Here is a sampling of the comments and suggestions we received along with the answers to the survey questions.

General comments

It’s sad what futon customers know (or think they know) because of discount stores. Get the image of the futon changed from what the discount stores are doing - they are "bastardizing" the product. If you do that, people won’t want it in their homes. Parents in their 40-50s are buying futons for college. If they come in to the store, they’ll buy.
-Renee Halseth Allen, Nature's Cradle, MT

We definitely use the Expo to find who we’re going to use. We don’t use the advertisers’ information so much. Mostly industry gossip is what we use the magazine for. The surveys are most helpful. What could be more helpful is to discourage other retailers from selling crap and selling stuff like used car sales people. People respond to our futon store because of the way it looks and the way our people relate to customers. One of the things that we appreciate is reading stories about other retailers and manufacturers. It’s very much about having relationships with suppliers - want to be treated by them the way they treat their customers. Interesting to see about retailers doing interesting things.
-Mark Bello, Right On Futon, IL

I think FL is geared more toward mortar futon stores - don’t know if you have enough of an internet clientele to warrant changes in the magazine.
-Leslie Boling, Mostcovers..com, Inc., GA

The thing that’s the most beneficial is sales, style and futon industry trends. I would like to hear about new ideas that are working, not just new ideas. We try to glean - if we see the same message over and over again, then it probably makes sense. Lots of new futon designs, pictures are very helpful. Lots of times, we will clip pictures to show different ways futons can be used. We like to show a futon setting that a customer may not think of.
-Alan Salmela, Sunrise Mattress Factory, MN

Put more emphasis on education of the public, although Futon Life has done a pretty good job.
-Joe Poljak, World Futon, TN

FL needs to reach us by mail before the furniture markets. This is
especially frustrating when it comes the week after the San Francisco Show! This is the very best trade publication! There’s always something we need to know and learn about futons.
-Susan Anderson, Futons & Such, CA

Make retailers more aware of new futon styles and trends that are manufactured.
-Bernard Berch, Arise Futon, CT

Come out with not so much a retailer’s version, but a customer’s version, without the direct contact information of manufactures. Show pictures of new stuff coming out with their 800 numbers and emails; no fax, no direct line number. This will weed out people trying to buy directly from manufacturers. Put more stores in there - a lot of info put out is strictly for retailers. Simplicity for the consumer is much easier – maybe create a pamphlet, an extra plug in for sales to promote the industry more. Make it so retailers can keep it more on the floor; maybe a four-page futon pan flit or insert for the consumer, a tool that they could use. Something simplistic, showing what the industry is putting out for the customer.
-James Morris, Sleep Express, CA

Change the perception of futons as cheap.
-Mike Legatt, Viking Industries, MN

I’ve been in business 17 years. I’m not interested in how to sell futons. I’m interested in new stuff, not basics. Interested in what would be new in the industry and innovative, if anything.
-Sally Running, Futon Furnishings, ME

The articles seem to be repetitious - then again, there’s nothing really that new. Try to be an advocate for the industry to advertise a little more. FAI should be trying to get the industry to advertise a little more and change people’s perception a little more. Most futon companies have expanded and are doing more with futon bunks, platform beds, etc. Does the magazine think it would expand also?
-Tilson Bennett, Siesta Sleepworks, MA

The number one problem with futons is they don’t look like a real sofa. I know how to do that. Engineering standards - durability, dimension (angle of seat and back), cover fit – you don’t get a consistent fit. It should be consistent to make the futon covers look good. The industry needs to agree and stick to standards. FL could publish an article that talks about the issues and narrow the issues to how to make the futon a real sofa. You should investigate, and speak with people like me.
-Jan Stone, Cottonwood Futons & Furnishing, WI

Expand - make it larger, more inclusive. More informative - more things that would appeal to us as a retailer. Seems like it’s the same resources every quarter.
-West D. Waters, Codder’s House Furniture Sales, MA

In the media, futons are considered a laughable piece of furniture - not portrayed as quality pieces of furniture. A media avenue, some type of blitz - get Oprah to sit on a futon in her show. Maybe try to get futons on a game show – put it in the mainstream. The FAI should buck up and do something – they’re getting dues. Something better needs to be done. Everybody has a rack arm futon frame or flip-top futon arm. No one is coming out with anything new. Find out what other furniture manufacturers are doing and come out with something like that. Find out what everyone is doing and put a symposium together. Or set up a website for suggestions, or how’s everything selling - have a co-op, a togetherness to help each other.
-Brian, Dream Sleep, UT

FL