Article Number : 897 |
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| Date | 2/28/2006 10:42:59 AM |
| Written By | LGM & Associates Technical Flooring Services |
| View this article at: | //floorbiz.com/BizResources/NPViewArticle.asp?ArticleID=897 |
| Abstract | Dallas—On the heels of 10 price increases over the last 24 months, Abbey Carpet members were implored to re-merchandise their selling floor with Abbey-branded products and displays as the retail group gathered here Feb. 10 to 12 for its annual conclave... |
| Article | By Steven Feldman Dallas—On the heels of 10 price increases over the last 24 months, Abbey Carpet members were implored to re-merchandise their selling floor with Abbey-branded products and displays as the retail group gathered here Feb. 10 to 12 for its annual conclave. According to Steve Silverman, president, products often lose value in the minds of salespeople when they are subjected to a myriad of price increases. And salespeople are the first people who must be invigorated. To that end, Abbey introduced more new product and privately branded displays at convention than ever. And those new displays contain black product cards as opposed to the old white ones to signify new product. He added that first impressions are everything, and an Abbey dealer’s showroom should evoke an upscale, stylish appearance. “Consumers want to see fashion and color. We are in a style business. And if a showroom does not tell consumers that you understand color and design, you are starting off from a negative position.” Refitting a showroom with the latest Abbey displays, Silverman explained, not only achieves this but also creates continuity as opposed to a store that contains a hodgepodge of displays with no sensible flow or layout. “Retailers must keep re-investing in their businesses,” he said. “The competition is not getting any easier. They need to dress up the exterior of their stores as well as the interior by re-sampling with new displays.” But re-sampling the sales floor with Abbey-branded products accomplishes two more things: it prevents the consumer from shopping a product at other retail outlets, and it eliminates the Internet as interference. Keith Spano, Abbey’s vice president of marketing, added that re-merchandising with the Abbey-branded displays creates a cohesive, professional appearance to any store. “It makes a store the floor covering destination in one’s marketplace,” noting it’s easy for a retailer to get complacent with the look of his store. “Over time retailers don’t look at their stores through their customers’ eyes. A showroom needs to be up-dated regularly.” While on the subject of private labeling, Abbey built on the success of last year’s Exotic Hardwood and Handcrafted Hardwood displays by offering three more hardwood categories. The first is Abbey Classic Hardwood, which marks the debut of wood into the Abbey core offering. The engineered line is comprised of 40 Mannington SKUs in a variety of colors, species and price points. According to Spano, they apply to 70% of the hardwood business being done today. Displays ship the first week in March. “It’s nice to have these Mannington products private-labeled under the Abbey brand knowing it can’t be shopped,” said John Nunn of Abbey Carpet in Columbus, Ohio. “Plus, it offers competitive price points.” The second new hardwood program, also part of the Abbey core offering, is Alexander Smith Living with Scotchgard. The line offers a blend of 12, 3/4-in. solids in 3-1/4- and 4-in. widths, and 15 1-1/6-in. engineered in mostly 3-in.-wide formats. “The core program is an excellent value,” said Dennis Avgerinos of Abbey Carpet in Ellicott City, Md. “You can’t beat it, and with the inclusion of hard surface into the program it’s now an even greater value. I just bought 12 carpet displays and two wood displays for $1,200.” The third and final new wood category is Abbey Old World Custom Hardwood featuring designer-oriented custom products, which can be customized in plans up to 12-in. wide and up to 12-ft. long. Every aspect has the ability of customization, including distressing, colors, finishes and species. In addition to the planks, parquet panels from 24- to 36-in. are available in eight patterns. Product and programs weren’t the only things new at convention. For example, Abbey Decorator, which will launch in the fall, offers consumers the potential to build virtual rooms with Abbey flooring products. Linked either through the abbeycarpet.com consumer Web site or abbeydecorator.com, the end user will have the ability to change the color of wall paint, choose from a selection of furniture that is most indicative of her own home and allows her to envision how her potential flooring choices will ultimately look in her home. Avgerinos is looking forward to the launch. “Anything Abbey can do on the Internet is beneficial. We are losing a lot of business to the Internet.” Abbey has also re-vamped much of its marketing materials. “The goal here is cohesion of merchandising, marketing and advertising,” Spano said. Everything from letter-head and thank you notes to in-store signage has been redone with a more upscale touch that includes rich colors—black, gold and cream. The advertising philosophy has also been re-worked. Instead of bi-monthly promotions, they will be more merchandise driven and last for 90 days, Spano said. |