Late last week Furniture First launched a new version of Mattress1st.com, a website supporting the buying group’s proprietary private label mattress line. The website launch was timed to coincide with the retail introduction of the updated Mattress 1st product lineup. The beds were introduced to the members of Furniture First at the January Las Vegas Market.
The Mattress 1st label has performed well for the group since it was first introduced in 2002. “The Mattress 1st line works for our members because it complements the major brands they carry. It’s strong product with great margins, but it doesn’t take away from our members’ higher-end business,” said Kerry Diem, Furniture First’s Director of Sleep Products and Mattress 1st Stores. “For the refreshed lineup we streamlined the models and focused on the top performers of the previous line.”
Mattress1st.com features all 24 beds in the line as well as a dealer locator and information about the group’s highly successful Mattress 1st retail stores, which allow members of the buying cooperative to co-brand bedding galleries within their stores or as separate free-standing sleep shops.
The approach allows Furniture First members to successfully compete with specialty stores by letting their customers know that they are “in the mattress business.” Dedicated advertising, display elements and floor layout support the Mattress 1st stores but allow the retailer autonomy over which brands and models are sold in their stores. Today there are 65 approved Mattress 1st galleries in 21 states. The program is on track to grow to 90 locations in 2017.
“Our team works hard to support our retailers selling Mattress 1st” said Dino Cifelli, CEO of Furniture First. “The executive team negotiates the product components before a member committee approves the lineup. That’s when we go to work, building the sales tools to support our members. In addition to the dealer locator and the website, our members get access to professionally designed information and price cards, as well as gallery graphics.”
Furniture First will display the Mattress 1st line up in their High Point showroom, IHFC G-770, at the upcoming market.
Furniture First is a cooperative national home furnishings and mattress buying group serving full line independent retailers with sales over $2 million. With 469 store fronts represented in 47 states, the members collectively produce $2 billion in retail sales.
Furniture First is also preparing for their Annual Symposium, which will be held May 15-17 at the JW Marriott in Phoenix, Arizona. For more information on Furniture First Membership, please visit www.FurnitureFirst.coop/join or call 800-411-3477.