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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.

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(Photo: Pixabay user Timusu)

How to Get Useful Feedback and Reviews From Customers

No matter how successful your business is, seeking customer feedback should be a fundamental part of your operations. Without consistent input, you’ll lack honest perspective on everything from how…
pexels Kaique Rocha open sign on store door
(photo: Pexels user Kaique Rocha)

4 Ways to Make the Best of a Slow Business Day

Anyone who works in retail knows that business can vary drastically, going from dead to bustling in a matter of minutes. But some days are just plain slow. On those days, it can be easy to lose track…
Monitor and tablet with keyboard and mouse on desk
Photo: Pexels

How to Know When Your Website Needs a Refresh

In the home design industry, trends come and go over the course of a few market seasons. Website design follows a similar pattern. As Google updates its algorithms every year or so and web users…
Spiky orb pendants in gold and red from Light Play frosted light bulbs for chandeliers
frosted light bulbs for chandeliers

Clear or Frosted Light Bulb?

How do you know when to use a clear bulb or frosted bulb? There are no hard and fast rules, but luckily you’ve asked somebody who has strong opinions. First off, just to be confusing, light bulbs…

Fine Furniture Design Partners With Esquire For Licensed Collection

Fine Furniture Design announced today it has partnered with Esquire to launch the Esquire Home Collection. The 50-piece furniture collection debuting at the spring High Point Market in April…

How Shipping Can Make — Or Break — An Online Sale

You can thank Amazon for setting consumer shipping expectations. For those enrolled in Amazon Prime, free shipping — free two-day shipping to be more specific — is the norm, and while that's not true…
pexels computer photos
Photo: Pexels

4 Tools For Creating Social Media Visuals

Whether you’re posting a promotion, announcing event details or wishing your customers a happy holiday, images are a great way to share messages across your social media channels. Visuals are much…
Person ordering item on ebay through a laptop
Online retail may be changing if the Supreme Court has something to say about it. (Photo: Pexels)

U.S. Supreme Court to Hear Case on Sales Tax

Independent showrooms face a ton of competition online, and though many showrooms can compete well online with their own e-commerce stores, there's one major benefit that online-only retailer enjoy…

Howard Elliott Launches Photo Contest

Howard Elliott this week announced the launch of its Show Us Your Howard Elliott contest, where contestants can submit photos featuring Howard Elliott product for the chance to win $500.…
Whiteboard with tasks organized by weeks written on it
Get off the whiteboard and onto the internet. (Photo: Startup Stock Photos from Pexels)

4 Online Project Management Tools That Actually Manage

Are these scenarios familiar: An annoyed customer calls for the second time to ask why an associate didn't follow up on her question. The second part of an order was never placed, and now the…
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