WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CALIF.—In an economy where everything seems to be going down, the flooring industry has recently seen a few ups—namely prices.

In direct response to the rising cost of raw materials, manufacturers have tried raising their prices by as much as 8% in 2009. Though the increases were rescinded by the majority of manufacturers, they were in accord with rising prices across all industries, and retailers should not be afraid to implement them when they do come down the pipeline, said Per Sjofors, founder and CEO of Atenga, a pricing strategy authority that provides price training, targeted market research and price optimization services to commercial and industrial companies around the world.

“The increase in raw materials has driven companies to raise prices, and they need to defend their pricing,” he explained, noting retailers, distributors and others can get professional assistance with pricing and learn the tools to close the pricing gap while still maintaining a loyal customer base.

Atenga offers a free 30-minute Webinar titled, “How to successfully manage a price increase…and keep your customers.” The first one was held last year but due to how well it was received, the firm will be offering it again in live format early this year. For parties who don’t want to wait, it is available in recorded format.

Within the flooring industry, Sjofors said a major carpet manufacturer utilized the company’s services, although the mill’s name cannot be released due to privacy issues. “Most consumers shop for carpet infrequently—it’s not the kind of thing they buy every few weeks,” he said. “That means their price memory disappears, so they don’t have a strong judgment of what the price should be. Retailers shouldn’t be worried about raising their prices because it’s industry-wide.”

The educational Webinar shows businesses how to:

• Raise prices while retaining customers;

• Strengthen customer relations with the price increase;

• Focus on the product’s value rather than the price change, and

• Increase both profit and sales volume.

Participants are also given a free Price Increase Action Plan designed to serve as a map in order to implement what has been learned.

To register for the free session, go to atenga.com or atenga.com/pricing-education_webinar-series-registration.php.

To learn more about Atenga’s services, call 888.280.8251.