IKEA Mobile Device

We all know of the world going techie these days and it seems IKEA has gotten a new idea to help entice people to buy from them. And to cap it all off, they are offering a free mobile phone to its 1.4 million members for its loyalty programme thanks to its tie-up with T-Mobile.

The deal is identical to ones already offered by Asda, Tesco and Carphone Warehouse, with punters having to slap down an initial £10 airtime purchase, with no fixed monthly payments. Apparently, the service is tailored for an environment where “every penny counts”, whatever that means.

As part of the deal, all 9,500 of Ikea’s staff in Britain will get a freebie phone with a fiver’s worth of free calls thrown in.

(Source) Digital Lifestyles

Aside from the phone, this can be seen as a new interface for modern and online shopping. Rather than waiting for the people to come to their store, they are just a handheld device away.

With everything going up these days, the best buy of furniture pieces and bed ensembles seems to be beyond reach of an aspiring home builder. But thanks to breaks such as tax free weekends and additional special discounts, consumers can now troop to the nearest furniture store and try to pick out the furniture or home furnishing that they want to have.

For retailers, not all will be as accommodating as the ones who have set base in the various stores today. But just the same, you are bound to get something simple to elegant that will certainly be a welcome addition to beautifying your home.

Some stores see their foot traffic increase by almost a third during the sales tax holiday.

“Because you have so many consumers out in the market this weekend, this three-day period, the first question you’re going to receive is, ‘So are you guys doing tax-free this weekend?’ ” Anterio Kittrell, of Heavner Furniture Market, said.

Even national chains, like Oreck Vacuums, are offering a 7 percent discount throughout the state. But that will cost them.

(Source) News 14

In these trying times, business decisions may need to have drastic measures and this includes overhauling your product line from standard to more important needs. Such was the business decision that Elder-Beerman department store had made, shifting from the traditional shoes, sweaters, and slacks to beds, cabinets and couches.

Now you may look at it as a totally drastic change since these two product lines are quite far-fetched. But if you do your homework like Elder-Beerman, it is all a matter of catering to the needs and moving demand of people these days. Apparently, bed and room requirements are what they saw and the rest is history.

The former Elder-Beerman department store in the Lakeshore Marketplace has gone from an outlet of shoes, sweaters and slacks to a new retailer of couches, beds and cabinets. The retail store at 5159 Harvey has been transformed into Younkers Furniture Gallery, the first in the state of Michigan.

Younkers Furniture Gallery opened Wednesday. It is seen as a major retailer’s vote of confidence for Muskegon and West Michigan at a time of severe economic distress across the state.

(Source) Mlive.com

Not all children today have the luxury of sleeping in comfortable beds. In fact, not all kids are fortunate enough to get the proper sleep mainly because they cannot afford them. But with this story, wishes can come true if you try.

Heartwarming and noble, the Contour Adjustable Bed company granted the wish of nine-year old Victoria Burks of Phoenix Arizona in partnership with the Make-a-Wish foundation. These days, Victoria is sleeping well and it is all thanks to the donation of a wish that she has been longing for.

Nine year old Victoria Burks of Phoenix, Arizona is enjoying sweet dreams compliments of the Contour Adjustable Bed company and the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Arizona. Victoria is confined to a wheelchair or bed around the clock due to a life threatening illness. When volunteers from the Make-A-Wish Foundation paid a visit to the family to grant Victoria anything she wanted she asked for a Contour Adjustable Bed.

“When we received the request to donate a bed from the Make-A-Wish Foundation in Arizona we immediately said yes,” said Jeff Mowrey, Executive Director of the Association of Contour Adjustable Beds. “We are huge fans of the Make-A-Wish Foundation and the incredibly good work they do. My family has experienced first hand the generosity and coordination of a granted wish through this organization,” added Mowrey.

In coordination with the delivery of her new Contour Bed, specially equipped with side rails to prevent her from falling out of bed, volunteers from Make-A-Wish re-decorated her room in her favorite colors with a princess theme.

(Source) PR Releases

Handicapped people normally need the special assistance of concerned parties to be able to try and show their true worth and as far as the bedding industry is concerned, Blindcraft is one of them.

In fact, this development has all the more given the people behind it a reason to look at better days, working for their keep with quality products that are sure to be acceptable towards people who look for bed and mattress needs in the market today. Rather than go for the usual expensive ones, Blindcraft items not one give quality but you are also helping them in the area of acknowledging their talent for it.

“In the past we have been subsidised 100 per cent and that can all change now.

“I really think this is excellent news for the manager, who’s had a tremendous impact, and of course the workers there too.”

It is understood the charity hopes to take the deal to a national level, and early indications are that the beds – priced at £150 – are selling well.

They even come with a manual written in braille. Up until now Blindcraft, founded in 1793, was only able to sell items from its factory outlet at Peffer Place, but the commercial opening has tremendous potential, according to Cllr Paisley.

A spokeswoman for John Lewis said: “They are a great organisation and have a really nice story behind them too.”

The beds are available in the John Lewis store on Princes Street.

