Robert Kennedy proclaimed in a speech many years ago, “There is a Chinese curse which says, ‘May he live in interesting times.’ ” As current events continue to unfold, it would seem as though we are living in increasingly interesting times. Recent announcements by many auto manufacturers that production lines
More Sales = More Returns Do you have a solid returns process? As retailers gear up for peak sales seasons, it’s important not to lose sight of what happens next. Unfortunately, some of the merchandise you sell is going to come back! And increased sales mean increased returns. With more
In the past few years, the terms Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma have been tossed around as companies look for proven methodologies in improving operations and reducing expense. Both approaches have been widely adopted in many industries with impressive results. There are two challenges for a small business owner: first,
Over the past few years, the emergence of the digital economy had already begun to change consumers’ expectations and buying habits. The COVID-19 pandemic has only accelerated the pace of change – placing more power and choice in consumers’ hands. Consumers are demanding – and smart retailers are providing –
Making a typical final mile home delivery in the COVID-19 era has changed for the foreseeable future. Many retailers have risen to the challenge and innovated quickly to provide options – driven by consumer preferences. Prior to the pandemic, the majority of deliveries made by full-line furniture retailers were a
For the furniture industry, fall is traditionally the “peak” quarter with higher than average sales volume driven by consumers refocusing on their homes after spending time outdoors in the summer months. Further driven by Thanksgiving, Christmas and year-end bonuses, furniture retailers usually experience their highest furniture sales for the year.
Furniture retailers are enjoying a spike in sales since they reopened stores last summer. But there’s a price for that success: Those record sales are exposing weaknesses on many businesses’ supply chain and logistics operations. Specifically, retailers are seeing room for improvement with their inventory management, distribution and warehousing, and
I have a favorite saying by the immortal Matt Ross. Matt had a ton of Mattisms that I loved to
Recently, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) denied an industry request, co-signed by HFA, to extend the comment period for
David Enos of Phelps Digital outlines the key things to think about when starting and evaluating your digital marketing campaigns
Job success usually requires a combination of both soft and hard employee skills. Soft skills are more interpersonal and shape
*Disclaimer: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit (based in New Orleans, LA) has issued a temporary, national
Congress and the Trump administration are preparing another Covid-19 relief package. The Home Furnishings Association’s Washington representative, Chris Andresen, and government relations liaison Doug Clark
Everyone is trying to figure out what the “new normal” will look like when your stores reopen. What will recovery look like to you and
