Retail Observer

RETAILOBSERVER.COM NOVEMBER 2017 52 W hile no one is likely to dispute the ongoing love affair consumers have with online shopping, study after study confirms the fact that shoppers are still remarkably loyal to brick and mortar retailers, especially those that continue to court them with innovative and entertaining promotions and sales. According to Retail Dive, a market research firm with expertise in the retail sector, consumers also still favor brick and mortar retailing for its ability to allow them to see and touch the products they are considering. Another advantage of brick and mortar retailing, according to the company, is the channel's ability to provide the shopper with immediate gratification by allowing the shopper to buy the product and take it home the same day. Other studies also suggest that consumers continue to prefer to shop brick and mortar stores for the experience it provides and smart retailers are factoring that into their promotional activities. One retailer that is continuing to prosper from a keen understanding of how to provide customers with clever, entertaining retail experiences is Eric Cenatiempo, president of Appliance & Furniture Mart, in Garden City, Kansas. As this well-established retailer prepares to celebrate its 45th anniversary, it prides itself on an ability to roll out a steady stream of entertaining and captivating events and promotions that keep previous customers coming back while also attracting new customers with each new event. According to Cenatiempo, an 18-year industry veteran, Appliance & Furniture Mart, which boasts some 60,000-square-feet of selling space, sells primarily within an 80-mile radius and to a population of about 30,000 people. The economy of Garden City is driven largely by agriculture and in 2017, Albert Kyaw, a translator of the Garden City Public Schools, stated that Garden City was the most ethnically diverse community in the state of Kansas. Mindful of these realities, Cenatiempo has used them as springboards that helped him launch a number of successful promotional events. "We realized that business was softer than we would have liked this summer," Cenatiempo acknowledged. And while other retailers might have opted to simply wait for traffic to improve, Cenatiempo transformed the proverbial lemon into lemonade in the form of a 'Harvest Savings Sale' "As you know, we have lots of farmers in our diverse community, so we thought it would be fun to have a combine sitting right out in front of our store," Cenatiempo said. "People from town often get a glimpse of a combine in the field, but never really get to see one close up. I was amazed at the number of people who came to the store to check out the combine, then went in to shop us," he noted. Realizing that as many as half the population speak Spanish, Cenatiempo also makes it a point to have bilingual sales personnel and also produces the store's TV spots in English and Spanish. On average, Cenatiempo hosts between 10 and 15 events a year. And while the themes vary significantly, there is one constant—to provide his customers with an extraordinary customer experience. Not content to simply rely on traditional holiday sales such as President's Day, Appliance & Furniture Mart captures consumers and their disposable income with quirky, clever promotions that blend smart merchandising, goodwill, and sharp pricing. Cenatiempo points to an annual Push, Pull or Tow sale. Customers are given a credit for any furniture, mattresses or appliances that they can drag into the store, working or not. "We reinforce that with a funny commercial that shows a tow truck dragging in a well-worn sofa," he said. The store also has a trade-in sale, which has proven to be popular with shoppers and lucrative for the store. While the store has earned a reputation for hosting non-traditional sales events, consumers have probably responded most adamantly to the Ugly Sofa contest. "We challenge the community to bring us their ugliest sofas," Cenatiempo says. "We had scores and scores of ugly sofas lined up outside the store. People would flock in just to see them and vote," he added noting that the owner of the ugliest sofa was rewarded with a new living room set. Next month: More great event ideas from Appliance & Furniture Mart. Mike Allen Furniture Trends THE RETAIL EXPERIENCE E. Michael Allen, VP of furniture and bedding, BrandSource RO

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