FurnitureFan Partners with California Furniture Manufacturers Association

Furniture World Magazine

Mitchell Russo, CEO of FurnitureFan, Inc., a web-based marketing services company for the furniture industry, announced the company1s newest benefit program for the California Furniture Manufacturers Association. Russo explains, "Long committed to providing innovative service ideas and tips to its membership, CFMA's willingness to bring our state-of-the-art, streamlined web marketing services to its member base affords each manufacturer the opportunity to easily and cost-effectively dip their toes into the worldwide web!" Larry Parnell, president of CFMA explains, "CFMA is taking a pro-active role to keep furniture manufacturers alive, well and thriving. By providing each of our members with access and support to a site as rich and user-friendly as FurnitureFan.com just makes sense. Now our members, many of whom would not make the foray into the web arena alone, can now have a presence on the Internet." As a result of providing its constituency with services such as FurnitureFan's, members of the CFMA are experiencing increased sales; lower operating costs; and are being kept up to date with the current events affecting the industry. The popular web site, FurnitureFan.com, is a free nation-wide web-based service for consumers that works directly with manufacturers and local stores to create an online showroom. Users of the site set their own parameters, such as zip code and number of miles they are willing to travel, then via searches that are as generic or specific as they desire, a photo gallery of items available near them instantly pops up on screen. In essence, visitors to the site are able to "pre-shop" their favorite neighborhood stores for brand name furniture and accessories on their schedule, then drop in to test drive and purchase items during regular store hours. The new partnership will provide all interested members of CFMA with access to the following web services from FurnitureFan: A branded web site for each manufacturer's catalog, including a home page, electronic catalogue, dealer listing, and as many pages as necessary to tell their history, furniture-making process and "quality" story; each site will include a minimum 100 pictures per site; an option for incorporating coupons and value-added messages; the ability to send surveys to up to 250 customers to track product and consumer behavior; broadcast emailing to in-market shoppers from the past year; and the ability to promote a preferred product of your choice on every third page of the site; seamless links to a manufacturer' s existing URL's and e-mail; participation in an unlimited Active Leads Program, whereby interested shoppers are literally "driven" to the individual location nearest them that carries the manufacturer's brand. The leads come from consumers who request more information on manufacturer-branded item. If there are no retailers in the area, manufacturers have the option to answer those inquires personally, as well; and training for CFMA partners by FurnitureFan professionals, providing tips, suggestions and guidance so that each new manufacturer's web site is effective, easy-to-use and efficient. Since 1911, the California Furniture Manufacturers Association (CFMA) has been serving the interests of the furniture industry throughout the state. CFMA's mission statement is to educate, promote and protect the interests of furniture manufacturers in the state of California. The new relationship between CFMA and FurnitureFan provides its member base with a real Internet solution and presence. Russo observes, "If we can make building a web site easy and affordable for furniture manufacturers, we accomplish two important goals: 1.) furniture manufacturers build their web brand without breaking the proverbial bank and 2.) FurnitureFan is successfully positioned as the pre-eminent site for today's information-hungry consumer to find any and all information relating to furniture and its sale." About FurnitureFan, Inc. FurnitureFan, Inc., a web-based marketing services company for the furniture industry, specializes in the development of furniture-related integrated marketing programs targeted to today's busy consumer. FurnitureFan.com, the company's web property, is the country's largest online directory of furniture stores with over 1,000 active stores currently hosted. FurnitureFan is headquartered at 142 North Road, Sudbury, MA 01776. Phone: (978) 371-2590; Fax: (978) 371-2533; Web: www.furniturefan.com. E-mail: info@furniturefan.com.