January 6/13, 2014; Volume 27/Number 18
Hicksville, N.Y.—FCNews has announced a partnership with Emser Tile, the country’s largest privately held designer and marketer of natural stone products, to help introduce floor covering retailers to stone flooring.
Emser will sponsor a 10-part monthly series on natural stone. The articles will serve to educate floor covering retailers on all aspects of the category, from explaining the nuances of the product and how they can enter the segment to how stone can be successfully sold and merchandised. The series will also discuss what’s driving the category along with the latest trends. At the same time, those already selling natural stone will learn how their peers are finding success.
The first installment in the series will appear in the next (Jan. 20/27) issue of FCNews.
Natural stone represents a strong profit opportunity for flooring dealers, one on which many have yet to capitalize. Industry estimates place the average stone sale at just under $4 per foot compared to a little over $1 for ceramic tile. However, the product can be bought at lower price points, making it affordable to more than just the high end.
According to FCNews publisher Steven Feldman, this is the right time for the publication to introduce its readers to a category with which they may not be familiar, or had reservations about entering. “There are many reasons for a retailer to consider adding stone to their product mix,” he said. “First, it will differentiate him from that dealer down the street. Second, consumers have more money in their bank accounts than ever before, and with the economy continuing to improve, along with consumer confidence, I think we will see a greater willingness on their part to spend on better goods. While the latest ceramic manufacturing technology has yielded enhanced realism, there is nothing like the real thing, whether it’s travertine, slate, marble or granite.”
It has been estimated that stone represents a $1 billion industry, although it is difficult to determine how the category is divided among floors, walls, countertops and outdoor applications.
Emser Tile is a 46-year-old, family-owned and -operated business that has grown into a sizeable corporation through its 57 showrooms positioned in key markets across the country. The local markets are backed up by two state-of-the-art distribution centers based in Los Angeles and Houston.