discover best practices in layout, lighting, and visual presentation that enhance the customer experience.
  
• Explore strategies to efficiently re-merchandise spaces using data, customer feedback, and trend forecasting.
  
• Gain actionable takeaways from retailers successfully leveraging design trends to differentiate their showrooms and drive results.

The long-term success of every retail business depends on one thing: its people. Preparing the next generation of leaders isn’t just about filling open positions — it’s about creating a pipeline of talent ready to adapt, innovate, and sustain growth for years to come.

Join us for a thought-provoking panel discussion with experienced retailers and industry partners who have successfully navigated leadership transitions and talent development in their organizations.

You’ll gain actionable insights on identifying emerging leaders, creating advancement opportunities, and building a culture that supports leadership at every level.

By the end of this session, you’ll be able to:

• Recognize the key elements of successful leadership development and succession planning strategy in retail.
• Identify methods to recruit, train, and retain top talent for long-term growth.
• Apply practical approaches to mentoring and developing high-potential employees.
• Build systems to ensure leadership continuity while reducing risk in times of transition.

Stepping into greater responsibility within a family business comes with unique opportunities—and its own set of challenges. From managing generational expectations to balancing innovation with tradition, the path to leadership isn’t always straightforward.

In this one hour webinar featuring seasoned industry vendors and retailers who have successfully navigated leadership transitions within their own family businesses. They’ll share real-world lessons, practical strategies, and personal insights to help you lead with confidence while honoring your company’s legacy.

What You’ll Learn:

• Identify common challenges and opportunities when taking on leadership roles in a family business
  
• Build credibility and earn respect among both family and non-family employees
• Balance tradition with innovation to drive long-term business growth
  
• Foster stronger communication across generations to reduce conflict and strengthen collaboration
  
• Prepare for leadership transitions that ensure continuity and sustainability
  

This session is designed for current and future leaders in family-owned retail operations who want to make thoughtful, lasting contributions to their business—without losing sight of what makes it special.

Furniture damage and customer returns don’t just cut into profits, they can also weaken customer satisfaction and long-term loyalty.

In this one-hour webinar, you’ll discover practical strategies to reduce damage and minimize returns through better warehouse handling, deluxing, delivery processes, and staff training. You’ll see why damage prevention isn’t just about cost savings—it’s about creating a smooth, reliable customer experience that leads to repeat business and stronger brand loyalty.

What You’ll Learn:

• Pinpoint the most common sources of damage in warehouse, deluxing, and delivery—and proven ways to prevent them
  
• Understand how effective staff training safeguards merchandise and improves operational efficiency
  
• See how damage and returns directly affect customer satisfaction, loyalty, and repeat business
  
• Apply best practices that reduce returns, protect margins, and elevate the overall customer experience

Retail SEO is evolving fast. With AI-driven search and Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) reshaping how consumers discover products, retailers must adapt to stay visible and competitive.

Join us for this live Q&A-style webinar where industry experts will explore the shift from traditional SEO to AI-enhanced strategies. You’ll walk away with practical guidance on how to optimize for both search engines and answer engines—and how to align SEO with your broader digital marketing efforts for maximum impact.

What You’ll Learn:

• Understand the current state of SEO for retailers and how it’s changing in the AI era.
  
• Define AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) and how it differs from traditional SEO.
  
• Adapt your content and technical SEO for AI-driven search interfaces.
  
• Integrate SEO with digital marketing campaigns (social, email, content, PPC).
  
• Apply a holistic approach to visibility that aligns with the customer journey across channels.