This audio lesson is a discussion between Doug Stewart and myself about Tuft & Needle’s article “Death of the Salesman”. My friend and co-host Doug Stewart lit a fire underneath me about a week ago when he posted an article that Tuft & Needle posted named “Death of the Salesman” in our closed Facebook group called the “No BS Sales School For Furniture & Mattress Store Salespeople”. It’s only closed to the public. If you sell furniture or mattresses you are most welcome to join our group. It’s a great group of sales professionals who educate, support, and motivate each other. Just Click Here https://www.facebook.com/groups/571859249526559/.
I’ve included the link to the article so you can read it for yourself and make your own judgements about the veracity of the information put forth. Warning before you read Tuft & Needle’s article “Death of the Salesman” take your blood pressure medicine. Click Here to read Tuft & Needle’s work of fiction https://m.tuftandneedle.com/death-of-the-salesman-4b27a5b14b94#.duyg9resh. Can you tell what I think about it? Just click on the player up above to hear the outrage in my voice.
Instead of rehashing the conversation between Doug and I, I will simply let my words speak for themselves. Doug asked some very good questions that we as an industry must answer with actions. If you want to check out Doug, Just Click Here http://doug-stewart.com. If you want to check me out Just Click Here peteprimeau.com. Just press play on the player at the top of this post and put your seat belts on! I am in rare form but I meant every word I said. Please share your thoughts with me below.
Thanks!
Pete
I agree with you Pete… This line of infomercial advertising is nothing more than self serving promotion… Its delivery is much like the current presidential election race where the running mates throw each other under the bus of doubt, nativity, & ignorance.
Tuft & Needle’s target market is narrowed down to the new Millennial customer. Most people who want to purchase a durable good will want to use those pheromones and talk to experts in these products. This includes Sales people in furniture & mattress stores.
You remember the start and finish and the re-start of the e-furniture businesses… they have all this flash and bang but, in the end, their return rates and ultimate customer alienation do them in…
Great ad campaigns … somebody will be listening but, the next generation of consumers will always change the rules…!
Thank You so much Bill! Great observations!
Read their article in detail, listened to your pod-cast…. you won’t want to hear this, but except for a few minor points, the “Death of a Salesman” article was dead-on the real future of mattress retailing. Fortunately, I began transitioning to much of the EXACT same formula spelled out in the article. Now, I retail a mattress once every six minutes that my store is open….and lines form now HOURS before opening. I am 54 years old, in the mattress industry full time 27 years. I have sold over $14,000,0000 worth of mattresses….but a few years ago, I realized that our business is fundamentally changing, and our approach must be flexible to meet those changes. Examine the reasons why Amazon.com delivers more mattresses than any other single source on planet Earth.
P.S. Pete…. you know I love ya !!! 😉
Dan,
Thanks for your comment. I appreciate it but don’t agree. One mattress cannot address everyones’ needs. I am 55 and have shipped over $134 million in the last 34 years.
P.S. Dan… You Know I Love Ya!!!:)
OK..I have some simple questions..and honestly do not have the answers , but would like a factual answer. Forget the growth trends, forget the volume in business for Tuft & Needle, Helix, Yoga Bed, Casper, Overstock, Amazon and Wayfair, as well as many other online or e-tailers ..and forget what Millennials are doing or not doing, etc.,…. My simple questions is what has been the BOTTOM LINE for the past two years for these electronic retailers? Are they making a profit now? Are they likely to be making a real profits in future quarters or over the next several years? If they are, how big are their margins and profits? How do they compare with brick and mortar store profits? And if they are NOT, then despite all the hoopla and trending, how long can they last in business? I’m just asking and hope to receive real answers. I’m not a friend or an enemy on electronic retailing; I a curious member of our business community looking for answers. DTR
Thanks Dale! I am looking forward to those answers as well.