Wholesale Furniture Brokers was one of the first companies to apply the ‘Click and Mortar’ strategy in the furniture industry. When the website was launched, Wholesale Furniture Brokers recruited independently owned furniture stores to become affiliates that would perform fulfillment and share in sales generated by the site. As delivery options have improved, Wholesale Furniture Brokers has decreased the involvement of local stores in favor of local delivery agents and direct to the customer shipping.
Wholesale Furniture Brokers started in July 2000 as a warehouse mattress outlet in Austin, TX under the name Zirnhelt Wholesale. It was named after its founder, Canadian businessman, Dave Zirnhelt. After a successful first year, he renamed the business to Wholesale Furniture Brokers to improve its marketability. Upon returning to Kamloops, BC, Canada in June 2002, Zirnhelt recruited Sergei Tashlikowich, a fellow graduate of the Bachelors of Business Administration program at the University College of the Cariboo, now known as Thompson Rivers University. In August 2002, Zirnhelt and Tashlikowich founded a new Canadian company by the same name to operate the online version of Wholesale Furniture Brokers.
Today, Wholesale Furniture Brokers employs a total of 22 people. Their headquarters are located in Kamloops, BC, Canada. The office also has a showroom for customers to come in and actually see some of the furniture available on the websites. They also have a number of other offices, including one in Vancouver, BC, Canada for sales; one in Chongqing, China for data entry and website maintenance; and one in Cavite, Philippines for content writing and marketing.
Business / Marketing Strategy
Wholesale Furniture Brokers offers two different services - retail shopping for end consumers and wholesale ordering for retailers. When a consumer orders online their furniture is shipped direct to their home or to an affiliate broker’s furniture store where the customer can pick up their order or have delivery arranged from there. Retailers and interior designers must complete an application process that requires documentation to be verified to determine if they qualify for the wholesale program. Wholesale Furniture Brokers sells brand new products direct from the manufacturer.
Products
Wholesale Furniture Brokers offers accent, baby, bathroom, bedroom, dining room, dorm, entryway, game room, home office, kids, kitchen, living room, and patio furniture. They also offer furniture protection plans to help protect customer’s orders against accidents. Other products include bedding, lighting, mattresses, patio heaters, pool tables, and spas.
Affiliate Broker Stores
Wholesale Furniture Brokers currently has a combined total of 22 affiliate broker furniture stores in the USA and Canada. The affiliate broker furniture stores have access to a wholesale ordering system that allows them to order furniture from the websites for customers or to stock their outlet at wholesale prices. These affiliate broker furniture stores are independently owned and operated. GoWFB.com has affiliate broker furniture stores in Cleveland, OH; Charleston, SC, Cincinnati, OH; Columbus, OH; Denver, CO; Elizabeth, NJ; Fayette, MO; Melbourne, FL; Meriden, CT; San Diego, CA; Santa Ana, CA; and Scottsdale, AZ.
GoWFB.ca has affiliate broker furniture stores in Coquitlam, BC; Cranbrook, BC; Fairview, AB; Kamloops, BC; Olds, AB; and Vernon, BC.
Environmental Awareness
Wholesale Furniture Brokers highlights the environmental practices of its suppliers. Lifestyle Solutions manufactures furniture using Sustainable Forest Management Certified timber and follows regulations created by the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) to renew its resources. Zuo Modern has applied for an ISO 1400 certificate to show that they follow international standards by replacing trees used by their manufacturing facilities, not using endangered species of tropical wood, eliminating Freon, not using formaldehyde, and maximizing powder paint finishes on metal parts. Many of the other manufacturers have created their own standards including sustainable wood harvesting and using cleaner manufacturing methods to produce furniture including Abbyson Living, Boca Rattan, Furniture FX, Montana Woodworks, and Modloft.
Community Involvement
Wholesale Furniture Brokers supports local non-profit organizations including the Big Brothers & Sisters of Kamloops, Free The Children, Kamloops Food Bank, Kamloops Fusion Rotaract, and Rotary International.
Awards
Wholesale Furniture Brokers founders David Zirnhelt and Sergei Tashlikowich have recently been nominated for the Ernst & Young, Entrepreneur of the Year for 2009.
Slogans
- "Buy Smart. Buy Wholesale."
Competitors
- Badcock Home Furniture
- Bob's Discount Furniture
- CSN Stores
- Cymax Stores
- Ikea
- Lastman's Bad Boy Furniture
- Leon's
- Overstock.com
- Rooms To Go
- The Brick
References
- ^ Dave Zirnhelt (2004). "Website to Warehouse: Wholesale Furniture Brokers Changes the Way People Shop". PRWeb.com . http://www.prweb.com/releases/2004/11/prweb93069.htm . Retrieved 2004-11-12 .
- ^ Dave Zirnhelt (2004). "31 Wholesale Furniture Store Outlets Carve Niche With "Click-n-Mortar" Business Model". PRWeb.com . http://www.prweb.com/releases/2004/07/prweb143337.htm . Retrieved 2004-07-22 .
- ^ Matt Holmes (2005). "Wholesale Furniture Brokers Announces A Call for Wholesale Furniture Vendors". PRWeb.com . http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/08/prweb267305.htm . Retrieved 2005-08-02 .
- ^ Matt Holmes (2009). "Platform Bed to Feng Shui Your Modern Bedroom". PRWeb.com . http://www.prweb.com/releases/platform-beds/modern-bedroom-furniture/prweb2259414.htm . Retrieved 2009-03-24 .
- ^ Matt Holmes (2008). "Kids Furniture Sales Contribute to Record Year at Wholesale Furniture Brokers". PRWeb.com . http://www.prweb.com/releases/kids-bedroom-furniture/powell-company-furniture/prweb1681484.htm . Retrieved 2008-11-29 .
- ^ Dave Zirnhelt (2005). "Wholesale Furniture Brokers Partners with Lifestyle Solutions to Redefine Contemporary Bedroom Furniture". PRWeb.com . http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/11/prweb310625.htm . Retrieved 2005-11-17 .
- ^ Matt Holmes (2008). "Wholesale Furniture Brokers Gets Greener with New Modern Contemporary Furniture by Zuo Modern". PRWeb.com . http://www.prweb.com/releases/eco-friendly/zuo-modern-furniture/prweb1056734.htm . Retriev
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