AMERICAN LEATHER Creates an In-Store 'Showroom.' New Retail Sales and Marketing Program Implemented in Three Stores

Furniture World Magazine

AMERICAN LEATHER, the custom design leather furniture leader, has implemented its new AMERICAN LEATHER Boutique marketing program in three national home furnishings retail stores. The program, designed to assist retailers in overall sales and product promotion, consists of two facets: 1.) a point of sale system and materials, and 2.) a specialized training program. The participating retailers are Foremost, New York; Designer's Furniture Showcase, Norwalk, Conn.; and Today's Home, Pittsburgh. "The AMERICAN LEATHER Boutique has been designed as an in-store leather specialty 'showroom' that will draw the attention of consumers immediately upon entering a store," said Cary Benson, vice president of sales and marketing for AMERICAN LEATHER. "Designed with informative visuals and graphics, the Boutique can assist a consumer who wants to browse and learn about the our products specifically, or leather furniture, in general. Furthermore, to be conscious of our retailers' needs, the Boutique is also completely configurable and customizable to adapt to the space limitations, design specifications or merchandise mix of any store." To create its point of sale system, AMERICAN LEATHER retained the services of Grid/2 International in New York to design the boutique display that gives consumers "visual, tactical and text-based information on leather furniture and the AMERICAN LEATHER line," according to Benson. Benson explained that the Boutique's full line of options includes an AMERICAN LEATHER panel backdrop and/or an overhead sign featuring the AMERICAN LEATHER logo in a full circle or crescent moon display, depending on the retailer's needs. An identity panel can also be set up behind each sofa or furniture grouping which profiles the name of the designer and the name of the collection. To assist customers in finding their "preferred leather tone and texture," a special leather display has been designed to show 70 different leather swatches arranged by color. The point of sales plan will also include a comprehensive merchandise system that will allow the floor sales person to answer questions about leather grade, colors, consumer information, available SKU configurations and pricing. Addressing the second retail sales strategy component, Benson said a training program was designed specifically for AMERICAN LEATHER by Richard Tyler International, to assist the end retail sales personnel. "This program was customized for AMERICAN LEATHER's sales representatives to help train the retail floor sales person in professional selling skills, complete AMERICAN LEATHER product knowledge, and overall leather education," Benson added. "The training is divided into modules that are comprehensive and informative, and allow floor sales personnel to exhibit real product knowledge and expertise." Founded in 1990, AMERICAN LEATHER was recently listed in Inc. magazine's "Inc. 500," for the fastest growing corporations in the US. AMERICAN LEATHER manufactures and ships custom-made leather furniture worldwide, and shows its line of traditional, transitional and contemporary furniture at High Point and through the company's factory in Dallas.