Las Vegas Furniture WMC Showrooms To Open During CES

Furniture World Magazine

World Market Center, a premier home furnishings showroom and trade complex, announced that it is welcoming big box retailers and home furnishings buyers visiting Las Vegas for the consumer electronics event on January 7 and 8th. World Market Center’s complex will offer buyers a comprehensive collection of permanent showrooms offering the latest in home theater entertainment, computer and home-office furnishings – all under one roof. More than a dozen showrooms will be participating during the two-day event, providing World Market Center’s tenants with the ideal opportunity to market to these visiting buyers. With Las Vegas known as the convention capital of the world, the consumer electronics event is just one of several furnishings related trade shows occurring annually allowing World Market Center tenants to utilize their showroom year round and tap into several growing market segments. Buyers will enjoy complimentary breakfast and lunch, free gifts and be able to register for a Las Vegas trip giveaway during their visit. Free limousine service to World Market Center will be provided to buyers at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The service will be continuous and run each day, January 7 and 8th. Reservations are strongly recommended, but not required. For appointments, buyers should call (702) 599-3093. As part of the event, World Market Center in conjunction with leading trade publication Furniture Style will present a two-part educational program, “Tune In, Turn It Up: Home Entertainment Furniture Trends.” New consumer expectations about style, function and price are dictating how and where consumers are shopping for home entertainment furniture. Furniture Style Editorial Director Julie M. Smith will present exclusive data from The Retail Experience, a consumer research report that investigates consumers’ furniture purchase trends and preferences. The program will be offered in two 50-minute segments tailored to big box retailers as well as furniture stores January 7, 2008 at 8:30 a.m. – A significant number of home entertainment purchases are made in big-box and discount retail stores and this seminar will cover the changes and trends among this market segment. Following a presentation of The Retail Experience data, executives from Bush Industries will participate in a panel discussion. January 8, 2008 at 8:30 a.m. – Which consumers purchase home entertainment furniture in traditional retail stores and why? Following a presentation of The Retail Experience data, executives from Riverside Furniture will participate in a panel discussion. Both presentations will track trends over the past three years and focus on relevant changes in the home entertainment furniture category, including amounts spent, Internet usage, purchase motivators and more. Executives from both store formats will learn how to leverage their strengths in an increasingly competitive environment. Plus, attendees will receive results from the 2008 research study, which won’t be available until March 2008. “Despite the recent dip in home furnishings sales, the home entertainment furnishings category remains healthy,” said Julie Smith. “Our data shows that more than 40 percent of recent home entertainment purchasers bought both home entertainment furniture and a new TV at the same time,” added Smith. Jim Schmidt II of Bush Furniture says furniture plays such an important part of the TV purchase process, and having the right well merchandised assortment has never been more important. "2008 will be an exciting year for television sets as they transition to all High-Definition, which means it will be a terrific year for entertainment furniture,” said Schmidt. “TV’s will be larger than the ones they are replacing and they will need stylish and safe furniture to display them on.” Manufacturers like Riverside Furniture know that consumers continue to want the latest to complement their high-tech investments. “The consumer electronic event is renowned for introducing the latest trends in home and lifestyle entertainment,” said Vice President of Marketing at Riverside Linda Owen. “It’s a natural progression for the furniture industry to open World Market Center permanent showrooms that feature furniture uniquely designed to accommodate the electronic innovations that are changing our homes and our lives." A sampling of World Market Center showrooms participating include: About World Market Center: World Market Center is an integrated home and hospitality contract furnishings showroom and trade complex in Las Vegas. When fully built, at 12 million square feet in 8 buildings, World Market Center will be the largest trade show complex in the world. The Winter 2008 Las Vegas Market is scheduled for January 28 to February 1, 2008 at World Market Center’s Buildings A, B and Pavilions and tradeshow at the MGM Grand Hotel. For more information about World Market Center, and to find out about leasing or exhibiting opportunities, visit the website at www.LasVegasMarket.Com or call 888-WMC-SHOW (962-7469).