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Retail Education

Home furnishings and lighting retailers face many challenges in this ever-changing economy. From new consumer expectations to online competition, today's retailers work hard to ensure their customers have access to on-trend products and great customer service. In this section, you'll find all things retailing — news, features, analysis and tools — needed to make your retail business a success.

IMC June 2021 Market Insights Webinar to Focus on Cross-Merchandising

As retailers enter the summer 2021 market season with a renewed focus on diversifying their product mix – whether via new strategy or necessity – IMC is preparing them to effectively source in its…
Universal Furniture, High Point Market
Universal Furniture has announced its educational lineup for High Point Market

Universal Furniture Learning Center Agenda for High Point Market

Universal Furniture’s in-person learning events return this June with live streaming opportunities for those who can’t attend. And back by popular demand is the Universal To the Trade Designer’s…
Image by TheDigitalWay from Pixabay
Image by TheDigitalWay from Pixabay

6 Steps to Protecting Your Customer's Information

When data breaches hit large retailers, such as Target, we hear about it. Smaller businesses can have even more challenges when it comes to data security. As a retailer, it’s likely you accept credit…
Image by Wokandapix from Pixabay
Image by Wokandapix from Pixabay

Resilience In Retail

This month’s word is RESILIENCE: the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties.  If ever there has been a year where resilience has been required, it’s been this one. With COVID shutdowns and…
Coco & Dash
“People come to us for color,” says Teddie Garrigan, co-owner of Coco & Dash.

The Impact of Decorative Pillows on Retail Sales

Tossed. Carefully positioned. As support. On a bed, sofa or accent chair. Pillows, those lovely pieces of textile surrounding deliciously soft insides, can be a quick fix for updating a room or a…

Home Design Business Think Tank: A Focus on Profit for Retailers

Home Design Business Think Tank: All About the Benjamins As a home furnishings retailer or interior designer, one of your primary goals in business is to turn a profit. We’ve put together a Home…
High Point Market Authority, Purple mattress, ideastreams
How has Purple developed it's unique brand loyalty paradigm?

High Point Market Authority Partners with HFA, Purple for May IdeaStreams Webinar

The High Point Market Authority is partnering with the Home Furnishings Association (HFA) and Purple Innovation for its next webinar in the spring 2021 IdeaStreams series. The session will explore…
Image by Hands off my tags! Michael Gaida from Pixabay
Image by Hands off my tags! Michael Gaida from Pixabay

March Retail Sales See Strong Rebound

Retail sales rebounded with huge gains in March as government checks fattened consumers’ bank accounts and more vaccination against COVID-19 made it easier for shoppers to get out of the house and…
Photo by Hakan Nural on Unsplash
Photo by Hakan Nural on Unsplash

How Will Business Change After the Pandemic?

As we’re closing this issue, I’m getting ready for my first COVID-19 vaccine. The thought of finally being somewhat protected from this virus after a year of hunkering down has allowed me to start…
Photo by Blake Wisz on Chasing Creative
Photo by Blake Wisz on Chasing Creative

7 Questions That Need a ‘Yes’ to Close More Retail Sales

If you work in retail sales, you have to care about your customer first. If you start with what they — as a visitor to your Planet Furniture or Planet Lighting — are experiencing and if you are aware…
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