March 30/April 6, 2015; Volume 28/Number 19
By Nadia Ramlakhan
After weeks of below-freezing temperatures, snowstorms and icy roads, the floor covering industry is ready to make a comeback. Just in case the warmer weather isn’t enough incentive to get shoppers in the buying mood, both manufacturers and retailers are welcoming the season with sales in an effort to attract customers.
Couristan
Couristan’s annual Outdoor Living Merchandising promotion runs through June 30, offering deals on a number of outdoor and indoor area rugs. In addition, the promotion features two merchandising display options designed to help drive summer sales.
The Without Walls unit showcases all 13 of Couristan’s weather-resistant area rug collections and holds 40 2 x 4 area rugs, giving retailers the ability to customize their assortments while allowing consumers to browse easily. An optional base with wheels is also available for easy movement between outdoor and indoor retail spaces.
The Outdoor Living merchandising display box comes free with an order of 20 rugs from the Afuera, Monaco, Dolce, Five Season, Recife, Tides, Cape or Urbane collections.
Flooring America
Flooring America is holding its Hard to Beat Flooring Sale, featuring select hard surface products at a 30% discount until April 26. Consumers who spend $1,500 on hard surface products will receive a free iRobot Braava and 18-month financing.
“This promotion has caused an incredible amount of excitement throughout our membership,” said Keith Spano, president. “Our partnership with iRobot differentiates us from other retailers and clearly lets the consumer know that Flooring America and Flooring Canada are the destinations where fashion and technology come together.”
The Your Style, Your Way savings event will run during May and June, and offers up to 50% off on select Tigressa Softstyle, Tigressa Cherish and the new Tigressa H20 product lines. Consumers can also save up to $500 on an accompanying hard surface purchase, plus 18-month financing.
Karastan
The promotional period for the annual National Karastan Month will run from April 23 through June 8. The company is providing its retailers with extensive resources to showcase the brand’s signature styling and help attract customers, including national and retail advertising such as ready-to-use images, newspaper ads, magazine ads, direct mail inserts, radio scripts and web-based promotions. Also available are point-of-sale kits, finance offers, social media content, lead generation support and a cushion offer. In addition, the sale features manufacturer rebates for the consumer and product discounts on the season’s most popular trends.
Mirage
Beginning March 30, the Mirage Spring 2015 Rebate Sale will take place at nearly 2,000 retail locations throughout the U.S. and Canada through May 23. Consumers will receive a $0.50-per-square-foot rebate on all standard Mirage hardwood floors, including Mirage Classic, Mirage Engineered and Mirage Lock products regardless of species, color or width.
“Spring is the perfect time to begin remodel projects and new construction, so this event comes at a perfect time,” said Luc Robitaille, vice president of marketing for Boa-Franc, manufacturer of the Mirage brand. “Thanks to the rebate offered on all of our flooring during this sales event, it is the time to save big while enjoying the quality Mirage floors are known for.”
Mohawk
Mohawk’s annual Love Your Floor spring sale will run from March 27 through May 11 and is available exclusively for Floorscapes and ColorCenter retailers. The promotion offers product discounts and cushion options, cash-back incentives, consumer financing and enhanced Mohawk Infinite Reward points for RSAs. The company is also extending a full mix of national and local advertising support and updated point-of-sale kits to promote in-store.
According to Mike Zoellner, vice president of marketing services for Mohawk, stores that participate in Mohawk promotions historically show an increase in sales. “Retailers who participated in the fall Mohawk Anniversary Sale reported eight times the sales increase of non-participating retailers.”
Stainmaster/Invista
Invista has launched its 2015 Sit, Stay & Save Event for retail specialty stores. Until July 31, retail flooring specialty stores across North America can host this exclusive promotion designed to increase foot traffic and push sales, as well as generate community involvement. The event gives retailers the opportunity to hold a Stainmaster carpet sale in conjunction with a pet adoption event at their stores.
Invista will send participating stores a comprehensive merchandising kit containing POP and advertising materials, and will help them partner with a local ASPCA-affiliated pet shelter to host an adoption event on the day of the sale. Retailers can register online at stainmasterlink.com.
Shaw
Through its Capture the Spirit program, Shaw is offering its dealers and RSAs several roll and pallet promotions as well as extra earning incentives. Shaw’s spring promotions are designed to drive the sales of its new introductions and programs such as Caress Patterns, Anso Color Wall and Life Happens with LifeGuard backing.
“We want our dealers to take the spring promo opportunity to engage with those new introductions to help drive their businesses as well,” said Heather Yamada, director of consumer marketing and merchandising. “It’s our chance to teach and show the innovative design and technology that make this year’s intros so valuable for business.”
Deals for consumers
While reaping the benefits from manufacturer promotions, retailers are also touting deals for their customers. For some, this season’s sales are a way to increase foot traffic after being forced to close due to snow days. “We’re hoping that everything is going to pan out,” said Gary Brown, owner of Carpet One Floor & Home in Springdale, Ark., whose spring promotions will focus on Relax It’s Lees carpet and Made in America hardwood. “We had a very strong January. February started really well, then the snow slowed things down a little bit. But I’m expecting a very strong first quarter.”
Brad Coty of Carpet Brokers of Missoula in Missoula, Mont., said after a long winter, people want to buy once the sun starts shining. “We always hold sales in the spring because it’s also tax return season, so if customers are thinking about doing something major in their homes it’s usually when they get that big check.” Coty makes spring cleaning easier for customers by offering 15% off carpet cleaning in March.
Aside from discounts on products and merchandising tools, other retail locations are offering labor and financing deals. At Carpetland USA in Davenport, Iowa, free labor is offered on any carpet purchase, excluding remnants and commercial grade, along with one-year no interest financing up until March 28. Other offers include 30% to 60% off hard surface materials and 25 free square feet of tile, hardwood, laminate and LVT with a purchase of 100 square feet.