Epperson and Nightengale Captivate Attendees at CFMA Seminar

Furniture World Magazine

Jerry Epperson, Managing Director of Armistead and Epperson, Ltd., emphasized the knowledge of the shifts of demographics over specific periods of time can aid in determining key consumers. He predicted there will be a drastic shift within five years. Then it is a matter of approaching these consumers properly and marketing them. Epperson, along with Robert Nightengale President of the Home Furnishings Council and Home Enterprises Inc., were guest speakers at the CFMA Spring Seminar held Wednesday, March 24, 1999, at the Sheraton Industry Hills Hotel in the City of Industry, California. The men talked candidly about the furniture industry and shared their respective views about what they like and what needs to be improved by manufactures as well as retailers. Epperson captivated the audience of 80 attendees with his quick wit and Southern charm while presenting his opinions about trends and what manufacturers should do to stay on top. Manufacturers and retailers should be marketing to the largest portion of society, Baby Boomers -- 77 million in the United States today. Their children, the Echo Boomers make up 72 million of the population, but the population drops with Generation X, whose population makes up only 44 million. In five to six years all of these groups will probably be moving into smaller homes and buying smaller scale furniture. He also said manufacturers should market each ethnic group separately for greater success. Epperson answered questions from the audience and shared his opinions about the internet. "It is very exciting because we're going to have a chance for the first time to expose the breadth of our products. I really look at it as more of an educational tool than I do as a retailer tool," he said. "I would love to see if we could get an organization or two that have industry wide credibility put together an effort that we could all get behind and support." Bob Nightengale discussed the current projects developed by the Home Furnishings Council to promote the furniture industry including Joy Philbin's HAVEN®, a nationally syndicated television series dedicated exclusively to home decorating seen by a million viewers weekly. A magazine is also distributed to 1,200 retail stores available free to consumers. A planning kit to assist consumers in their decorating layouts is part of the project. 25,000 of the kits have been sold over the last two years. Nightengale said the industry needs strong leadership in all facets of the industry, and can be accomplished if all work together. "I would like to see CFMA join in with us. We now have over 1,200 individual retail stores that are participating with the council, but on the manufacturing side we only have about 60 members," Nightengale said. "We need much, much more than that." CFMA President Larry Parnell of Oakwood Interiors invited both speakers back again in the future. CFMA consists of over 120 furniture manufacturers and suppliers throughout the Western United States. The association's mission is to educate, promote, and protect the interests of furniture manufacturing in California. CFMA leads the way in promoting legislation and regulations that governs the industry, has also been active in assisting its members in expanding domestic and international markets, and sponsors educational seminars.