Yeah, That's The Ticket

Last year, in this column, (V8N2 Summer 1996) I expressed my opinion on the industry's growth curve. The big unknown was how the traditional furniture stores would handle the futon furniture category. Several have bought into the category and have a real program in place. Unfortunately, many others have chosen to dabble. Many of these companies fail to succeed because of their lack of commitment. But most fail not because of what they are selling but because of how they are selling it, or not selling it, as the case might be. Here are some rather lame excuses I've heard from reps and retailers alike as to why some traditional furniture and bedding retailers say, "futon sofa-bed will never sell in my store":

"I can't spend this much time selling a futon sofa-bed. I don't care if the customer came in looking for one or not." I suppose this sales person has never gone shopping for a new car?

"Do you really expect me to try and sell such a complicated piece of furniture? There are three different parts to this thing." I guess this associate hasn't ever seen a component stereo before. They probably have one of those TVs with the VCR built into it.

"You want me to stock more than ten different futon covers. People get confused with too many choices." Maybe this sales person has never been to a super market or CD store?

"Futon sofa-beds are low end and I don't do low end." Perhaps this sales person should have gone to the Futon Expo in Phoenix?

I was at a meeting recently with a pair of clients who were at opposing ends of a futon sofa-bed argument regarding a product they each thought they knew a lot about. The fact is they do know a lot about the product they are trying to sell. The problem was, they were arguing about the marketing issues from their gut and not from any statistical basis. I asked them both to examine their sources. Each one accepted the fact that their opinion was based on what they believed not on what they knew.

(Joe, get to the point.) The point is we need the results of the ongoing FAI survey. If the survey results are not forthcoming we deserve what we get for not stepping up to the plate and doing the right thing. On the other hand, with survey results in place, our industry will have to be recognized as maturing and as a viable category for all types of retail options. Wall Street Journal here we come.

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