Online Furniture Store Furniturepoint.com Debuts

Furniture World Magazine

FurniturePoint.com Illustrates Evolution of Furniture Shopping Setting a new trend in home furnishings and accessories shopping, online retailer FurniturePoint.com -- found on the Internet at http://www.furniturepoint.com --- debuts January 14, giving customers a simpler, more efficient way to shop. "People today are time starved and continuously look for ways to enhance their quality of life. Furniturepoint.com saves precious time and improves their atmosphere with stylish furniture and accessories," said Michael R. West, President and CEO of FurniturePoint.com. Site visitors use the website's state-of-the-art search engines to shop for specific furniture items or browse the FurniturePoint.com room galleries, featuring dining room, bedroom, kitchen and living room suites. "FurniturePoint.com applies the latest e-commerce technologies to furniture and accessory shopping," said Gregory Denisowski, President and CEO of website design firm 9 Volt Net. For example, site visitors looking for an entertainment center, simply enter the parameters of style, desired price range and wood type.The FurnitureFinder automatically searches the vast inventory spanning more than 2,000 items and displays color photographs of the matching pieces. A few extra key strokes reveals detailed information on the item and the manufacturer. FurniturePoint.com's speedy checkout system facilitates the credit card purchase while e-mail messages keep customers up to date on delivery schedules. "No more wasting your Saturday journeying from store to store looking for the right item – FurniturePoint.com eases the pain of traditional furniture shopping," said Kristie Baumgartner Bohm, Vice President, Corporate Communications for FurniturePoint. As an information source for home furnishings, FurniturePoint.com also offers articles, decorator advice and bulletin-board style chat rooms. FurniturePoint.com's debut typifies the growing e-commerce marketplace for everything including bookends, framed prints, and sofas. In 1997, online retail sales reached 2.4 billion, according to Forrester Research Inc. The online research organization estimates that sales will surge to $4.8 billion in 1998 and by 2001, hit $17 billion. "Internet shoppers have found that they can not only save time, but complete shopping tasks from the home or office at their own pace, free from store hours," West said. Other benefits of the online store include an online "Wish List," that allows FurniturePoint.com shoppers to assemble a personal "scrapbook," that reflects their individual styles. With thousands of items, FurniturePoint.com's virtual inventory dwarfs the minimal selections available at traditional retail stores. "Unlike the neighborhood furniture store, we truly offer something for each taste and budget," Bohm said. FurniturePoint.com continuously adds items to its site and provides customers with exceptional furniture specials.