RECESSION BUSTING TIPS:
NEW ENGLAND'S JORDAN'S FURNITURE:
NOT JUST A STORE --  AN EXPERIENCE

By Janet Herlihy 

BOSTON -- Lots of retailers talk about becoming a destination and making shopping a fun experience, but few have been as successful reaching those goals as Jordan's Furniture with two locations in Massachusetts and one in New Hampshire.

Heather Copelas, a Jordan's spokesperson, shared some of the ways Jordan's has truly added an entertainment factor to its shopping experience.

While many independent rug retailers may not be able to build excitement on such a grand scale, Jordan's strategies can be adapted to smaller retail businesses. 

Tip #1: To Draw Traffic, Offer Entertainment
 
"Good economy or bad economy, we are constantly
looking for unique ways to draw store traffic,"
Copelas said."We permanently have entertainment built into the physical store structures such as IMAX Theaters, a city made out of jellybeans, full-service restaurants, and an indoor Trapeze school. These attractions help draw customers to the stores and they make Jordan's a destination."


TIP: While most rug retailers may not want to invest in building an IMAX Theater, consider other attractions such as a play area for kids or a design studio where consumers can visualize rugs in room settings. Be creative!

Tip #2: Turn Local Excitement Into Plus Business

Last year, Jordan's got national publicity with a World Series promotion offering to reimburse customers for furniture purchased during a promotional period if the Red Sox won the World Series.

Since "the curse of the Bambino" had put the whammy on the Red Sox from 1918 to 2004, it seemed like a pretty safe bet.

But in October 2007, over 24,000 Jordan's customers got free furniture worth an estimated $20 to $30 million. (Jordan's had taken out an insurance policy on the possibility of a pay-off).
 
This year, Jordan's is running another Red Sox promotion, but this time the Sox need to sweep the World Series rather than simply win. "If the Boston Red Sox sweep the 2008 World Series by winning the first four games, customers who made a purchase between March 25 and April 27, 2008 will receive sofas, sectionals, dining room tables, beds, mattresses, and rugs for free," said Eliot Taltelman, president and chief executive officer.

TIP: While the national excitement of a home-town
World Series is certainly not in the scope of every retailer, local events can generate wide popular appeal in every community. Find a way to connect to it. Make it fun!


Tip #3 Focus on Customer Experience

The customer comes first, last and always, according to Copelas, who stressed,"At Jordan's, it is important for us to constantly be focused on the customer experience, at all levels, from in-store to delivery."

TIP: Try walking into your store as though you were a shopper. What do you see? Make that first impression a good one and follow through, making it a pleasure all the way to close the sale.