Connie Post to Launch "Affordable Solutions" at the High Point Market

Furniture World Magazine

The Connie Post Companies announced that a complete redesign of their High Point Market showroom at 1400 Showplace will offer visitors much more than just some new decorating ideas. Responding to retailers’ need to keep their stores fresh, lively an on-trend during a time of tighter and tighter budgets, Post has transformed the latest research regarding consumer mindsets and fashion trends into an innovative concept called Affordable Solutions® - a set of quick, simple and inexpensive ways to capture the customer’s imagination and drive revenues in the coming season. “The 2008 How America Shops survey from WSL Strategic Retail says that today’s consumers are feeling that they’ve lost control over the big things, such as home values, oil prices and food costs,” relates Post. “So they’re exerting even more control over the little things. As I considered this finding, I realized that home furnishings retailers are in exactly the same boat. Knowing that they can’t turn the entire economy around on their own, they’re working to get the best possible sales results with the lowest possible investment. In short, both the retailer and the consumer are looking for Affordable Solutions®. “Consumers may be cutting back on their major purchases but they still love to shop. Focused on keeping their spending within their means, they’re seeking well-edited stores that are easy to explore and products that deliver the biggest bang for the buck. Affordable Solutions® taps directly into this desire by presenting home furnishings in a way that shows them how a few, smaller purchases can transform their homes and their lives. Combining the latest trends in colors, clothing fashions and environmental sustainability, plus leading-edge ideas from the European furniture fairs and up-to-date research into current home decorating issues, we’ve created a set of merchandising concepts that deliver the look, feel and function that today’s consumers crave. “The best news about Affordable Solutions®,” concludes Post, “is that most retailers can use them to move the items that are already on their floors. Our new showroom features a complete merchandising toolkit, presented in a design studio format that allows retailers to assess all of their options and select the ideas that will work best for their customers and their budgets. A fresh coat of paint is the least expensive way to reinvigorate your store, so we’re featuring the full palette of 2008 color trends from Sherwin Williams, and to make sure you connect with the current desire for environmentally sustainable products, all of the paints we’re showing are among the most eco-friendly products on the market. Plus, we’re introducing a sustainable flooring tile that’s made from recycled tires and snaps together in minutes, allowing retailers to create design pods that deliver a hip, on-trend aesthetic that appeals to their customers’ concern for the planet. Moveable Walls™ from our Precision Millworking division offer a totally flexible solution that lets retailers reinvent their selling floors on the fly, creating a whole, new look without spending a whole lot of money. And vector graphics, very-large-scale photographic prints and vinyl letters from our Graphics Division are another excellent way to create high-impact selling spaces at a very low cost.” A special Market promotion gives all visitors to the new showroom an opportunity to schedule a free Affordable Solutions® consultation with Connie Post, in their store, at a time that is convenient to them. To schedule your Market appointment, just call 304-736-7283 and ask for Connie Post. About The Connie Post Companies: Headquartered in Huntington, WV, The Connie Post Companies is the home furnishings industry’s leading retail design firm. Led by industry innovator Ms. Connie Post, this award-winning design consulting and project management firm works with retailers and manufacturers to create extraordinary selling spaces that are exciting, profitable and memorable. In addition, the firm’s Precision Millwork division produces custom walls, fixtures, signage and atmospherics for a wide range of projects. Visit The Connie Post Companies on the web at www.conniepost.com, or visit us in person at the High Point Market or the World Market Center in Las Vegas. To schedule an interview with Connie Post about this project or any other issues related to store design and retail marketing, please contact her via email at designteam@conniepost.com.