FurnitureFan Partners with National Home Furnishings Association With an Eye to Meeting the Online Needs of its Membership, NHFA Joins Forces with Leading Web-Based Marketing Company

Furniture World Magazine

Mitchell Russo, CEO of FurnitureFan, Inc., a web-based marketing services company for the furniture industry, announced today the company's partnership with the 82-year-old National Home Furnishings Association. Russo explains, "NHFA has a long tradition of service and dedication to its furniture retailer members. By bringing on our state-of-the-art, streamlined web marketing services, it invites its members to easily 'dip their toes' into the worldwide web!" The 2,600-member NHFA represents more than 12,000 stores nationwide. Its mission is to provide members with products and services that allow them to remain successful. Steve DeHaan, executive vice president of NHFA explains, "Our vision for NHFA is clear: to be the definitive resource for information to our members. Providing 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 easily and painlessly step into the 21st century." The partnership will provide all interested members of NHFA with the following web services: • a branded web site for each store's catalog, including a home page, driving directions via Map Quest and manufacturer listings; • inclusion of up to 20 pictures per site, including four changes per year at no cost; o creation of "Wish Lists," featuring a separate space for each store to host its shoppers' favorite items. This space will only show those products specific to that store, as well as function as a gift list and/or bridal registry; • participation in the Active Leads Program, whereby interested shoppers are literally "driven" to the individual location nearest them when pricing or delivery of specific items is requested; • professional distribution to local news media of a store-specific press release publicizing the new web site; and training for store staff by FurnitureFan professionals, providing tips, suggestions and guidance so that each new store web site is effective, easy-to-use and efficient. The new relationship between NHFA and FurnitureFan provides NHFA's members with a ,real' Internet presence. Russo observes, "if we can make building a web site easy and affordable for furniture retailers, we accomplish two important goals: 1.) furniture retailers build a web brand and store traffic without breaking the proverbial bank and 2.) FurnitureFan is successfully positioned as the pre-eminent site for today's informationhungry consumer to find any and all information relating to furniture and its sale." About NHFA Founded in 1919, the National Home Furnishings Association is a trade association servicing the specific needs of home furnishings retailers. NHFA provides essential information, government representation, professional education and training, and business and operation tools to its more than 2,600 members, which represent more than 12,000 stores nationwide. NHFA is headquartered at 305 West High Avenue, Suite 400, High Point, NC 27260. Phone: (336) 801-6100 Fax: (336) 883-1195 E-mail: info@nhfa.org. To learn more, visit NHFA at www.nhfa.org. About FurnitureFan, Inc. FurnitureFan, Inc., a web-based marketing services company for the furniture industry, is currently the most visited Internet property for Home Décor according to PC Data Online, an independent traffic measurement company, with over 600,000 unique visitors and nearly 10 million page views per month. FurnitureFan specializes in the development of furniture-related integrated marketing programs. FurnitureFan.com, the company's web property, is the country's largest online directory of furniture stores with over 1,400 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: infoafurniturefan.com.