Appropriate Display is Key to Selling Theater Seating and A/V Furniture Prospect Heights IL

In the 1970s sitcom "All in the Family," protagonist Archie Bunker blew raspberries at newscaster Walter Cronkite from an old, beat-up easy chair that served as the focal point of this TV family's living room. If Archie (played by Carroll O'Connor) was in the house, no one could get near that chair; it was his throne.

Since the '70s, we've come a long way, baby, and battered living room furniture is becoming about as acceptable as the Bunker character's bigoted views. For homeowners that are investing considerable funds into the construction of a home theater, it makes sense to install furniture that is of the same quality as what one may find in a performance car. Not all homeowners, however, are aware of what is currently available in this oft-ignored segment of the custom installation market.

"A great many of the home owners building home theaters do not know what they are looking for," noted Michael Murphy, president of CinemaTech Seating, Inc. ( www.cinematechseating.com ) in Addison, Texas. "Most have very little experience with home theaters, and especially home theater seating."

Bill Johnson, vice president of sales and marketing at Acoustic Innovations ( www.acousticinnovations.com ) in Boca Raton, Florida, notes that homeowners are unable to differentiate between traditional furniture and specialty theater furniture because they haven't been exposed to it. He argues that dealers who proactively sell these products are, therefore, at an advantage over their competition. "The seating that goes into a home theater is certainly more than just a style consideration-it's a performance issue," he said. "By presenting dedicated theater seating, it allows for dealers to differentiate themselves and add value to the discussions they are having with their clients."

The appropriate display-or lack thereof-of theater furniture is one of the biggest challenges that dealers face in profiting from furniture sales. These pieces take up valuable floor space, and if they are crammed together in an unimaginative layout, it's unlikely that the products will generate much interest.

"Dealers must understand the value of having theater seats on display and being able to show some variety in what they are displaying-they don't want to lose the client because they don't have enough of a selection," Johnson said. "You have got to have just enough to get the client interested and feeling like they are in the right place."

One of the main issues is the dealer's ability to display the product on the sales floor in such a way that they present value, agreed Spencer Kalker, president and founder of ImageCrafters Inc. ( www.imagecrafters.com ) in Lakeville, Massachusetts. "Over the years, we have seen many stores that have not done a good job on lighting the furniture or showing it in such a way that someone who cares about style will see the value in the product based on how it is displayed," he said.

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