Shifman Mattresses, a manufacturer of luxury, hand-crafted mattresses, announced that it has grown its retailer account base by 23 percent in 2009, despite the down economy. Additionally, Shifman experienced a 42.2 percent sales growth in the fourth quarter of 2009, as compared to the same quarter in 2008. The trend continued in January 2010, with a sales increase of 43 percent. Shifman attributes this growth to its commitment to the values the company was founded on 117 years ago, making high-quality, handcrafted mattresses and providing retailers with the necessary tools to achieve success.
The current economic recession has impacted many sectors of business, including the home furnishings industry. This coupled with the furniture industry losing more than 60 percent of its production capacity in the United States since 2000* has led many mattress manufacturers to cut production costs in order to weather the economic storm.
It takes approximately eight to 12 hours to make a Shifman mattress set, while mass-produced brands make more than 10 sets in the same timeframe. This is because Shifman stays true to its core values of manufacturing only the highest quality mattresses. Shifman has not followed the industry trend of cutting manufacturing costs. In fact, it has recently expanded its manufacturing facility by 40 percent. Additionally, craftspeople still hand-make each mattress and boxspring using the most luxurious materials to produce its two-sided mattresses.
"We are a unique company. Even in a tough economy, we refuse to cut corners and compromise the quality of our products for the sake of efficiency. We are committed to creating a superior mattress and providing our retailers with a product that will increase profits," commented Bill Hammer, president of Shifman Mattress Company. "Our customer doesn?t want a typical mass-produced mattress, they are looking for something that will provide ultimate comfort and stand the test of time. Staying true to our values of creating top-quality mattresses differentiates us from competitors and positions us well for continued growth."
The family-owned business has leveraged its ongoing commitment to quality in order to grow its retailer base by 23 percent in 2009. A key factor to Shifman?s growth is its strategic approach to retailer relationships. It offers exclusive distribution to retailers, providing them with a unique selling opportunity. Shifman also works with retailers to create effective co-op advertising programs that help drive store traffic, sales and overall profitability.
Sedlak Interiors, a fine home furnishings retailer based in Solon, OH, is one of Shifman's newest accounts. Sedlak began selling Shifman mattresses in June, 2009 and has experienced success. In March, Sedlak plans to install an entire Shifman gallery showroom to better showcase its full line of Shifman mattress sets.
"We are thrilled with our decision to sell Shifman mattresses and we have done tremendous business with this product. The company has a great story and the product is one of a kind, making it an easy sell," commented Jeff Sedlak, owner Sedlak Interiors. "Shifman has restored our confidence in the mattress business. Our sales staff was extremely skeptical of mattresses considering the high return rate we experienced with other brands. Now, everyone is completely energized to sell these mattresses. In fact, half of our staff has purchased a Shifman mattress for themselves."
*Reported in the December 2009 article ?The Plight of American Manufacturing? published in The American Prospect.
About Shifman Mattresses: Shifman is a leading designer and manufacturer of luxury, hand-crafted mattresses that are built with the same commitment to quality, integrity and true craftsmanship that the company was founded on 117 years ago. A family-owned company, Shifman operates under the management of the Hammer family. In 2008, Shifman enhanced its facility with a 24,000 square foot, state-of-the-art warehouse addition in Newark, NJ. Shifman has a proven track record of creating strategic partnerships with its dealers to increase retail profits and customer satisfaction.