The city’s health and social care leader Cllr Paul Eadie said he was delighted. “The council is very proud of its association with Blindcraft. All products made by Blindcraft are truly hand finished.”

(Source) News.scotman

Here is another great bed solution for people looking for good sleep. Sealy has once again introduced another line to its growing list of bed lines, the Posturepedic PurEmbrace. Combined efforts of latest technology from Sealy and nature’s rubber tree, this new bed line is expected to provide better comfort to the body and further add to the growing demand for quality bedding today.

This new bed brand offers pressure-relief inlay system and is currently available in all Macy’s store today.

“Latex is the latest innovation in sleep systems, and Sealy is leading the charge. Featuring our own proprietary Smart Latex, the new Sealy Posturepedic PurEmbrace provides unsurpassed pressure relief combined with the best in Posturepedic support,” said Larry Rogers, interim president and CEO for Sealy.
“This combination eliminates virtually all of the uncomfortable pressure points that cause tossing and turning, providing consumers with a peaceful night’s rest - a critical part of maintaining their health and well being.”

(Source) The Earth Times

It is not only the bookstores who are cramming of preparing the back-to-school rush for students. Even the bed companies such as Bed Bath and Beyond have their share of trying to provide solutions to students going off to college.

This stems form the fact that in their normal dormitories, they will not have the luxury of space in the process. They have to find the right stuff to fit into their dorms and with this program, “Equip your Space” from Bed Bath and Beyond, you are sure to see a handful of students trying to find bed and furniture fit for their unfurnished dorms.

Bed Bath & Beyond this month began back-to-college merchandising while many secondary schools were still in session.

The company reprised its “Equip Your Space” campaign with ceiling banners and shelf signs, along with a college checklist distributed via tearpads on endcaps, during the week of June 9 — becoming the first retailer to (unofficially) roll out back-to-school activity this year. The campaign broke in Chicago before many school districts had wrapped up the 2007-2008 academic year.

(Source) In-Store Marketing

One thing you are bound to come across with would be the usual advertising campaigns in print, TV or even radio ads that will lure you into the den of most bed manufacturing company stores. While it is not a crime to use ads as a form of increasing rapport and sales, the manner of advertising such as the text and promotions will be in close eye by sensors to make sure people are not being ripped off by their money.

For the case of Sova AB, offering a money-back guarantee if it rains in Midsummer day. Now that is trying to push it a bit, using nature as a driving forces to boost sales. However, it is also something people are not to comfortable with and some have even found it misleading.

The Swedish Consumer Agency is demanding a 300,000 kronor ($49,474) fine from a Swedish bedding company whose advertising slogan promises “your money back if it rains on Midsummer Day”.

On close inspection, the ad actually only promises your money back if it rains in the Malmö area in southern Sweden. Furthermore, rain in itself isn’t sufficient, a downpour is necessary.

Misleading or not, you just have to consider all angles on the ad. In this case, it is a bad angle as far as the Swedish people in the area are concerned.

(Source) The Local

When you get two great minds together in the bed and furniture business, you are bound to come up with an extravagant design and this is exactly what furniture designer John Reeves and retailer Feather and Black got when they unveiled the Caprice Bed.

This new iron bed has a romantic twist to it, made up of a beautifully scalloped bed that makes iron beds up to date with the latest fad in the 21st century. Inspired by the aura of a woman, this bed offers a mixture of class and elegance that will surely be something to place in your room.

Reeves wanted to design and manufacture an iron bed for Feather & Black that would utilise the skill base and technologies available locally in Vietnam. Cast from wooden moulds created by hand the bed is finished to the highest quality by local craftsmen. Roughly sand cast, all impurities of the bespoke bed are left visible, adding beauty and individuality to each piece. Though polishing by hand is labour intensive, the raw and tactile finish of the metal frame bed is what makes it unique.

The Caprice bed is priced from £2,685 for a 4’6 double, and is on display in selected Feather & Black stores.

(Source) Response Source

To perhaps boost sales and gain a lead over the competition, tanning bed manufacturers such as TanAmerica. Commercial tanning is an improvised way made for people who want to get a better skin color without having to go to the beach for the natural way of getting a tan. But today, anyone can get a tan in places where tanning beds can be rented out for a couple of hours and then come out looking great.

Tanning beds are a good alternative towards salon owners who want to offer a wider array of services. Tanning bed options are one of them. However, the purchase of a tanning bed does not come cheap and hence that is one strategy that TanAmerica has devised to entertain business owners who may have apprehensions as far as financial capacity to get these tanning beds into their salons today.

Although a commercial tanning bed is a wise financial investment, it is also a significant one, which is why TanAmerica offers a number of flexible payment options. Business owners can choose to purchase the tanning bed outright and pay the full cost, but for many individuals this is unrealistic. For this reason, TanAmerica also offers individuals the option to finance tanning beds. TanAmerica can work out a payment plan for most tanning beds for sale. Payments will be manageable for the business owner, and they will quickly recoup their expenses through the extra revenue generated by the tanning beds.

(Source) Marketwire