I read in The Interiors Monthly this week that Feather and Black had won the National Bed Federation (NBF) “e-tailer” of the year award 2012.

“Wow” I thought. Despite me trawling through the internet for hours and hours and hours, for years and years and years (at least 3) I hadn’t noticed Feather and Black. Of course we have a Feather and Black Bed store opposite our Great Western Road Glasgow bed shop, so I knew of them – just wasn’t aware they were a top e-tailer.

So congratulations are due! And it has given us other bed retailers pause for thought.

We have made every mistake we …continue reading : Feather and Black NBF Internet Retailer 2012

If the Euphoria latex pocket 2000 super king size divan from Highgrove Beds was a car it would be a Lexus RX450h in metallic gold. I want one (of each). Both are hugely comfortable, great to look at and offer total luxury at an affordable price.

So today I visited the Glasgow Lexus dealer and he ran through the figures. One Lexus RX450h equals 50 Euphoria super king divans. Hmmm. But you can fit 3 bikes in the back of the Lexus. The Euphoria sucks as a bike transporter. Luxury pocket sprung mattress? Unbeatable.

Four years ago I promised myself when I first started driving my dad’s old Nissan Almera that when this recession finished I’d treat myself. The Almera has been sold off to a little old  …continue reading : Highgrove Luxury Beds are the new Lexus

I have been writing cheques made out to Julian Bowen for beds and bedroom furniture since 1993. I did say to Julian this week. Will it ever end? Will he ever send me a cheque?

I can say Julian did buy dinner last week. And a great night was had too. JB may be 66 years old but he still operates at 100mph with fast cars, good living and a wee bit work in between. His stories are legendary. His opinions are legendary. His organisation is legendary. Julian, waist dimension apart, is my legendary role model.

So we were touring Britain, Donna, Robert and me. Looking for ideas and what best to do with our internet site. Which companies are addressing the new challenges and which companies are in tune with the new 21st century trading environment we call the world wide web?

Julian has always recognised that budget furniture …continue reading : Julian Bowen Beds and Furniture

We visited Deluxe Beds in Huddersfield this week and I’m not sure I should be telling the world about this great Bed Company.

It has become my unwritten prejudice that when a bed company invests in expensive machinery prices go up, service goes down, and faulty product goes through the roof. And how do you address the problem of over investing and under thinking bed companies? Go scouting for beds in Batley!

And here is where a gem like Deluxe Beds is found. A company that sticks to its knitting. No million pound …continue reading : Deluxe Beds Huddersfield

Kozee Sleep manufacture a range of divan beds and mattresses for John Lewis. Lots of new models, lots of new ideas. I thought time we took the gang down to visit and look and learn. Which we did last month. 10 of us in convoy to darkest Dewsbury.

I’m pleased to say we weren’t disappointed. It had been 2 or 3 years since I last visited Kozee Sleep. The factory was almost unrecognisable. To be fair it was a lot less organised than last time but the reasons were clear – a hive of activity in among the installation of new machinery and half finished mezzanine floors. The place was buzzing.

Of course we were curious what John Lewis were …continue reading : John Lewis are Kozee Sleep Bed Stockist

Our Archers Sleepcentre internet sales team hasn’t broken their weekly bed sales record since 12 November 2011. Beginning to feel we had lost our touch. But a new record was set 2 weeks ago and by midnight tonight we’ll have an even higher sales record. Just in time for the Olympics.

This is of course the time for the Glasgow Groundhog to pronounce how we are going to do for the next 6 months. Scottish school holidays are coming to an end. Sales will start to soar from now to November. And for the last 5 years I have said to myself “…that’s the recession over, now back to business.”

Alas every morning I wake up to the same stark fact: the great British  …continue reading : Archers Sleepcentre Internet Record Bed Sales

Next to the bed company with no name and we never mention (begins with ‘H’ and ends in ‘E’), Kaymed Beds is one of my all time favourite brands.

And yesterday, as I held my Scottish Furniture Trade Benevolent Association (SFTBA) golf prize in hand, a Guinness coffee mug, donated by Kaymed, I thought, “What would I prefer: a pint of Guinness or a good night’s sleep on a Kaymed?”

Alas, many a pint of Guinness have I had, but not yet have I slept on a Kaymed. One day. Post recession, 2025. It’s on my bucket list.

Anyhow, yesterday’s SFTBA Golf outing at Deer Park, Livingston was a resounding success. Our team did struggle, despite having Stuart Gilchrist, our Birlea Beds ringer, who plays golf every week, and has a driver the cost of a small …continue reading : Top Irish Brands: Guinness and Kaymed Beds

Archers Sleepcentre Competition Entries

Click below to see our entries

1. The Perfect Sleeper
2. Sleeping Pets
3. Sleeping Children
4. Sleeping Party Animals

Google beds or mattresses and who do you see? Dreams, Bedroomworld, Mattressonline, Mattressman, Bensons for Beds etc etc. Alas, no Archers Sleepcentre.

So David B and I visited the 2012 Internetworld Exhibition at Earls Court last week to find out how it’s done. Three days we were there, and we talked and we talked and we talked to every SEO Company in Christendom to find the secret.

It seemed every stand had worked with a bed retailer at one time or another. “Tough market” they sagely pronounced with transcendent smiles translating to “this is gonna cost you mate”.

Pay per click (PPC) is the holy grail to bed stardom you …continue reading : Google Beds and Mattresses

Dining sets are a new addition to the Archers Sleepcentre product portfolio. David B (our E commerce Director) and I have a shared history of selling dining tables and chairs and I’m pleased to say we have transferred that knowledge to selling the odd table leg and seat cushion online too.

But the word out there is dining furniture is a dying swan. The TV dinner, the dysfunctional family and the building of shoe box houses has led to the demise of the dining room and the dining table and chair set therein.

If there is a God, the modern day architect must know they will endure everlasting discombobulation as they roast in hell. Those pathetic, high density, modern day rabbit hutches raise my Sesquipedalian rants to volume 11  …continue reading : Dining Sets Sales down but no Recession