At Nationwide Market Group’s PrimeTime event in Nashville this week the groups introduced a new project information management system that aims to improve the quality of vendor data to help retailers deliver a consistent website experience.

Dubbed the “redefined furniture-centric shopping experience,” about 30 member brands are on board so far, and Nationwide has collected information such as pricing data, related items, product options, and the ability to create different configurations.

The ultimate goal of the new system is to free retailers up so they can focus on other areas of their business that need more attention and where they can make the most difference.

But to keep up with consumer desires and be successful in 2022, you’ll have to embrace technology and merge your digital and in-store channels for an omnichannel experience.

Tech company STORIS  recently released in 2022 trend report where they surveyed some of their own home furnishings retailers e-commerce, and here are 10 technology trends they say retailers need to know to be successful in the new year.

Bob Phibbs, AKA the Retail Doctor, held a webinar recently where he offered five ways to handle under-performing stores.

Serta’s Arctic Cooling. Tempur-Pedic’s Tempur LuxeBreeze. Casper’s Sleep Wave. Eight Sleep’s Pod Pro.

The list of mattresses out there that promise a cooler night’s sleep goes on—almost to the point that it seems like there’s a cold war among companies offering cooling mattresses.

If that sounds ridiculous, it’s because it is. Is that really what consumers want?

The connection between sleep and wellness has become clearer as technology advances, which is why Ergomotion created a wellness division within the company that focuses on technology and products made for overall well-being and recovery of the user. Gui Peres heads Ergomotion’s wellness division and has been working with Garmin on a new project: the Ergosportive Smart & Adjustable recovery system.

In the second part of this four-part series, we focus on how challenges to being a sales rep may impact the future of the role.

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) kicked off the new year with amazing technological introductions, from Cadillac’s InnerSpace autonomous car, to Astell&Kern's first "carryable" headphone amplifier. But notably, there were quite a few innovations in the sleep and bedding category. Here are a few of The FAM’s favorites:

Bedding industry newcomer Lifeloom will debut its Frictionless Sleep System sheets—the world’s first FDA-cleared bedding product engineered with DermaTherapy technology clinically proven to improve sleep quality—at the upcoming Las Vegas Market.

Mattress salespeople have been compared to used car salesmen for years—mostly because of how they haggle the price. And while that stigma is slowly evaporating, some retailers still find haggling as a good way to make sales and build relationships with customers.

As a local retailer, you probably don’t limit yourself to advertising in just one way. You likely combine digital marketing with in-person marketing. To maximize the effects of your marketing campaign, you want to ensure you create an omnichannel retail experience.

With an omnichannel retail experience, you will find that your branding becomes more effective, as do your marketing efforts. Take a look at creating this type of experience for your customers and reap the rewards of doing so.